"Grey's Anatomy" Is Up to a 9-Week High in Viewers/"Black Box" Post Stronger Debut Retention than CBS' "Bad Teacher"

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 6.6 million and 1.5/4 in AD18-49): With a repeat Grey's Anatomy at 8pm, and original Grey's at 9pm and Black Box at 10pm, ABC finished #2 on Thursday in Total Viewers and won the night in Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34 (10th straight week).

Grey's Anatomy (9-10pm - 8.7 million and 2.6/8 in AD18-49): Nearly tripling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9pm (+189%), ABC's Grey's Anatomy shot up to dominate its hour, beating CBS' comedies by 44% (Two and a Half Men/Bad Teacher = 1.8/5), NBC's I Heart Radio Music Awards by 53% (1.7/5) and Fox with American Idol and Surviving Jack by 117% (1.2/4). In fact against Grey's, Idol fell to a new all-time low for any telecast in AD18-49 (1.5/5).

· Growing week to week in Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+13%), Grey's drew its biggest audience since its mid-season return 9 weeks ago - since 2/27/14. The ABC drama was Thursday's #1 most social broadcast series with 103,992 tweets, spiking 121% week to week.

· In its 10th season, Grey's Anatomy is up over the same point last year in both Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+7%), delivering its best numbers in 4 and 3 years, respectively - since the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.

Black Box (10-11pm - 5.4 million and 1.3/4 in AD18-49): In the 10pm hour, ABC's Black Box retained a solid 87% of its week-earlier debut in Adults 18-49, considerably stronger than the week to week retention for CBS' Bad Teacher debut (71%). In fact, it was ABC's strongest retention for a drama debut this season.

Quick Take for Thursday, May 1, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Wins Thursday in Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34, Leading for the 10th Straight Week among Young Women

"Grey's Anatomy" is Up in Viewers and Young Adults, Drawing its Biggest Overall Audience Since its Mid-Season Return 9 Weeks Ago

ABC's "Black Box" Delivers Stronger Debut Retention than CBS' "Bad Teacher"

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 6.1 million and 1.6/5 in AD18-49):

With a repeat "Grey's Anatomy" at 8:00 p.m., an original "Grey's" at 9:00 p.m. and "Black Box" at 10:00 p.m., ABC finished No. 2 on Thursday in Total Viewers (6.1 million), while winning the night in Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34 (10th straight week).

"Grey's Anatomy" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 8.7 million and 2.6/8 in AD18-49):

Nearly tripling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9:00 p.m. (+189%), ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" shot up to dominate its hour, beating CBS' comedies by 44% ("Two and a Half Men"/"Bad Teacher" = 1.8/5), NBC's "I Heart Radio Music Awards" by 53% (1.7/5) and Fox with "American Idol" and "Surviving Jack" by 117% (1.2/4). "Grey's" was Thursday's No. 2 TV show with young adults, behind only CBS' "The Big Bang Theory." In fact against "Grey's," "Idol" fell to a new all-time low for any telecast in both viewers and young adults.

· Growing week to week in Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+13%), "Grey's" drew its biggest audience since its mid-season return 9 weeks ago - since 2/27/14. Featuring the return of Isaiah Washington, the ABC drama was Thursday's No. 1 most social broadcast series with 103,992 tweets, spiking 121% week to week.

· In its 10th season, "Grey's Anatomy" is up over the same point last year in both Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+7%), delivering its best numbers in 4 and 3 years, respectively - since the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.

"Black Box" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 5.4 million and 1.3/4 in AD18-49):

In the 10:00 p.m. hour, ABC's "Black Box" retained a solid 87% of its week-earlier debut in Adults 18-49 (1.3/4 vs. 1.5/5), considerably stronger than the week to week retention for CBS' "Bad Teacher" debut (71% - 1.5/4 vs. 2.1/6). In fact, it was ABC's strongest retention for a drama debut this 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 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, 05/01/14. Nielsen Social, total tweets, as dated.