"Suburgatory" and "Happy Endings" Open Big for ABC

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

Despite facing Fox's 2-hour The X Factor on the night this year, ABC's numbers rose sharply over the same Wednesday last year in both Total Viewers (+27%) and Adults 18-49 (+38%). For the 2nd week in a row this season, ABC claimed Wednesday's definitive #1 TV show with Modern Family in viewers and young adults.

At 8pm, ABC's The Middle dominated its comedy competition in the half-hour, leading NBC's Up All Night by 3.3 million viewers and by 24% in Adults 18-49. In addition, The Middle beat out CBS Survivor: South Pacific in the time period by 43% among Adults 18-34.

· Although it's facing The X Factor in the time period this year, The Middle was up from its performance on the year-ago night for the 2nd straight telecast among viewers and young adults.

Building on its lead-in by double-digit percentages among viewers (+14%) and young adults (27%) at 8:30pm, the series debut of Suburgatory opened as ABC's biggest comedy premiere in the half hour in 8 years with Total Viewers and in 6 years with Adults 18-49 - since 10/1/03 and 10/12/05, respectively. Similarly to its lead-in, Suburgatory overshadowed its comedy competition in the half-hour, more than tripling the delivery of NBC's Free Agents in viewers (+216%) and Adults 18-49 (+230%). In fact, the new ABC comedy tied Survivor in the slot among Adults 18-49 and beat the CBS reality series by an impressive 59% in Adults 18-34.

· Topping the year-ago debut of Better with You in the half-hour by sizeable margins in viewers (+24%) and young adults (+32%), Suburgatory produced ABC's largest audience in the slot with a comedy telecast since November 2003 and its top young adult number since November 2005 - since 11/19/03 and 11/16/05, respectively.

Surging over its lead-in at 9pm to win its time period over the third half-hour hour of The X Factor in viewers (+10%) and young adults (+37%), ABC's Modern Family finished as the night's #1 TV show and posted the series' 2nd-strongest regular telecast ever (behind only the prior week's season premiere).

· Despite heightened competition year to year, Modern Family jumped over its year-ago telecast by 1.3 million viewers and by 22% in young adults.

At 9:30pm against the final half-hour of The X Factor, the sophomore season premiere of Happy Endings scored series-highs in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. Happy Endings stood as the #1 scripted show in its slot with Adults 18-34, Men 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· Boosting its time slot from the year-ago night in viewers (+6%) and young adults (+14%), Happy Endings generated ABC's best performance in the time period with regular programming in nearly 8 months - since 2/9/11.

Building on its Total Viewer lead-in (+16%) during the 10pm hour against veteran dramas on both CBS (CSI) and NBC (L&O: SVU) , ABC's freshman drama Revenge ran a strong second, beating L&O SVU by 21% in Total Viewers and by 35% in Adults 18-49. The new ABC drama ranked #1 in the hour for its 2nd straight telecast with Adults 18-34 and across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· Revenge continued to generate enormous time-period improvement for ABC, surging over the year-ago night in viewers (+87%) and young adults (+125%).

Quick Take for Wednesday, September 28, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Produces Substantial Year-Over-Year Increases on Wednesday Evening

Up Year to Year, "The Middle" Dominates its NBC Comedy Competition at 8pm

"Suburgatory" Opens as ABC's Biggest Comedy in the Time Period in 8 Years

Wednesday's No. 1 TV Show for the 2nd Week in a Row, ABC's "Modern Family" Surges Year Over Year in Viewers and Young Adults

Marking ABC's Strongest Results in the Slot in Nearly 8 Months, "Happy Endings" Opens its Sophomore Season at Series Highs

Continuing to Deliver Huge Time-Period Improvement, ABC's "Revenge" Defeats NBC's "L&O: SVU" by 21% in Viewers and by 35% in Adults 18-49

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

Despite facing Fox's 2-hour "The X Factor" on the night this year, ABC's numbers rose sharply over the same Wednesday last year in both Total Viewers (+27% - 9.3 million vs. 7.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (+38% - 3.3/9 vs. 2.4/7). For the 2nd week in a row this season, ABC claimed Wednesday's definitive No. 1 TV show with "Modern Family" in viewers and young adults.

