ABC Wins Tuesday/"Body of Proof" Opens Big

Some early info on ABC's Tuesday, ahead of the regular press release.

With a Dancing recap show, followed by the Season 12 premiere of DWTS Results Show leading into the series debut of Body of Proof, ABC took first place on Tuesday evening, upsetting second-place CBS' all-original line up by 4% in Total Viewers and by 6% in Adults 18-49. In fact, DWTS Results stood as Tuesday's #1 TV show and Body of Proof opened with a dominant victory in the 10 o'clock hour.

· In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, ABC marked its 2nd strongest Tuesday performance this season.

· The Net grew its overall audience from the same night last year (3/30/10) with an all-original schedule (DWTS Results/Lost/V) by 4.6 million viewers.

From 8-9pm, ABC's special Dancing recap show (Dancing with the Stars: The Story So Far) ran a strong #2 to CBS' top-rated NCIS, beating NBC's time-period regular The Biggest Loser: Couples by solid margins in viewers (+5.9 million) and young adults (+13%). The recap show ranked #1 in the time period with Women 18-34, beating NCIS by an impressive 26%.

· DWTS: The Story So Far produced the Network's top numbers in the time period in nearly 5 months with viewers and young adults - since 11/2/10.

Soaring to the top of the 9 o'clock hour to rank as Tuesday's #1 TV show, the season premiere of ABC's DWTS Results Show outpaced its nearest competitor (CBS' NCIS: Los Angeles) by 3.6 million viewers and by 20% in Adults 18-49. Radio host Mike Catherwood was the first celebrity voted off the show this season.

· DWTS Results Show rose sharply over its premiere on the same night last year, surging by 31% in Total Viewers and by 40% in Adults 18-49. In fact it registered as the most-watched-ever season opener for DWTS Results Show.

· In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, ABC posted its highest numbers in the time period since mid-November - since 11/23/10, with the Season 11 finale of DWTS.

In the 10 o'clock hour against established first-run dramas on CBS (The Good Wife) and NBC (Parenthood), ABC's series debut of Body of Proof opened a definitive #1 in its time period. Taking full control of the time period, ABC's Body of Proof beat out second-place CBS' The Good Wife by 39% in Total Viewers and by a massive 58% in Adults 18-49.

· Generating enormous time-period improvement, Body of Proof delivered ABC's best results in the slot with a regular hour-long program in 6 years in Total Viewers and in 3 years in Adults 18-49 - since 3/1/05 and 3/25/08, respectively. Versus ABC's averages with regular programming in the hour this season, Body of Proof improved the time slot by 117% in Total Viewers and by 114% in Adults 18-49.

· ABC's Body of Proof qualifies as TV's 2nd-most-watched series debut of the 2010-11 season, behind only the September premiere of CBS' high-profile reboot of Hawaii Five-0. In addition, it was ABC's most-watched midseason drama debut in 4 years and its top-rated among Adults 18-49 in 2 years - since 3/15/07 and 3/9/09, respectively.

Quick Take for Tuesday, March 29, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Scores a Big Tuesday Upset, Winning the Night Over CBS and Posting its 2nd-Highest Results on the Evening This Season in Viewers and Young Adults

ABC's "Dancing" Recap Show Beats NBC's Original "The Biggest Loser" At 8pm, Generating the Net's Top Numbers in the Hour in Nearly 5 Months

ABC's "DWTS Results Show" Marks its Most-Watched-Ever Premiere, Overshadowing the 9 O'clock Hour to Register as Tuesday's No. 1 TV Show

ABC's "Body of Proof" Debuts a Dominant No. 1 in the 10pm Hour, Scoring The Net's Biggest Audience in the Slot with a Regular Hour-Long Show in 6 Years

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

With a "Dancing" recap show, followed by the Season 12 premiere of "DWTS Results Show" leading into the series debut of "Body of Proof," ABC took first place on Tuesday evening, upsetting second-place CBS' all-original lineup by 4% in Total Viewers (15.1 million vs. 14.5 million) and by 6% in Adults 18-49 (3.3/9 vs. 3.1/8). In fact, "DWTS Results Show" stood as Tuesday's No. 1 TV show, and "Body of Proof" opened with a dominant victory in the 10 o'clock hour.

· In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, ABC marked its 2nd-strongest Tuesday performance this season.

· The Net grew its overall audience from the same night last year with an all-original schedule ("DWTS Results Show"/"Lost"/"V") by 4.6 million viewers (10.5 million on 3/30/10).

"Dancing with the Stars: The Story So Far" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

From 8:00-9:00 p.m., ABC's special "Dancing" recap show ("Dancing with the Stars: The Story So Far") ran a strong No. 2 to CBS' top-rated "NCIS," beating NBC's time-period regular "The Biggest Loser: Couples" by solid margins in viewers (+5.9 million - 12.7 million vs. 6.8 million) and young adults (+13% - 2.7/8 vs. 2.4/7). The recap show ranked a dominant No. 1 in the time period with Women 18-34, beating "NCIS" by an impressive 26% (2.9/9 vs. 2.3/7).

· "DWTS: The Story So Far" produced the Network's top numbers in the time period in nearly 5 months with viewers and young adults - since 11/2/10.

"DWTS Results Show" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Soaring to the top of the 9 o'clock hour to rank as Tuesday's No. 1 TV show, the Season 12 premiere of ABC's "DWTS Results Show" outpaced its nearest competitor (CBS' "NCIS: Los Angeles") by 3.6 million viewers (18.8 million vs. 15.2 million) and by 20% in Adults 18-49 (4.2/11 vs. 3.5/9). Radio host Mike Catherwood was the first celebrity voted off the show this season.

· "DWTS Results Show" rose sharply over its premiere on the same night last year, surging by 31% in Total Viewers and by 40% in Adults 18-49 (14.3 million and 3.0/9 on 3/30/10). In fact it registered as the most-watched-ever season opener for "DWTS Results Show." In addition, Season 12 and Season 11 now stand as the franchise's Top 2 most-watched premieres for "DWTS Results Show," respectively.

· In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, ABC posted its highest numbers in the time period since mid-November - since 11/23/10, with the Season 11 finale of "DWTS."

"Body of Proof" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

In the 10 o'clock hour against established first-run dramas on CBS ("The Good Wife") and NBC ("Parenthood"), ABC's series debut of "Body of Proof" opened a definitive No. 1 in its time period. Taking full control of the hour, ABC's "Body of Proof" beat out second-place CBS' "The Good Wife" by 39% in Total Viewers (13.9 million vs. 10.0 million) and by a massive 58% in Adults 18-49 (3.0/8 vs. 1.9/5).

· Generating enormous time-period improvement, "Body of Proof" delivered ABC's best results in the slot with a regular hour-long program in 6 years among Total Viewers, and in 3 years among Adults 18-49 - since 3/1/05 and 3/25/08, respectively. Versus ABC's averages with regular programming in the hour this season, "Body of Proof" improved the time slot by 117% in Total Viewers and by 114% in Adults 18-49.

· ABC's "Body of Proof" qualified as TV's 2nd-most-watched series debut of the 2010-11 season, behind only the September premiere of CBS' high-profile reboot of "Hawaii Five-0." In addition, it was ABC's most-watched midseason drama debut in 4 years and its top-rated among Adults 18-49 in 2 years - since 3/15/07 and 3/9/09, respectively.

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 40% currently, from 36% at the same point in 2010. 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: The Nielsen Company (Fast Affiliate, Live + Same Day Ratings), 3/29/11.