ABC's New Thursday Night Opens Big - 5 Year High

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 11.9 million and 3.5/11 in AD18-49): Opposite CBS' Thursday Night Football, ABC was the dominant non-sports net on season premiere Thursday in Total Viewers (11.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.5/11). With its new drama lineup, the Net delivered the Top 3 entertainment shows of the night in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 with the debut of How to Get Away with Murder (14.0 million and 3.8/11), the premiere of Scandal in its new 9pm slot (11.9 million and 3.8/11), and the premiere of Grey's in its new 8pm slot (9.8 million and 3.0/10), respectively. How to Get Away with Murder was the night's most-watched show overall.

In fact, with How to Get Away with Murder and Black-ish, ABC has now delivered the season's Top 2 new TV shows in Adults 18-49, qualifying as the two highest rated debuts on any net since ABC's Resurrection opened in March - since 3/9/14. overall.

· In viewers and young adults, ABC marked its strongest Thursday night in 5 years - since 9/24/09.

Grey's Anatomy: Despite its earlier slot and facing Thursday Night Football, Grey's was up from its May finale in viewers and young adults (8.9 million and 2.6/8 on 5/15/14) and also topped its year-ago 2-hour season opener in Total Viewers (9.3 million on 9/26/13). In fact, Grey's earned its most-watched telecast overall in 2 years - since 10/4/12.

Scandal: Despite shifting back an hour into its new 9pm slot, Scandal scored series highs in Total Viewers (11.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.8/11), building over the year-ago premiere by 13% and 6%, respectively.

How to Get Away with Murder: Building on its Scandal lead-in in Total Viewers (+18%) and holding 100% in Adults 18-49 at 10pm, ABC's How to Get Away with Murder (14.0 million and 3.8/11) opened as TV's most-watched 10pm drama debut in 2 years and tied and the highest among Adults 18-49 (matching last year's Blacklist debut) in 2 years - since 9/25/12 and 9/17/12, respectively.

L3 and L7 projections to follow....

Scandal Opens at Series Highs and How to Get Away with Murder is TV's Top 10pm Drama Debut in 2 Years

Thursday Night (9/25/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

Grey's Anatomy: Live + 3 = 13.2 million/4.2 rating and Live + 7 = 13.9 million/4.5 rating

Scandal: Live + 3 = 15.6 million/5.0 rating and Live + 7 = 16.2 million/5.2 rating

How to Get Away with Murder: Live + 3 = 18.4 million/5.0 rating and Live + 7 = 19.0 million/5.2 rating

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 11.9 million and 3.5/11 in AD18-49): Opposite CBS' Thursday Night Football, ABC was the dominant non-sports net on season premiere Thursday in Total Viewers (11.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.5/11). With its new drama lineup, the Net delivered the Top 3 entertainment shows of the night in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 with the debut of How to Get Away with Murder (14.0 million and 3.8/11), the premiere of Scandal in its new 9pm slot (11.9 million and 3.8/11), and the premiere of Grey's in its new 8pm slot (9.8 million and 3.0/10), respectively. How to Get Away with Murder was the night's most-watched TV show overall, topping the NFL game.

· In fact, with How to Get Away with Murder and Black-ish, ABC has now delivered the season's Top 2 new TV shows in Adults 18-49, qualifying as the two highest rated debuts on any net since ABC's Resurrection opened in March - since 3/9/14. overall.

· In viewers and young adults, ABC marked its strongest Thursday night in 5 years - since 9/24/09.

Grey's Anatomy: Despite its earlier slot and facing Thursday Night Football, Grey's was up from its May finale in viewers and young adults (8.9 million and 2.6/8 on 5/15/14) and also topped its year-ago 2-hour season opener in Total Viewers (9.3 million on 9/26/13). In fact, Grey's earned its most-watched telecast overall in 2 years - since 10/4/12.

Scandal: Despite shifting back an hour into its new 9pm slot, Scandal scored series highs in Total Viewers (11.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.8/11), building over the year-ago premiere (10.6 million and 3.6/10 on 4/17/14) by 13% and 6%, respectively.

