ABC is the Most-Watched Net on Season-Opening Monday/"Castle" Marks its Best-Ever Premiere

Some early info on ABC's season-premiere Monday, ahead of the regular press release:

Despite going up against CBS with the high-profile return of Two and a Half Men on Monday, ABC finished as the most-watched TV network on the opening night of the 2011-12 season with the openers of DWTS and Castle, outdrawing CBS by 1.2 million viewers (HIMYM/Two and a Half Men/2 Broke Girls/Hawaii Five-0), Fox by 11.0 million viewers (2-hour season finale of Hell's Kitchen) and NBC by 11.8 million viewers (2-hour premiere of Sing Off/series debut of The Playboy Club). In fact, it was ABC's 4th time in the last 5 years to open as the most-watched network on the first Monday of the season. Among Adults 18-49, ABC defeated Fox by 48% and NBC by 106%.

Building its audience from its first hour to its second hour opposite CBS' Two and a Half Men-fueled comedy block from 8-10pm, the 13th season opener of Dancing with the Stars made ABC the most-watched net in its time slot, topping CBS by 1.0 million viewers.

· Head to head during its 2-hour time period, ABC's DWTS beat out its unscripted competition by huge margins, topping Fox's Hell's Kitchen finale by 12.7 million viewers and by 56% in Adults 18-49 and NBC's The Sing Off season premiere by 13.4 million viewers and by 105% in Adults 18-49.

Surging year to year and starting out its 4th season as the most-watched drama in 10 o'clock hour, ABC's opener of Castle topped CBS' opener of Hawaii Five-0 by 13% and more than doubled NBC's series debut of The Playboy Club (+172%). The ABC drama also doubled The Playboy Club with Adults 18-49 (+106%). In addition, ABC's Castle stood as the #1 series in the hour with Adults 18-34 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· Marking its best-ever season premiere, ABC's Castle jumped over its year-ago season opener in Total Viewers (+27%) and Adults 18-49 (+22%). In fact among viewers and young adults, the ABC drama generated its 2nd-highest-ever numbers.

DVR Playback Notes (based on originals during the 2010-11 TV Season):

· Last season, DWTS saw gains over its first-reported numbers of 1.0 million viewers and 3-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point (+7%) from the initially reported Live + Same Day ratings to the Live + 7 Day playback finals.

· One of TV's biggest gainers in the 10 o'clock hour last season, Castle generated substantial increases over its first-reported numbers, picking up an average of 2.5 million viewers and an additional 8-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point (+30%) from the L+SD to the L+7 numbers.

Quick Take for Monday, September 19, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Opens the Season as the Most-Watched Net for the 4th Time in 5 Years

Despite Going Up Against CBS' "Two and a Half Men"-Fueled Comedy Block, the 13th Season Opener of "Dancing" Makes ABC the Most-Watched Net from 8-10pm

"DWTS" Overshadows its Unscripted Competition with Viewers and Young Adults

Opening its 4th Season as the Most-Watched Drama in the 10pm Hour, ABC's "Castle" Surges Year to Year to Mark its Best-Ever Season Premiere

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

Despite going up against CBS with the high-profile return of "Two and a Half Men" on Monday, ABC (16.9 million) finished as the most-watched TV network on the opening night of the 2011-12 season with the openers of "Dancing" and "Castle," outdrawing CBS by 1.2 million viewers ("HIMYM"/"Two and a Half Men"/"2 Broke Girls"/"Hawaii Five-0" = 15.7 million), Fox by 11.0 million viewers (2-hour season finale of "Hell's Kitchen" = 5.9 million) and NBC by 11.8 million viewers (2-hour premiere of "The Sing Off"/series debut of "The Playboy Club" = 5.1 million). Among Adults 18-49, ABC (3.7/9) outdelivered Fox by 48% (2.5/6) and NBC by 106% (1.8/4).

· It was ABC's 4th time in the last 5 years to open as the most-watched network on the first Monday of the season.

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

Building its audience from its first hour to its second hour (18.4 million to 18.7 million) opposite CBS' "Two and a Half Men"-fueled comedy block from 8:00-10:00 p.m., the 13th season opener of "Dancing with the Stars" made ABC the most-watched net in its time slot, topping CBS by 1.0 million viewers (18.6 million vs. 17.6 million).

· Head to head during its 2-hour time period, ABC's "DWTS" (18.6 million and 3.9/10) beat out its unscripted competition by huge margins, topping Fox's "Hell's Kitchen" finale by 12.7 million viewers and by 56% in Adults 18-49 (5.9 million and 2.5/6) and NBC's "The Sing Off" season premiere by 13.4 million viewers and by 105% in Adults 18-49 (5.2 million and 1.9/5).

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

Surging year to year and starting out its 4th season as the most-watched drama in 10 o'clock hour, ABC's opener of "Castle" (13.6 million) topped CBS' opener of "Hawaii Five-0" by 13% (12.0 million) and more than doubled NBC's series debut of "The Playboy Club" (+172% - 5.0 million). The ABC drama also doubled "The Playboy Club" with Adults 18-49 (+106% - 3.3/8 vs. 1.6/4). In addition, ABC's "Castle" stood as the No. 1 series in the hour with Adults 18-34 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· Marking its best-ever season premiere, ABC's Castle jumped over its year-ago season opener (10.7 million and 2.7/7 on 9/20/10) in Total Viewers (+27%) and Adults 18-49 (+22%). In fact among viewers and young adults, the ABC drama generated its 2nd-highest-ever 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 42% currently, from 38% 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), 9/19/11.