ABC's "Modern Family" Wins Wednesday/"Mixology" Debut Earns Best Time Slot Numbers in 2-1/2 Months

With its Wednesday line-up returning to all originals for the first time in 3 weeks, ABC claimed the night's top-rated show in Adults 18-49, with Modern Family (3.1/9) outdelivering Fox's American Idol by 19% (2.6/8) and CBS' season opener of Survivor by 24% (2.5/7).

In the 9:30pm half-hour, ABC's debut of Mixology (5.2 million and 1.8/5) earned the Net's best series numbers in the time slot in 2-1/2 months - since 12/11/13.

...more to come.

"Mixology" Marks Best Audience Retention Out of "Modern Family" Since October

With its Wednesday line-up returning to all originals for the first time in 3 weeks, ABC claimed the night's top-rated show in Adults 18-49, with Modern Family (3.1/9) outdelivering Fox's American Idol by 19% (2.6/8) and CBS' season opener of Survivor by 24% (2.5/7).

The Middle (8-8:30pm - 7.1 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49):

At 8pm, ABC's The Middle ranked as the highest-rated scripted show in its half-hour among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

Suburgatory (8:30-9pm - 5.3 million and 1.5/4 in AD18-49):

At 8:30pm like its lead-in, Suburgatory was the #1 scripted program in its slot with viewers and young adults.

Modern Family (9-9:30pm - 8.6 million and 3.1/9 in AD18-49):

More than doubling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9pm (+107%), ABC's Modern Family won its half-hour by double digits over Fox's American Idol (+15% - 2.7/7), CBS' Survivor (+19% - 2.6/7) and NBC's L&O: SVU (+72% - 1.8/5).

Mixology (9:30-10pm - 5.2 million and 1.8/5 in AD18-49):

In the 9:30pm half-hour, ABC's debut of Mixology earned the Net's best series numbers in the time slot in 2-1/2 months in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 - since 12/11/13. In addition with viewers and young adults (60%/58%), Mixology delivered the best audience retention in the half-hour out of an original Modern Family since the beginning of October - since 10/9/13.

Nashville (10-11pm - 4.7 million and 1.2/4 in AD18-49):

During the 10pm hour, Nashville was up 17% in Women 18-34 over its last first-run airing. The ABC sophomore drama continues to deliver huge gains via time-shifted TV playback. For its most recent original telecast in the Live + 7 Day ratings (w/o 2/3/14), Nashville nearly doubled its Live + Same Day Adult 18-49 number (+92% - going from a 1.3 rating to a 2.5 rating) to stand as the week's biggest percentage gainer on broadcast. It was the show's 2nd-biggest-ever percentage lift.

Quick Take for Wednesday, February 26, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

"The Middle" and "Suburgatory" Rank as the No. 1 Scripted Shows from 8-9pm

"Modern Family" Outdelivers "Idol" and "Survivor" as the Night's Top-Rated Show

"Mixology" Debuts with ABC's Best Retention in the Time Slot Since Early-October

"Nashville" is Up in Women 18-34 and Continues to Post Big Gains in TV Playback

ABC Wednesday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 5.9 million and 1.8/5 in AD18-49):

With its Wednesday line-up returning to all originals for the first time in 3 weeks, ABC claimed the night's top-rated show in Adults 18-49, with "Modern Family" (3.1/9) outdelivering Fox's "American Idol" by 19% (2.6/8) and CBS' season opener of "Survivor" by 24% (2.5/7).

"The Middle" (8:00-8:30 p.m. - 7.1 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's "The Middle" ranked as the highest-rated scripted show in its half-hour among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

"Suburgatory" (8:30-9:00 p.m. - 5.3 million and 1.5/4 in AD18-49):

At 8:30 p.m. like its lead-in, "Suburgatory" was the No. 1 scripted program in its slot with viewers and young adults.

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m. - 8.6 million and 3.1/9 in AD18-49):

More than doubling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9:00 p.m. (+107%), ABC's "Modern Family" won its half-hour by double digits over Fox's "American Idol" (+15% - 2.7/7), CBS' "Survivor" (+19% - 2.6/7) and NBC's "L&O: SVU" (+72% - 1.8/5).

"Mixology" (9:30-10:00 p.m. - 5.2 million and 1.8/5 in AD18-49):

In the 9:30 p.m. half-hour, ABC's debut of "Mixology" earned the Net's best series numbers in the time slot in 2-1/2 months in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 - since 12/11/13. In addition, with viewers and young adults (60%/58%), "Mixology" delivered the best audience retention in the half-hour out of an original "Modern Family" since early-October - since 10/9/13.

"Nashville" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 4.7 million and 1.2/4 in AD18-49):

During the 10:00 p.m. hour, "Nashville" was up 17% in Women 18-34 over its last first-run airing. The ABC sophomore drama continues to deliver huge gains via time-shifted TV playback. For its most recent original telecast in the Live + 7 Day ratings (w/o 2/3/14), "Nashville" nearly doubled its Live + Same Day Adult 18-49 number (+92% - going from a 1.3 rating to a 2.5 rating) to stand as the week's biggest percentage gainer on broadcast. It was the show's 2nd-biggest-ever percentage lift.

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 49% currently, from 47% at the same point in 2013. 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 for 02/26/14.