ABC's "Revenge" Returns at #1 in the 10pm Hour/"Don't Trust the B---" Holds Up in Week 2

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

With a mix of repeat and original comedies leading to the victorious return of Revenge at 10pm (first original telecast since February), ABC ran a strong #2 on Wednesday to an Idol-driven Fox, beating CBS by 20% and doubling NBC's night of all-original programming (+100%). The Net matched its strongest Wednesday since February in viewers and young adults - since 2/29/12.

· Continuing to produce improving year-to-year returns on the evening, ABC was up over an all-original schedule on the year-ago Wednesday in Viewers (+15%) and Adults 18-49 (+9%).

At 8pm, ABC's repeat The Middle was up over its last replay airing by double digits in viewers (+24%) and young adults (+30%).

Surging over its repeat The Middle lead-in at 8:30pm, ABC's Suburgatory crushed NBC freshman comedy competition in its slot, defeating Best Friends Forever by 81% in Total Viewers and by 122% in Adults 18-49. For the 6th straight first-run telecast, the ABC freshman comedy outdelivered the second half of Survivor: One World with Adults 18-34 (+38%) and Women 18-34 (+50%).

· Spiking by 20% week to week, Suburgatory achieved a 10-week high with Adults 18-34 - since 2/8/12.

· Despite its repeat lead-in, Suburgatory marked double-digit year-over-year growth for ABC in the half-hour, jumping by 12% in viewers and by 25% in young adults over original comedy programming on the same night last year.

ABC's Modern Family doubled its lead-in at 9pm to finish as Wednesday's #1 scripted program in Adults 18-49. In addition, Modern Family beat American Idol head to head in the half hour to qualify as Wednesday's #1 TV program in Adults 18-34 and Men 18-34.

· Building year to year, ABC's Modern Family grew over its year-ago broadcast by 5% in Adults 18-49.

During the 9:30pm half-hour, ABC's Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23 ranked #2 to the conclusion of American Idol across all key Adult demos (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54).

· Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23 showed impressive retention of its week-ago debut in Total Viewers (96%), Adults 18-34 (92%), Adults 18-49 (90%), Adults 25-54 (91%) and Women 18-49 (100%).

· The new comedy improved its time period year to year in viewers (+6%) and young adults (+13%), outpacing original comedy programming on the same night last year.

During the 10 o'clock hour, returning to original for its first time in nearly 2 months (since 2/29/12), ABC's Revenge came back with a definitive first-place finish among Total Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54. In fact, ABC's Revenge towered over NBC's original Law & Order: SVU in Total Viewers (+33%), Adults 18-49 (+53%) and Adults 25-54 (+45%).

· The ABC freshman drama generated big year-to-year time-period gains in Total Viewers (+81%) Adults 18-49 (+35%) and Adults 25-54 (+38%), rising sharply over first-run programming on the same night last year.

· Topping its last original, Revenge attracted ABC's largest audience to the hour since the middle of the February Sweep - since 2/15/12.

Quick Take for Wednesday, April 18, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

In Viewers and Young Adults, ABC Equals its Best Wednesday Since February

ABC's Repeat "The Middle" Posts Sharp Increases Over is Most Recent Encore

ABC's "Suburgatory" Crushes NBC's Freshman Comedy "Best Friends Forever" Among Viewers and Young Adults, While Hitting a 10-Week High in Adults 18-34

Building on its Year-Ago Telecast, ABC's "Modern Family" is Wednesday's Top-Rated Scripted Show in Adults 18-49 and Beats "Idol" as the No. 1 TV Show in Adults 18-34

ABC's "Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" Exhibits Impressive Retention Of its Week-Ago Series Debut and Improves its Half-Hour Year to Year

On its First Original Telecast Since February, ABC's "Revenge" Returns as The No. 1 TV Show in the 10 O'clock Hour with Total Viewers and Key Adults

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

With a mix of repeat and original comedies leading to the victorious return of "Revenge" at 10:00 p.m. (first original telecast since February), ABC (2.4/7) ran a strong No. 2 on Wednesday to a 2-hour "Idol"-driven Fox, beating CBS by 20% (2.0/6) and doubling NBC's night of all-original programming (+100% - 1.2/3). The Net matched its strongest Wednesday since February in viewers (7.0 million) and young adults (2.4/7) - since 2/29/12.

Continuing to produce improving year-to-year returns on the evening, ABC was up over an all-original schedule on the year-ago Wednesday (6.1 million and 2.2/6 on 4/20/11) in Viewers (+15%) and Adults 18-49 (+9%).

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

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's repeat "The Middle" was up over its last replay airing by double digits in viewers (+24% - 4.7 million vs. 3.8 million) and young adults (+30% - 1.3/4 vs. 1.0/3).

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

Surging over its repeat "The Middle" lead-in at 8:30 p.m., ABC's "Suburgatory" crushed its NBC freshman comedy competition in its slot, defeating "Best Friends Forever" by 81% in Total Viewers (5.8 million vs. 3.2 million) and by 122% in Adults 18-49 (2.0/6 vs. 0.9/3). For the 6th straight first-run telecast, the ABC freshman comedy outdelivered the second half of "Survivor: One World" with Adults 18-34 (+38%) and Women 18-34 (+50%).

Spiking by 20% week to week, "Suburgatory" achieved a 10-week high with Adults 18-34 - since 2/8/12.

Despite its repeat lead-in, "Suburgatory" marked double-digit year-over-year growth for ABC in the half-hour, jumping by 12% in viewers and by 25% in young adults over original comedy programming on the same night last year ("Better With You" = 5.2 million and 1.6/5).

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

ABC's "Modern Family" doubled its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. to finish as Wednesday's No. 1 scripted program in Adults 18-49 (4.0/11). In addition, "Modern Family" beat "American Idol" head to head in the half hour to qualify as Wednesday's No. 1 TV program in Adults 18-34 (3.4/11) and Men 18-34 (2.6/9).

Building year to year, ABC's "Modern Family" grew over its year-ago broadcast by 5% in Adults 18-49 (4.0/11 vs. 3.8/10).

"Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

During the 9:30 p.m. half-hour, ABC's "Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" ranked No. 2 to the conclusion of "Idol" across all key Adult demos: AD18-34 (2.2/7), AD18-49 (2.6/7) and AD25-54 (3.1/7).

"Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" showed impressive retention of its week-ago debut in Total Viewers (96%), Adults 18-34 (92%), Adults 18-49 (90%), Adults 25-54 (91%) and Women 18-49 (100%).

The new ABC comedy improved its time period year to year in viewers (+6% - 6.6 million vs. 6.2 million) and young adults (+13% - 2.6/7 vs. 2.3/6), outpacing original comedy programming on the same night last year ("Cougar Town").

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

During the 10 o'clock hour, returning to original for its first time in nearly 2 months (since 2/29/12), ABC's "Revenge" came back with a definitive first-place finish among Total Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54. In fact, ABC's "Revenge" towered over NBC's original "Law & Order: SVU" in Total Viewers (+33% - 7.6 million vs. 5.7 million), Adults 18-49 (+53% - 2.3/6 vs. 1.5/4) and Adults 25-54 (+45% - 2.9/7 vs. 2.0/5).

The ABC freshman drama generated big year-to-year time-period gains in Total Viewers (+81%), Adults 18-49 (+35%) and Adults 25-54 (+38%), rising sharply over first-run programming on the same night last year.

Topping its last original, "Revenge" attracted ABC's largest audience to the hour since the middle of the February Sweep - since 2/15/12.

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 43% currently, from 40% at the same point in 2011. 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), 04/18/12.