How to Get Away with Murder: Building on its Scandal lead-in in Total Viewers (+18%) and holding 100% in Adults 18-49 at 10pm, ABC's How to Get Away with Murder (14.0 million and 3.8/11) opened as TV's most-watched 10pm drama debut in 2 years and equaled the highest among Adults 18-49 (matching last year's Blacklist debut) in 2 years - since 9/25/12 and 9/17/12, respectively.

Quick Take for Thursday, September 25, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's New Thursday Drama Lineup Opens at a 5-Year High on the Night

In its New Slot, "Grey's" Posts ABC's Top Scripted Opener Since �09 in Adults 18-49

ABC's "Scandal" Opens its 4th Season at Series Highs in Viewers and Young Adults

"How to Get Away With Murder" is TV's Biggest 10pm Drama Debut in 2 Years

Thursday Night (9/25/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"Grey's Anatomy:" Live + 3 = 13.2 million/4.2 rating and Live + 7 = 13.9 million/4.5 rating

"Scandal:" Live + 3 = 15.6 million/5.0 rating and Live + 7 = 16.2 million/5.2 rating

"How to Get Away with Murder:" Live + 3 = 18.4 million/5.0 rating and Live + 7 = 19.0 million/5.2 rating

Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 11.9 million and 3.5/11 in AD18-49):

Opposite CBS' Thursday Night Football, ABC was the dominant non-sports net on season premiere Thursday in Total Viewers (11.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.5/11). With its new drama lineup, the Net delivered the Top 3 entertainment shows of the night in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 with the debut of "How to Get Away with Murder" (14.0 million and 3.8/11), the premiere of "Scandal" in its new 9:00 p.m. slot (11.9 million and 3.8/11), and the premiere of "Grey's" in its new 8:00 p.m. slot (9.8 million and 3.0/10), respectively. In fact, "How to Get Away with Murder" was the night's most-watched TV show overall, topping CBS' NFL game.

· With "How to Get Away with Murder" and "black-ish," ABC has now delivered the season's Top 2 new TV shows in Adults 18-49, qualifying as the two highest-rated debuts on any net since ABC's "Resurrection" opened in March - since 3/9/14.

· In viewers and young adults, ABC marked its strongest Thursday night in 5 years - since 9/24/09.

"Grey's Anatomy" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 9.8 million and 3.0/10 in AD18-49):

Despite its earlier slot and facing Thursday Night Football, "Grey's" season premiere was up from its May finale in viewers and young adults (8.9 million and 2.6/8 on 5/15/14) and also topped its year-ago 2-hour season opener in Total Viewers (9.3 million on 9/26/13). In fact, "Grey's" was ABC's top-rated scripted show to premiere/debut in the hour in 5 years among Adults 18-49 - since 9/24/09 with "Flashforward."

· "Grey's" marked the series' most-watched telecast overall in 2 years - since 10/4/12.

"Scandal" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 11.9 million and 3.8/11 in AD18-49):

Shifting back an hour into its new 9:00 p.m. slot, "Scandal" opened its 4th season at series highs in Total Viewers (11.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.8/11), building over the year-ago premiere (10.6 million and 3.6/10 on 4/17/14) by 13% and 6%, respectively. "Scandal" was the most social prime program on broadcast TV Thursday with 718,436 tweets, making this the most social season premiere so far this season.

· "Scandal" generated ABC's best series numbers in the time period since January 2012 in Total Viewers and since October 2012 in Adults 18-49 - since 1/5/12 and 10/4/12, respectively.

"How to Get Away with Murder" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 14.0 million and 3.8/11 in AD18-49):

Building on its "Scandal" lead-in in Total Viewers (+18%) and holding 100% in Adults 18-49, ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder" (14.0 million and 3.8/11) opened as TV's most-watched 10:00 p.m. drama debut in 2 years and equaled the highest among Adults 18-49 (matching last year's "Blacklist debut) in 2 years - since 9/25/12 and 9/17/12, respectively.

· In Adults 18-49, "How to Get Away with Murder" and "Scandal" delivered Thursday's Top 2 drama telecasts on any net since October 2012 - since 10/4/12.

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 49% currently, from 48% 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.

Projections Rationale:

Lifts vs. L+SD are based on the 2013-14 season for premiere telecast or an average for originals (excluding the premiere).

Returning shows: Profile based on same show (either premiere or averages for originals).

New Series: Based on similar series.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings, 09/25/14. Nielsen Social, total tweets, as dated.