ABC Marks a Monday Season Best/The Bachelor Beats Fox's 24/Castle Hits a Season High

Some early points on ABC's Monday, ahead of the regular press release.

Monday Night (8-11pm): Posting its 5th straight week of Monday growth and matching its highest Adult 18-49 number this season, ABC (3.5/9) took second place on the night to CBS' original line-up, beating Fox with the 2-hour Monday season opener of 24 (3.4/8) and NBC's originals (1.9/5 - Chuck/Heroes/Jay Leno).

� ABC was up over the year-ago night in both Total Viewers (+1.6 million - 10.2 million vs. 8.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (+6% - 3.5/9 vs. 3.3/8).

The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love (8-10pm): From 8-10pm, ABC's The Bachelor defeated Fox's 2-hour Monday season opener of 24 in head-to-head competition by +12% in Adults 18-49 (3.8/9 vs. 3.4/8) and ranked #1 with Adults 18-34 (3.7/10) and key Women (W18-34/W18-49). The broad-appealing ABC unscripted show also made ABC the top-rated broadcaster in the time period with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.

� The Bachelor posted a season-high with its 2nd straight week of Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 growth and was up over the same night last year on both Nielsen counts.

Castle (10-11pm): Growing its Adult 18-49 audience (2.8/8 � a season high) for its 2nd straight original telecast, ABC's Castle finished a strong second to CBS' CSI: Miami in the 10pm hour, topping NBC's Jay Leno by a best-ever 115% (1.3/3). The ABC sophomore drama ranked #1 in its time slot with Women 18-34, beating CSI: Miami for the first time ever.

� Castle boosted ABC's performance in the hour over the same night a last year by 3.6 viewers (9.4 million vs. 5.8 million) and by 8% in Adults 18-49 (2.8/8 vs. 2.6/7 - an original True Beauty on 1/19/09).

� Castle hit season-high rating with Adults 18-49 and marked a series-high with Adults 18-34.

Quick Take for Monday, January 18, 2010 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is Up in Adults 18-49 for the 5th Straight Week Topping Fox's 2-Hour Monday Premiere of "24" and NBC's Original Line-up

"The Bachelor" Beats Fox's "24" in Adults 18-49 and Ranks No. 1 from 8-10pm in Adults 18-34 and Key Women Demos

"The Bachelor" Sees Week-to-Week Increases for the Second Week in a Row, Hitting Season Highs in Total Viewers and Young Adults

At 10pm, ABC's "Castle" Registers a Season High in Adults 18-49, Towering Over NBC's "Leno" by a Best-Ever 115% in Key Young Adult Demo

Monday Night (8:00-11:00 p.m.)

Posting its 5th straight week of Monday growth and matching its highest Adult 18-49 number this season, ABC (3.5/9) took second place on the night to CBS' original line-up, beating Fox with the 2-hour Monday season opener of "24" (3.4/8) and NBC's originals (1.9/5 � "Chuck"/"Heroes"/"Jay Leno"). ABC ranked No. 1 on the night among Adults 18-34 (3.3/9-tie), Women 18-34 (4.6/11) and Women 18-49 (4.9/11), standing as the top Net for the 3rd week running among the key Women demos.

� ABC was up over the year-ago night in both Total Viewers (+1.6 million - 10.2 million vs. 8.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (+6% - 3.5/9 vs. 3.3/8).

"The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love" (8:00-10:00 p.m.)

From 8:00-10:00 p.m., ABC's "The Bachelor" defeated Fox's 2-hour Monday season opener of "24" in head-to-head competition by +12% in Adults 18-49 (3.8/9 vs. 3.4/8) and ranked No. 1 with Adults 18-34 (3.7/10) and key Women (W18-34/W18-49). The broad-appealing unscripted show also made ABC the top-rated broadcaster in the time period with Teens 12-17 (1.7/5) and Kids 2-11 (1.3/4).

� "The Bachelor" qualified as Monday's No. 1 TV program among Women 18-34 (4.8/12) and Women 18-49 (5.5/12-tie).

� "The Bachelor" posted a season-high with its 2nd straight week of Total Viewer (10.6 million) and Adult 18-49 (3.8/9) growth and was up over the same night last year on both Nielsen counts.

"Castle" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Growing its Adult 18-49 audience (2.8/8 � a season high) for its 2nd straight original telecast, ABC's "Castle" finished a strong second to CBS' "CSI: Miami" in the 10 o'clock hour, topping NBC's "Jay Leno" by a best-ever 115% (1.3/3). The ABC sophomore drama ranked No. 1 in its time slot with Women 18-34 (3.3/9), beating "CSI: Miami" (3.2/9) for the first time ever.

� "Castle" hit season-high rating with Adults 18-49 (2.8/8) and marked a series-high with Adults 18-34 (2.5/7).

� "Castle" boosted ABC's performance in the hour over the same night a last year by 3.6 million viewers (9.4 million vs. 5.8 million) and by 8% in Adults 18-49 (2.8/8 vs. 2.6/7 - an original "True Beauty" on 1/19/09).

A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 34% currently, from 29% at the same point in 2009. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.

Source: Nielsen Media Research (Fast Affiliate, Live + Same Day Ratings), 1/18/10.