For the Season ABC Marks its Best Wednesday Results in 5 Years

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

Once again scoring year-over-year growth on the night, ABC grew over the same Wednesday last year in Viewers (+10%) and Adults 18-49 (+5%). In fact season to date, ABC's Wednesday delivery is up by 15% in viewers and by 22% in young adults over last season, delivering its strongest performance on the night in 5 years - since the 2006-07 television season.

Leading off the night at 8pm against the start of Fox's 2-hour Idol, ABC's The Middle was the #1 scripted show and paced well ahead of NBC's Off their Rockers in Viewers (+27%) and Adults 18-49 (+36%).

Showing strong lead-in retention at 8:30pm (95%), ABC's season finale of Suburgatory also stood as the top-rated scripted show in its half-hour, while outdelivering a second episode of NBC's Off their Rockers by 20% in Adults 18-49.

· On average during its freshman season, Suburgatory improved its half-hour for ABC by 16% in Total Viewers and by 25% in Adults 18-49. In viewers and young adults, Suburgatory qualifies as the Net's top comedy in the slot in 8 years - since the 2003-04 season. Since 2003-04, there have been 8 regularly scheduled comedies to air in the time period for ABC.

The highest-rated scripted TV series for the 2nd consecutive season with Adults 18-49, ABC's Modern Family more than doubled its lead-in at 9pm to qualify as Wednesday's #1 scripted program, outperforming runner-up CBS' 2-hour season finale of Criminal Minds by 11%. Beating Idol on the night in Adults 18-34, Modern Family ranked as Wednesday's #1 series overall for its 4th straight original airing.

During the 9:30pm half-hour against the conclusion of Idol, Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23 has improved its time period for ABC by 8% in viewers and by 4% in young adults on average.

From 10-11pm, ABC freshman Revenge ran #2 to the second hour of CBS' 2-hour Criminal Minds finale, while continuing to beat out NBC's veteran Law & Order: SVU in the hour by wide margins with Total Viewers (+24%), Adults 18-49 (+18%) and Adults 25-54 (+24%).

· The Disney-owned drama produced sizeable year-to-year gains in the hour, bettering original programming on the same night last year in Viewers (+100%), Adults 25-54 (+53%) and Adults 18-49 (+43%). On average, Revenge is ABC's most-watched series in the hour in 5 seasons - since Lost during in the 2006-07 season.

Quick Take for Wednesday, May 16, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

During the 2011-12 Season, ABC Scores its Strongest Wednesday in 5 Years

ABC's "The Middle" Earns Second to "Idol" at 8pm in Viewers and Young Adults

"Suburgatory" Finishes its First Season as ABC's Top Comedy in the Slot in 8 Years

ABC's "Modern Family" Stands as Wednesday's No. 1 Scripted Show in Adults 18-49 And Outperforms "American Idol" as the Night's No. 1 Series Overall in Adults 18-34

On Average Against the End of "Idol," ABC's "Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" Improves its Time Slot Year to Year by 8% in Viewers and by 4% in Young Adults

ABC's "Revenge" Continues with Big Year-Over-Year Gains on Wednesday at 10pm, Qualifying as the Network's Most-Watched Series in the Hour in the Last 5 Seasons

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

Once again scoring year-over-year growth on the night, ABC grew over the same Wednesday last year (5/18/11) in Viewers (+10% - 6.6 million vs. 6.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (+5% - 2.3/6 vs. 2.2/6). In fact season to date, ABC's Wednesday delivery is up by 15% in viewers (9.0 million vs. 7.8 million) and by 22% in young adults (3.3/9 vs. 2.7/7) over last season, scoring its strongest performance on the evening in 5 years - since the 2006-07 television season.

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

Leading off the night at 8:00 p.m. against the start of Fox's 2-hour "Idol," ABC's "The Middle" earned a solid second place, pacing well ahead of NBC's "Off their Rockers" in Viewers (+27% - 6.5 million vs. 5.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (+36% - 1.9/6 vs. 1.4/5).

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

Showing strong lead-in retention at 8:30 p.m. (95%), ABC's season finale of "Suburgatory" stood as the top-rated scripted show in its half-hour, while outdelivering a second episode of NBC's "Off their Rockers" by 20% in Adults 18-49 (1.8/6 vs. 1.5/5).

· On average during its freshman season, "Suburgatory" improved its half-hour for ABC by 16% in Total Viewers (7.3 million vs. 6.3 million) and by 25% in Adults 18-49 (2.5/7 vs. 2.0/6). In viewers and young adults, "Suburgatory" qualifies as the Net's top comedy in the slot in 8 years - since the 2003-04 season. Since 2003-04, there have been 8 regularly scheduled comedies to air in the time period for ABC.

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

The highest-rated scripted TV series for the 2nd consecutive season with Adults 18-49, ABC's "Modern Family" (3.9/11) more than doubled its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. (+117%) to qualify as Wednesday's No. 1 scripted program, outperforming runner-up CBS' 2-hour season finale of "Criminal Minds" by 11% (3.5/10). Beating "Idol" on the night in Adults 18-34 (3.3/11 vs. 3.2/11), "Modern Family" ranked as Wednesday's No. 1 series overall for its 4th straight original airing.

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

During the 9:30 p.m. half-hour against the conclusion of "Idol," "Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" has improved its time period for ABC by 8% in viewers (6.6 million vs. 6.1 million) and by 4% in young adults (2.7/7 vs. 2.6/7) on average.

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

From 10:00-11:00 p.m., ABC freshman "Revenge" ran No. 2 to the second hour of CBS' 2-hour "Criminal Minds" finale, while continuing to beat out NBC's veteran "Law & Order: SVU" in the hour by wide margins with Total Viewers (+24% - 6.8 million vs. 5.5 million), Adults 18-49 (+18% - 2.0/5 vs. 1.7/5) and Adults 25-54 (+24% - 2.6/6 vs. 2.1/5).

· The Disney-owned drama produced sizeable year-to-year gains in the hour, bettering original programming on the same night last year in Viewers (+100%), Adults 25-54 (+53%) and Adults 18-49 (+43%). On average, "Revenge" is ABC's most-watched series in the hour in 5 seasons - since Lost during the 2006-07 season.

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 44% currently, from 41% 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), 05/16/12. Season averages based on Most Current.