The Bachelor Hits Season Highs/Castle Post Best-Ever Repeat

Some early info ahead of the regular press release for ABC's Monday night (original The Bachelor and a repeat Castle).

Monday Night (8-11pm): For the 3rd week in a row, ABC increased its overall audience from the year-ago night, gaining 8% year to year (10.4 million vs. 9.6 million on 2/2/09).

The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love (8-10pm): From 8-10pm, ABC's The Bachelor earned second place in viewers and young adults to CBS' original comedy block, beating Fox's original dramas (House/24) in Total Viewers (11.7 million vs. 11.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (4.1/10 vs. 3.9/10). The ABC unscripted series won its 2-hour time period for the 3rd straight week among Adults 18-34, beating runner-up Fox by 11% (4.0/11 vs. 3.6/10). For its 5th straight telecast, The Bachelor towered over its time slot and registered as Monday's #1 TV show with Women 18-34 (6.3/16).

� The Bachelor built to another season-high, marking its 4th consecutive week of growth in both Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

� Bucking the general trend for many unscripted shows, The Bachelor attracts a highly desirable upscale audience. Season to date, The Bachelor places among the Top 10 highest-rated television series in Nielsen's top income break: Adults 18-49 in homes with $100K+ annual income (#9). In fact ranked among the all unscripted TV series this season, The Bachelor (5.9 rating) paces behind only Fox's American Idols, outperforming CBS' Amazing Race (5.3) and Survivor (5.3) and NBC's Biggest Loser 8 (5.0) and Biggest Loser 9 (4.9). Based on its Index (158), or concentration of high-income viewers in its audience, The Bachelor stands as the #1 unscripted series on the major broadcasts networks this season. For perspective, American Idol-Tuesday reports an index of 115 and American Idol-Wednesday is also at 115.

Castle (10-11pm): ABC's repeat Castle took second place in the 10 o'clock hour to CBS' original CSI: Miami, beating out NBC's original Jay Leno by 4.1 million viewers (8.0 million vs. 3.9 million) and by 100% in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 1.1/3).

� The replay Castle improved ABC's performance in the hour over the same night a last year with original programming by 1.2 viewers (8.0 million vs. 6.8 million).

� In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, Castle achieved the series' highest-ever repeat numbers.

Quick Take for Monday, February 1, 2010 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is No. 1 on Monday Among Key Women Demos for the 5th Straight Week

"The Bachelor" Tops Fox's Original Dramas from 8-10pm, Hitting Season Highs with its 4th Consecutive Week of Growth in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49

Improving ABC's Year-Ago Performance at 10pm with Original Programming in Viewers, ABC's "Castle" Delivers Series' Highest Ever Repeat Numbers

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

ABC finished second on the night to Fox with originals of "House" and "24" in Adults 18-34 (3.2/9). ABC won Monday among Women 18-34 (5.1/13) and Women 18-49 (5.2/13), standing as the top Network on the Night for the 5th straight week among the key Women demos.

� For the 3rd week in a row, ABC increased its overall audience from the year-ago night, gaining 8% year to year (10.4 million vs. 9.6 million on 2/2/09).

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

From 8:00-10:00 p.m., ABC's "The Bachelor" earned second place in viewers and young adults to CBS' original comedy block, beating Fox's original dramas ("House"/"24") in Total Viewers (11.7 million vs. 11.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (4.1/10 vs. 3.9/10). The ABC unscripted series won its 2-hour time period for the 3rd straight week among Adults 18-34, beating runner-up Fox by 11% (4.0/11 vs. 3.6/10). For its 5th straight telecast, "The Bachelor" towered over its time slot and registered as Monday's No. 1 TV show with Women 18-34 (6.3/16).

� "The Bachelor" built to another season-high, marking its 4th consecutive week of growth in both Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

� Bucking the general trend for many unscripted shows, "The Bachelor" attracts a highly desirable upscale audience. Season to date, "The Bachelor" places among the Top 10 highest-rated television series in Nielsen's top income break: Adults 18-49 in homes with $100K+ annual income (No. 9). In fact ranked among all unscripted TV series this season, "The Bachelor" (5.9 rating) paces behind only Fox's "American Idols," outperforming CBS' "Amazing Race 15" (5.3) and "Survivor: Samoa" (5.3) and NBC's "The Biggest Loser 8" (5.0) and "The Biggest Loser 9" (4.9). Based on its Index (158), or concentration of high-income viewers in its audience, "The Bachelor" stands as the No. 1 unscripted series on the major broadcasts networks this season. For perspective, "American Idol-Tuesday" reports an index of 115 and "American Idol-Wednesday" is also at 115.

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

ABC's repeat "Castle" took second place in the 10 o'clock hour to CBS' original "CSI: Miami," beating out NBC's original "Jay Leno" by 4.1 million viewers (8.0 million vs. 3.9 million) and by 100% in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 1.1/3).

� The replay "Castle" improved ABC's performance in the hour over the same night a last year with original programming by 1.2 viewers (8.0 million vs. 6.8 million).

� In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, "Castle" achieved the series' highest-ever repeat numbers.

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 35% 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), 2/1/10.