ABC's "Man Up" Debut Posts Solid Lead-in Retention and Grows its Time Slot

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

Featuring Last Man Standing, Man Up, DWTS: The Results and Body of Proof, ABC finished as the 2nd most-watched TV network overall to CBS on Tuesday, topping Fox by 6% (2-hour The X Factor) and more than doubling NBC's audience on the evening (+110% - 2-hour The Biggest Loser/Parenthood). In addition among Adults 18-49, ABC outdelivered NBC by 26%.

· ABC hit its 2nd highest-rated Tuesday this season among Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34.

Exhibiting strong retention of its premiere in the half hour the prior week at 8pm against NCIS and X Factor, ABC's Last Man Standing ranked a #2 in its slot with Total Viewers, Adults 18-34 and Adults 25-54, while running #1 with hard-to-reach Men 18-34. Versus its big series debut performance in the half-hour the prior week, Last Man Standing retained 88% of its premiere Adult 18-49 audience, 96% in Adults 18-34 and actually grew +5% with Men 18-34.

· Last Man Standing boosted its slot for ABC by double-digit percentages over the same night last year with Total Viewers (+40%) and Adults 18-49 (+36%).

At 8:30pm against stiff competition from the second half-hours of CBS' top-rated NCIS and Fox's The X Factor, the series debut of ABC's Man Up defeated NBC's time-period established The Biggest Loser by wide margins in Total Viewers (+53%) and Adults 18-49 (+33%). Man Up showed solid retention of its Last Man Standing lead-in among young adults: Adults 18-49 (80%) and Adults 18-34 (83%).

· Man Up improved its half-hour year to year for ABC across key demos: Total Viewers (+3%), Adults 18-49 (+4%), Adults 18-34 (+19%) and Men 18-34 (+21%).

During the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's Dancing with the Stars: The Results ran as the 2nd-most-watched TV show, outpacing Fox's X Factor by 3.1 million viewers and NBC's The Biggest Loser by 8.2 million viewers. The ABC dancing results show also held the #2 position in the hour among key Women (W18-34/W18-49) and beat out the second hour of NBC's Biggest Loser by 30% in Adults 18-49. Reality television star and fashion expert Carson Kressley was the fifth celebrity contestant to be eliminated from the ABC dance competition this season.

For the 5th week in a row this season, ABC's Body of Proof ranked as the 2nd-most-watched TV show overall in Tuesday's 10 o'clock hour, beating NBC's Parenthood by a margin of 4.5 million viewers. The ABC drama also placed #2 in the hour with key Women (W18-49/W25-54).

· Body of Proof was up over the prior week in viewers (+6%) and young adults (+6%), drawing its 2nd-largest overall audience this season. In addition, the ABC drama equaled its 2nd-highest numbers this season with Women 18-49 and Adults 18-34.

· Continuing to deliver much stronger lead-in retention for ABC in the hour year to year, Body of Proof grew its time period over the year-ago evening by 1.6 million viewers and by 6% in Adults 18-49.

Quick Take for Tuesday, October 18, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Marks its 2nd-Highest Rated Tuesday Night This Season with Young Adults

ABC's "Last Man Standing" Posts Strong Retention of its Big Week-Ago Debut in its Regular 8pm Half-Hour and Scores Substantial Year-Over-Year Time-Period Gains

Exhibiting Solid Retention of its "Last Man Standing" Lead-in, ABC's Debut of "Man Up!" Improves its Slot Over the Year-Ago Night Across Key Demographics

Building on its Lead-in at 9pm, "DWTS: The Results" Beats Fox's "The X Factor" By 3.1 Million Viewers and NBC's "The Biggest Loser" by 30% in Adults 18-49

ABC's "Body of Proof" Draws its 2nd-Largest Audience This Season and Once Again Earns Much Stronger Lead-in Retention for the Net in the Hour Year to Year

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

Featuring "Last Man Standing," "Man Up!," "DWTS: The Results" and "Body of Proof," ABC (10.7 million) finished as the 2nd-most-watched TV network overall to CBS on Tuesday, topping Fox by 6% (a special 2-hour "The X Factor") and more than doubling NBC's audience on the evening (+110% - 2-hour "The Biggest Loser 12"/"Parenthood"). In addition among Adults 18-49, ABC outdelivered NBC by 26% (2.4/6 vs. 1.9/5).

· ABC hit its 2nd-highest-rated Tuesday this season among Adults 18-49 (tie) and Adults 18-34.

"Last Man Standing" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

Exhibiting strong retention of its premiere delivery in the half-hour the prior week at 8:00 p.m. against "NCIS" and "X Factor," ABC's "Last Man Standing" ranked No. 2 in its slot with Total Viewers, Adults 18-34 and Adults 25-54, while running No. 1 with hard-to-reach Men 18-34. Versus its big series debut performance in the half-hour the prior week, "Last Man Standing" retained 88% of its premiere Adult 18-49 audience, 96% in Adults 18-34 and actually grew +5% with Men 18-34.

· "Last Man Standing" boosted its slot for ABC by double-digit percentages over the same night last year with Total Viewers (+40% - 10.2 million vs. 7.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (+36% - 3.0/9 vs. 2.2/7).

"Man Up!" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

At 8:30 p.m. against stiff competition from the second half-hours of CBS' top-rated "NCIS" and Fox's "The X Factor," the series debut of ABC's "Man Up!" defeated NBC's time-period established "The Biggest Loser" by wide margins in Total Viewers (+53% - 7.8 million vs. 5.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (+33% - 2.4/6 vs. 1.8/5). "Man Up!" showed solid retention of its "Last Man Standing" lead-in among young adults: Adults 18-49 (80%) and Adults 18-34 (83%).

· "Man Up!" improved its half-hour year to year for ABC across key demos: Total Viewers (+3%), Adults 18-49 (+4%), Adults 18-34 (+19%) and Men 18-34 (+21%).

"Dancing with the Stars: The Results" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Building on its lead-in at 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Dancing with the Stars: The Results" (13.5 million) ran as the 2nd-most-watched TV show in its hour, outpacing Fox's "X Factor" by 3.1 million viewers (10.4 million) and NBC's "The Biggest Loser" by 8.2 million viewers (5.3 million). The ABC dancing results show also held the No. 2 position in the hour among key Women (W18-34/W18-49) and beat out the second hour of NBC's "Biggest Loser" by 30% in Adults 18-49 (2.6/6 vs. 2.0/5). Reality television star and fashion expert Carson Kressley was the fifth celebrity contestant to be eliminated from the ABC dance competition this season.

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

For the 5th week in a row this season, ABC's "Body of Proof" (9.5 million) ranked as the 2nd-most-watched TV show overall in Tuesday's 10 o'clock hour, beating NBC's "Parenthood" (5.0 million) by a margin of 4.5 million viewers. The ABC drama also placed No. 2 in the hour with key Women (W18-49/W25-54).

· "Body of Proof" was up over the prior week in viewers (+6% - 9.5 million vs. 9.0 million) and young adults (+6% - 1.9/5 vs. 1.8/5), drawing its 2nd-largest overall audience this season. In addition, the ABC drama equaled its 2nd-highest numbers this season with Women 18-49 and Adults 18-34.

· Continuing to deliver much stronger lead-in retention for ABC in the hour year over year, "Body of Proof" grew its time period over the year-ago evening by 1.6 million viewers and by 6% in Adults 18-49 ("Detroit 1-8-7" = 7.9 million and 1.8/5).

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), 10/18/11.