ABC's Thursday Dramas Open Impressively with Across the Board Gains

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

ABC earned second place on season premiere Thursday among Adults 18-49, leading Fox by 4% and NBC by 71%. The Net won the night among Women 18-49.

During the 8 o'clock hour against Fox's The X Factor and CBS' top-rated comedies (The Big Bang Theory/Two and a Half Men), the series debut of ABC's Last Resort outdelivered its NBC competition (SNL Primetime Election/Up All Night) by 4.2 million viewers and by 22% in Adults 18-49. In addition, the new ABC drama attracted nearly as large an audience as The X Factor, pacing within 113k Total Viewers. Despite the competition, Last Resort built by 8% in viewers and by 15% in Adults 18-49 from its first half-hour to its second half-hour.

· Up over the year-ago debut of Charlie's Angels in Adults 18-49 (+5%), Last Resort stood as ABC's biggest Thursday drama debut in 3 years with young adults - since 9/24/09. In addition, the new series scored ABC's highest Adult 18-49 rating in the hour in more than 8 months - since 1/12/12.

Building on its lead-in at 9pm in Adults 18-49 (+95%), ABC's 9th season premiere of Grey's Anatomy led its competition by wide margins and finished as Thursday's definitive #1 drama. During the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's Grey's Anatomy outdelivered CBS' Person of Interest by 48%, Fox's Glee by 72% and NBC's comedies by 95% (The Office/Parks and Recreation). Additionally, Grey's stood as Thursday's top-rated series with Adults 18-34.

· Rising over its year-ago season opener in viewers (+11%) and young adults (+5%), Grey's tallied its 2nd-highest numbers since March 2011 - since 3/31/11.

During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's sophomore season premiere of Scandal ranked #1 in its hour with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· ABC's Scandal grew over its freshman season premiere (4/5/12) across all key Adults: AD18-34 (+31%), AD18-49 (+10%) AD25-54 (+8%). In fact the show marked series highs in both Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34, while hitting its 2nd-best-ever Adult 18-49 and Adult 25-54 numbers.

Quick Take for Thursday, September 26, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

"Last Resort" Opens to ABC's Top Adult 18-49 Rating in the Slot in Over 8 Months To Qualify as the Network's Highest-Rated Thursday Drama Debut in 3 Years

Up Over its Year-Ago Premiere, ABC's "Grey's" is Thursday's Definitive No. 1 Drama Among Adults 18-49, Generating the Series' 2nd-Biggest Numbers Since March 2011

ABC's Sophomore Season Premiere of "Scandal" Grows Across All Key Adult Demos Over its Freshman Debut, Hitting Series Highs in Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34

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

ABC earned second place on season premiere Thursday among Adults 18-49 (2.9/8), leading Fox by 4% (2.8/8) and NBC by 71% (1.7/5). The Net won the night among Women 18-49 (3.7/10).

"Last Resort" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

During the 8 o'clock hour against Fox's "The X Factor" and CBS' top-rated comedies ("The Big Bang Theory"/"Two and a Half Men"), the series debut of ABC's "Last Resort" outdelivered its NBC competition ("SNL Primetime Election"/"Up All Night") by 4.2 million viewers (9.1 million vs. 4.9 million) and by 22% in Adults 18-49 (2.2/7 vs. 1.8/5). In addition, the new ABC drama attracted nearly as large an audience as "The X Factor" (9.2 million), pacing within 113k Total Viewers. Despite the competition, "Last Resort" built by 8% in viewers (8.7 million to 9.4 million) and by 15% in Adults 18-49 (2.0/6 to 2.3/7) from its first half-hour to its second half-hour.

· Up over the year-ago debut of "Charlie's Angels" in Adults 18-49 (+5%), "Last Resort" stood as ABC's biggest Thursday drama debut in 3 years with young adults - since 9/24/09. In addition, the new series scored ABC's highest Adult 18-49 rating in the hour in more than 8 months - since 1/12/12.

"Grey's Anatomy" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Building on its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. in Adults 18-49 (+95%), ABC's 9th season premiere of "Grey's Anatomy" led its competition by wide margins and finished as Thursday's definitive No. 1 drama. During the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" (4.3/12) outdelivered CBS' "Person of Interest" by 48% (2.9/8), Fox's "Glee" by 72% (2.5/7) and NBC's comedies by 95% ("The Office"/"Parks and Recreation" = 2.2/6). Additionally, "Grey's" stood as Thursday's top-rated series with Adults 18-34 (3.8/12).

· Rising over its year-ago season opener in viewers (+11% - 11.5 million vs. 10.4 million) and young adults (+5% - 4.3/12 vs. 4.1/10), "Grey's" tallied its 2nd-highest numbers since March 2011 - since 3/31/11.

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

During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's sophomore season premiere of "Scandal" ranked No. 1 in its hour with Adults 18-34 (1.7/6-tie) and Women 18-34 (2.6/8).

· ABC's "Scandal" grew over its freshman season premiere (4/5/12) across all key Adults: AD18-34 (+31% - 1.7/6 vs. 1.3/5), AD18-49 (+10% - 2.2/6 vs. 2.0/6) and AD25-54 (+8% - 2.8/7 vs. 2.6/7). In fact, the show marked series highs in both Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34, while hitting its 2nd-best-ever Adult 18-49 and Adult 25-54 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 45% currently, from 42% 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, 09/27/12.