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

At 8:00 p.m. ABC's "The Middle" dominated its comedy competition in the half-hour, leading NBC's "Up All Night" by 3.3 million viewers (8.6 million vs. 5.3 million) and by 24% in Adults 18-49 (2.6/8 vs. 2.1/6). In addition, "The Middle" beat out CBS' "Survivor: South Pacific" in the slot by 43% in Adults 18-34 (2.0/7 vs. 1.4/5).

· Although it's facing "The X Factor" in the time period this year, "The Middle" was up from its performance on the year-ago night for the 2nd straight telecast among viewers and young adults (8.4 million and 2.5/8 on 9/29/10).

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

Building on its lead-in by double-digit percentages among viewers (+14%) and young adults (+27%) at 8:30 p.m., the series debut of "Suburgatory" opened as ABC's biggest comedy premiere in the half hour in 8 years with Total Viewers (9.8 million) and in 6 years with Adults 18-49 (3.3/9) - since 10/1/03 and 10/12/05, respectively. Similarly to its lead-in, "Suburgatory" overshadowed its comedy competition in the half-hour, more than tripling the delivery of NBC's "Free Agents" (3.1 million and 1.0/3) in viewers (+216%) and Adults 18-49 (+230%). In fact, the new ABC comedy tied time-period established "Survivor" in the slot among Adults 18-49 and beat the CBS reality series by an impressive 59% in Adults 18-34 (2.7/8 vs. 1.7/5).

· Topping the year-ago debut of "Better with You" (7.9 million and 2.5/7 on 9/22/10) in the half-hour by sizeable margins in viewers (+24%) and young adults (+32%), "Suburgatory" produced ABC's largest audience in the slot with a comedy telecast since November 2003 and its top young adult number since November 2005 - since 11/19/03 and 11/16/05, respectively.

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

Surging over its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. to win its time period over the third half-hour hour of "The X Factor" in viewers (+10% - 13.2 million vs. 12.0 million) and young adults (+37% - 5.6/14 vs. 4.1/10), ABC's "Modern Family finished as the night's No. 1 TV show and posted the series' 2nd-strongest regular telecast ever (behind only the prior week's season premiere).

· Despite heightened competition year to year, "Modern Family" jumped over its year-ago telecast by 1.3 million viewers and by 22% in young adults (11.9 million and 4.6/13 on 9/29/10).

"Happy Endings" (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

At 9:30 p.m. against the final half-hour of "The X Factor," the sophomore season premiere of ABC's "Happy Endings" scored series highs in Total Viewers (7.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.2/8). "Happy Endings" stood as the No. 1 scripted show in its slot with Adults 18-34, Men 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· Boosting its time slot from the year-ago night in viewers (+6%) and young adults (+14%), "Happy Endings" generated ABC's best performance in the time period with regular programming in nearly 8 months - since 2/9/11.

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

Building on its Total Viewer lead-in (+16% - 8.6 million vs. 7.4 million) during the 10:00 p.m. hour against veteran dramas on both CBS ("CSI") and NBC ("L&O: SVU"), ABC's freshman drama "Revenge" ran a strong second, beating NBC's veteran drama "L&O: SVU" by 21% in Total Viewers (8.6 million vs. 7.1 million) and by 35% in Adults 18-49 (2.7/7 vs. 2.0/5). The new ABC drama ranked No. 1 in the hour for its 2nd straight telecast with Adults 18-34 and across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· "Revenge" continued to generate enormous time-period improvement for ABC, surging over the year-ago night ("The Whole Truth" = 4.6 million and 1.2/4) in viewers (+87%) and young adults (+125%).

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), 9/28/11.