ABC's The Bachelor is Up Year to Year for the 3rd Week - Castle Wins at 10pm with a 13-Week High

ABC Monday Prime (8-11pm - 8.5 million and 2.3/7 in AD18-49): Opposite NBC's season premieres of The Voice and Night Shift, ABC ranked a strong #2 on Monday in Adults 18-49 (2.3/7), leading CBS by 21% (1.9/5) and Fox by 28% (1.8/5). Despite the increased competition from NBC week to week, ABC was up in Adults 18-49 (+5%) to match a Monday season high and tie its top rating on the night in 10 months - since 4/28/14.

The Bachelor (8-10pm - 8.9 million and 2.6/7 in AD18-49): Opposite NBC's The Voice premiere from 8-10pm, ABC's The Bachelor held steady with the prior week's season high in Total Viewers (8.9 million vs. 9.0 million) and equaled its 2nd highest rating this season in Adults 18-49 (2.6/7 - just 1-tenth shy of a season high). The Bachelor was up from its year-ago telecast for the 3rd week running (8.2 million and 2.5/7 on 2/24/14) in both Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%). Taking a hit against The Bachelor, The Voice was down -14% in viewers and -15% in young adults from the same night last year.

· Beating The Voice premiere head to head, The Bachelor ranked Monday's #1 TV series for the 8th time in as many weeks this season with Women 18-34.

Castle (10-11pm - 7.7 million and 1.7/5 in AD18-49): At 10pm, ABC's Castle won its hour for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-49, beating NBC's The Voice-led premiere of Night Shift by 13% (1.5/4) and CBS' NCIS: LA by 6% (1.6/5).

· Gaining week to week in Adults 18-49 (+6%), Castle delivered a 13-week high - since 11/24/14.

Quick Take for Monday, February 23, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Matches Monday Season High in Adults 18-49 and Ties Best Young Adult Performance on the Night in 10 Months

Opposite NBC's "The Voice" Premiere, "The Bachelor" Delivers 2nd-Strongest Numbers of the Season in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49

"Castle" Leads the 10pm Time Slot in Adults 18-49 for the 2nd Straight Week, Hitting a 13-Week High in Adults 18-49

Monday Night (2/23/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"The Bachelor": Live + 3 = 10.9 million/3.1 rating and Live + 7 = 11.3 million/3.2 rating

"Castle": Live + 3 = 11.4 million/2.4 rating and Live + 7 = 12.4 million/2.6 rating

ABC Monday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 8.5 million and 2.3/7 in AD18-49):

Opposite NBC with the season premieres of "The Voice" and "Night Shift," ABC ranked a strong No. 2 on Monday in Adults 18-49 (2.3/7), leading CBS by 21% (1.9/5) and Fox by 28% (1.8/5). Despite the increased competition from NBC week to week, ABC was up in Adults 18-49 (+5%) to match a Monday season high and tie its best performance on the night in 10 months - since 4/28/14.

"The Bachelor" (8:00-10:00 p.m. - 8.9 million and 2.6/7 in AD18-49):

Opposite NBC's "The Voice" premiere from 8:00-10:00 p.m., ABC's "The Bachelor" held steady with the prior week's season high in Total Viewers (8.9 million vs. 9.0 million) and equaled its 2nd highest rating this season in Adults 18-49 (2.6/7 - just 1-tenth shy of a season high). "The Bachelor" was up from its year-ago telecast for the 3rd week running (8.2 million and 2.5/7 on 2/24/14) in both Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%). Taking a hit against "The Bachelor," "The Voice" was down -14% in viewers and -15% in young adults from the same night last year.

· Beating "The Voice" premiere, "The Bachelor" ranked Monday's No. 1 TV series for the 8th time in as many weeks this season with Women 18-34.

"Castle" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 7.7 million and 1.7/5 in AD18-49):

At 10:00 p.m., ABC's "Castle" won its hour for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-49, beating NBC's "The Voice"-led premiere of "Night Shift" by 13% (1.5/4) and CBS' "NCIS: LA" by 6% (1.6/5).

· Gaining week to week in Adults 18-49 (+6%), "Castle" delivered a 13-week high - since 11/24/14.

A note about DVR penetration: DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample is currently at 49% in U.S. TV Homes. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which are increasingly not reflected in the overnight Live + Same Day numbers. As a result, the Live + 7 Day ratings are the most accurate measure to gauge the size of the TV audience.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings, 2/23/15.