ABC's Castle is Monday's #1 Series at 10pm for 4th Straight Week

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

Opposite all original competition on the evening from CBS and Fox, ABC stood as Monday's most-watched network for the 4th week in a row (17.9 million) and also won the night for the 3rd time in 4 weeks with Adults 18-49 (4.2/12), beating out its nearest competition by 7.5 million viewers and by 17% in young adults (CBS = 10.4 million and 3.6/10). ABC's numbers surged over the year-ago Monday by 4.0 million viewers and by 24% in Adults 18-49 (13.9 million and 3.4/9 on 4/13/09).

Monday's most-watched TV show overall, ABC's Dancing with the Stars won its time period for the 4th week running in both Total Viewers (20.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (4.8/13). DWTS led its time period by wide margins, beating out second-place CBS with its original 2-hour comedy block by 10.1 million viewers and by 26% in Adults 18-49 (How I Met Your Mother/Rules of Engagement/Two and a Half Men/The Big Bang Theory = 10.2 million and 3.8/11).

For the 4th week in a row, ABC's Castle finished #1 series in Monday's 10 o'clock hour among Total Viewers (13.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.2/9). In fact ABC's Castle drew a bigger audience than CBS' CSI: Miami for their 2nd straight original match-up in the time period, and by an even wider margin. Growing week to week, Castle drew its 2nd-largest-ever audience and posted the series' 3rd-highest Adult 18-49 rating. The ABC sophomore drama was up sharply over its performance on the same night last year, jumping by 5.9 million viewers and by 68% in Adults 18-49 year to year (7.3 million and 1.9/5 on 4/13/09).

Quick Take for Monday, April 12, 2010 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is the Most-Watched Net on Monday for the 4th Straight Week and for the 3rd Time in 4 Weeks Among Adults 18-49

ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" Leads its Time Period in Viewers and Young Adults for the 4th Week Running

"Castle" Stands as the No. 1 Series at 10pm in Viewers and Young Adults for the 3rd Week in a Row, Drawing its 2nd-Largest-Ever Audience

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

Opposite all-original competition on the evening from CBS and Fox, ABC stood as Monday's most-watched network for the 4th week in a row (17.9 million) and also won the night for the 3rd time in 4 weeks with Adults 18-49 (4.2/12), beating out its nearest competition by 7.5 million viewers and by 17% in young adults (CBS = 10.4 million and 3.6/10).

· ABC's numbers surged over the year-ago Monday by 4.0 million viewers and by 24% in Adults 18-49 (13.9 million and 3.4/9 on 4/13/09).

"Dancing with the Stars" (8:00-10:00 p.m.)

Monday's most-watched TV show overall, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" won its time period for the 4th week running in both Total Viewers (20.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (4.8/13). "DWTS" led its time period by wide margins, beating out second-place CBS with its original 2-hour comedy block by 10.1 million viewers and by 26% in Adults 18-49 ("How I Met Your Mother"/"Rules of Engagement"/"Two and a Half Men"/"The Big Bang Theory" = 10.2 million and 3.8/11).

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

For the 4th week in a row, ABC's "Castle" finished as the No. 1 series in Monday's 10 o'clock hour among Total Viewers (13.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.2/9). In fact ABC's "Castle" drew a bigger audience than CBS' "CSI: Miami" for their 2nd straight original match-up in the time period, and by an even wider margin. Growing week to week, "Castle" drew its 2nd-largest-ever audience and posted the series' 3rd-highest Adult 18-49 rating.

· The ABC sophomore drama was up sharply over its performance on the same night last year, jumping by 5.9 million viewers and 68% in Adults 18-49 year to year (7.3 million and 1.9/5 on 4/13/09).

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 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), 4/12/10.