"Red Widow" Draws ABC's Biggest Series Audience to its Slot in 5 Months

With AFHV, Once Upon a Time and the debut of Red Widow, ABC earned its biggest Sunday audience with regular programming since December - since 12/2/12.

At 7pm, ABC's America's Funniest Home Videos ran neck-and-neck for the lead in the hour (pacing within 1-tenth and tied in share) and was up 7% in Adults 18-49 over its most recent telecast two weeks ago.

Returning after a preemption for The Oscars the prior week, ABC's Once Upon a Time built on its lead-in (+31%) to rank #2 in the 8 o'clock hour with viewers and young adults, while leading the slot to finish as Sunday's top-rated broadcast series with key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

Head to head from 9-11pm, ABC's series debut of Red Widow drew 35% more viewers than NBC's Celebrity Apprentice premiere. Red Widow pulled in ABC's largest series audience in the 2-hour slot since season-premiere Sunday 5 months ago - since 9/30/12.

Quick Take for Sunday, March 3, 2013 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Earns its Biggest Sunday Audience with Regular Programming Since December

"America's Funniest Home Videos" is Up 7% in Adults 18-49 Over its Last Telecast

ABC's "Once Upon a Time" Returns as Sunday's No. 1 Broadcast with Key Women

ABC's "Red Widow" Debut Outdraws NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" Premiere by 35% And Generates the Network's Largest Series Audience in the Time Period in 5 Months

Sunday Night (7:00-11:00 p.m.)

With "AFHV," "Once Upon a Time" and the debut of "Red Widow," ABC (6.9 million) earned its biggest Sunday audience with regular programming since December - since 12/2/12.

"America's Funniest Home Videos" (7:00-8:00 p.m.)

At 7:00 p.m., ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" ran neck-and-neck for the lead in the hour (pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point and tied in audience share - 1.6/5 vs. 1.7/5 for "60 Minutes") and was up 7% in Adults 18-49 over its most recent telecast two weeks ago.

"Once Upon a Time" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Returning after a preemption for "The Oscars" the prior week, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" built on its lead-in (+31%) to rank No. 2 in the 8 o'clock hour with viewers (7.2 million) and young adults (2.1/6), while leading the slot to finish as Sunday's top-rated broadcast series with key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

"Red Widow" (9:00-11:00 p.m.)

Head to head from 9:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's series debut of "Red Widow" drew 35% more viewers than NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" premiere (6.9 million vs. 5.1 million). Holding steady throughout its broadcast, "Red Widow" pulled in ABC's largest series audience in the 2-hour slot since season-premiere Sunday 5 months ago - since 9/30/12.

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 47% currently, from 43% 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, 03/03/13.