ABC Wins Monday with DWTS Top Draw - Castle is #1 at 10pm in AD18-49 and Key Women

ABC Monday Prime (8-11pm - 11.5 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49): ABC was Monday's most-watched TV network (11.5 million) for the 5th time in 6 weeks and ranked #2 in Adults 18-49 (1.8/6-tie) and beating Fox's original schedule by 31% in young adults (Gotham/The Following = 1.3/4). The Net's Dancing with the Stars was the evening's most-watched TV show overall (13.6 million), finishing as Monday's #1 series for the 6th straight week.

Dancing with the Stars (8-10pm - 13.1 million and 2.0/6 in AD18-49): From 8-10pm, ABC's Dancing with the Stars outdrew NBC's The Voice by 2.8 million viewers (13.1 million vs. 10.3 million) for the time-slot win and placed #2 in the 2-hour slot with young adults (2.0/6-tie) to once again mark its closest Adult 18-49 finish this season with the NBC show (narrowing the gap to 5-tenths vs. 7-tenths the prior week). Against Dancing, The Voice hit new season lows in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

Castle (10-11pm - 8.4 million and 1.4/4 in AD18-49): During the 10pm hour, ABC's Castle returned to original to rank #1 in its hour with Adults 18-49 (1.4/4), tying CBS' NCIS: LA and beating NBC's The Voice-led Night Shift by 8% (1.3/4). In addition, Castle won the hour across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). The ABC drama was up from its last original in Total Viewers (8.4 million vs. 8.2 million on 3/30/15) and was on par in Adults 18-49 (1.4/4 vs. 1.5/5), drawing its biggest audience since March 16, 2015.

Quick Take for Monday, April 20, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is Monday's Most-Watched Net for the 5th Time in 6 Weeks

"Dancing with the Stars" is Monday's No. 1 TV Series in Total Viewers and Marks its Closest Adults 18-49 Finish This Season with NBC's "The Voice"

At 10pm, "Castle" Ranks No. 1 in Adults 18-49 and Across All Key Women Demos

Monday Night (4/20/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"DWTS": L3 = 15.0 million/2.2 rtg., L7 = 15.5 million/2.3 rtg., Multiplatform 35 Days = 2.5 rtg.

"Castle": L3 = 12.5 million/2.1 rtg., L7 = 13.7 million/2.2 rtg., Multiplatform 35 Days = 2.6 rtg.

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Monday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 11.5 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49):

ABC was Monday's most-watched TV network (11.5 million) for the 5th time in 6 weeks and ranked No. 2 in Adults 18-49 (1.8/6-tied w/ CBS), beating Fox's original schedule by 38% in young adults ("Gotham"/"The Following" = 1.3/4). The Net's "Dancing with the Stars" was the evening's most-watched TV show overall (13.1 million), finishing as Monday's No. 1 series for the 6th straight week.

"Dancing with the Stars" (8:00-10:00 p.m. - 13.1 million and 2.0/6 in AD18-49):

From 8:00-10:00 p.m., ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" outdrew NBC's "The Voice" by 2.8 million viewers (13.1 million vs. 10.3 million) for the time-slot win and placed No. 2 in the 2-hour slot with young adults (2.0/6-tie) to once again mark its closest Adult 18-49 finish this season with the NBC show (narrowing the gap to 5-tenths vs. 7-tenths the prior week). Against "Dancing," "The Voice" hit new season lows in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

"Castle" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 8.4 million and 1.4/4 in AD18-49):

During the 10:00 p.m. hour, ABC's "Castle" returned to original to rank No. 1 in its hour with Adults 18-49 (1.4/4), tying CBS' "NCIS: LA" and beating NBC's "The Voice"-led "Night Shift" by 8% (1.3/4). In addition, "Castle" won the hour across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). The ABC drama was up from its last original in Total Viewers (8.4 million vs. 8.2 million on 3/30/15) and was on par in Adults 18-49 (1.4/4 vs. 1.5/5), drawing its biggest audience since March 16, 2015.

A note about DVR penetration: DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample is currently at 49% in U.S. TV Homes. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which are increasingly not reflected in the overnight Live + Same Day numbers. As a result, the Live + 7 Day ratings are the most accurate measure to gauge the size of the TV audience.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings, 4/20/15.