ABC's "Scandal" is Up Across the Board in Thursday's 10pm Hour

Info on ABC's Thursday, ahead of the regular press release.

In the 8 o'clock hour opposite the 2012 World Series and CBS' top-rated comedies (The Big Bang Theory/Two and a Half Men), ABC freshman Last Resort outdrew NBC's comedies (30 Rock/Up All Night) by 2.7 million viewers.

· One of the biggest gainers from DVR playback for any 8pm show this season, ABC's Last Resort shoots up by 2.6 million viewers and by 48% (+1.0 rating) in Adults 18-49 from the next-day L+SD numbers to the final L+7 numbers.

· On average, Last Resort is improving its time period by strong double-digits margins in Total Viewers (+23%) and Adults 18-49 (+35%) over the same point last season with original drama programming.

More than doubling its lead-in among Adults 18-49 (+123%) at 9pm against the World Series, ABC's Grey's Anatomy ran in a virtual tie for #1 in the hour. The ABC drama dominated its hour across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· Spiking in DVR Playback this season, Grey's adds 3.4 million viewers and 1.6 Adult 18-49 rating points from its next-day numbers to its L+7 finals.

· Season to date, Grey's Anatomy is up over the same point last year in both viewers (+8%) and young adults (+6%).

Growing week to week, ABC's Scandal continued to close the gap with CBS' Elementary in the 10 o'clock hour (tying in Adult 18-49 audience share for the first time and pacing within 2-tenths of a rating point), while running well ahead of NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams in Total Viewers (+47%) and Adults 18-49 (+54%). Additionally, Scandal once again defeated Elementary to stand as the #1 scripted TV show in its slot in Adults 18-34 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· A big beneficiary of DVR playback, on average this season the ABC 10 o'clock drama surges by 2.4 million viewers and by 45% in young adults over its first-reported L+SD numbers to its Live + 7 Day results.

· Up across the board, Scandal grew week to week in Total Viewers (+2%), Adults 18-34 (+15%), Adults 18-49 (+5%) and Adults 25-54 (+4%). In addition, the ABC drama jumped 12% week to week with Women 18-49 to equal the series' 2nd-highest-ever rating.

Quick Take for Thursday, October 25, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Improving its Hour Year to Year by Strong Double-Digit Margins, ABC Freshman "Last Resort" Outdraws NBC's Comedies by 2.6 Million Viewers

On Average Season to Date, ABC's "Grey's" is Up in Viewers and Young Adults

Growing Across the Board, ABC's "Scandal" Posts its Most Competitive Finish Yet With CBS' "Elementary" and Earns the Series' 2nd-Highest-Ever Women 18-49 Rating

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

In the 8 o'clock hour opposite the 2012 World Series and CBS' top-rated comedies ("The Big Bang Theory"/"Two and a Half Men"), ABC freshman "Last Resort" outdrew NBC's comedies ("30 Rock"/"Up All Night") by 2.6 million viewers (6.4 million vs. 3.8 million).

· One of the biggest gainers from DVR playback for any 8:00 p.m. show this season, ABC's "Last Resort" shoots up by 2.6 million viewers and by 48% (+1.0 rating) in Adults 18-49 from the next-day L+SD numbers to the final L+7 numbers.

· On average, "Last Resort" is improving its time period by strong double-digits margins in Total Viewers (+23%) and Adults 18-49 (+35%) over the same point last season with original drama programming.

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

More than doubling its lead-in among Adults 18-49 (+123% - 2.9/8 vs. 1.3/4) at 9:00 p.m. against the World Series, ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" ran in a virtual tie for No. 1 in the hour. The ABC drama dominated its hour across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· Spiking in DVR Playback this season, "Grey's" adds 3.4 million viewers and 1.6 Adult 18-49 rating points from its next-day numbers to its L+7 finals.

· Season to date, "Grey's Anatomy" is up over the same point last year in both viewers (+8%) and young adults (+6%).

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

Growing week to week, ABC's "Scandal" continued to close the gap with CBS' "Elementary" in the 10 o'clock hour (2.0/6 vs. 2.2/6 - tying in Adult 18-49 audience share for the first time and pacing within 2-tenths of a rating point), while running well ahead of NBC's "Rock Center with Brian Williams" in Total Viewers (+47% - 6.3 million vs. 4.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (+54% - 2.0/6 vs. 1.3/4). Additionally, "Scandal" once again defeated "Elementary" to stand as the No. 1 scripted TV show in its slot in Adults 18-34 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· A big beneficiary of DVR playback, on average this season the ABC 10 o'clock drama surges by 2.4 million viewers and by 45% in Adults 18-49 over its first-reported L+SD numbers to its Live + 7 Day results.

· Up across the board, "Scandal" grew week to week in Total Viewers (+2%), Adults 18-34 (+15%), Adults 18-49 (+5%) and Adults 25-54 (+4%). In addition, the ABC drama jumped 12% week to week with Women 18-49 to equal the series' 2nd-highest-ever rating.

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 46% 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, 10/25/12.