Quick Take for Wednesday, March 3, 2010 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's Replay "Modern Family" is the No. 1 Scripted Show at 8pm In Adults 18-49, Finishing 13% Ahead of NBC's Original "Mercy"

On its First Original Airing in 3 Weeks, "The Middle" is the Top Scripted Show In its Slot in Adults 18-49, Beating NBC's "Mercy" and CBS' "Gary Unmarried"

Surging 66% in Adults 18-49 from its Lead-in Against Fox's 2-Hour "Idol," ABC's "Modern Family" is the No. 1 Scripted Show in its Slot for its 4th Straight Original

"Modern Family - WED 8PM" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

Opposite the opening half-hour of Fox's 2-hour "American Idol" (Top 10 female performances), ABC's rebroadcast airing of "Modern Family" finished as the No. 1 scripted show at 8:00 p.m. in Adults 18-49 (1.7/5), beating NBC's original "Mercy" by 13% (1.5/4) and tying CBS' original "Old Christine" (1.7/5).

"The Middle" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

Returning to original for the first time in 3 weeks, ABC's "The Middle" ranked as the No. 1 scripted show at 8:30 p.m. in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6), defeating the second half-hour of NBC's "Mercy" by 24% (1.7/5) and CBS' "Gary Unmarried" by 5% (2.0/5).

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

On its first original airing in 3 weeks, ABC's "Modern Family" surged from its lead-in by 67% in Adults 18-49 at 9:00 p.m. against the third half-hour of Fox's 2-hour "Idol." Beating out CBS' "Criminal Minds" in Adults 18-49 (3.5/9 vs. 3.4/9), ABC's "Modern Family" registered as the No. 1 scripted program in its time period for its 4th straight original telecast.

� The ABC freshman comedy stood as Wednesday's No. 1 scripted TV show in Adults 18-34 (3.1/9) for its 4th first-run telecast in a row.

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 36% currently, from 30% 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), 3/2/10.