ABC's DWTS Earns Best Premiere Retention in 5 Years and Dominates Fox's Monday Premiere Lineup

Dancing With the Stars (8-10pm - 11.6 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49): Opposite big season premiere/debut competition on each of the other nets from 8-10pm, ABC's 2nd week of Dancing with the Stars beat Fox's season opener of Gotham and debut of Minority Report in the 2-hour time period by 7.8 million viewers (11.6 million vs. 3.8 million) and by 38% in Adults 18-49 (1.8/6 vs. 1.3/4).

· Dancing with the Stars' retention of its week-earlier season premiere improved year to year in Adults 18-49 (86% vs. 83% for fall), marking the fall cycle's best Week 1 to Week 2 hold in 5 years - since 2010.

Castle (10-11pm - 7.1 million and 1.2/4 in AD18-49): At 10pm against The Voice-led debut of The Blindspot, ABC's season premiere of Castle tied the season premiere of CBS' NCIS: LA in Adults 18-49 (1.2/4) and beat it by 17% in Adults 18-34. Castle drew ABC's biggest series audience (7.1 million) in the time period in over 4 months and its top young adult number (1.2/4) in more than 3 months - since 5/11/15 and 6/1/15, respectively.

Please Note: ABC's Monday lineup was preempted in Indianapolis for local NFL coverage (0.951% of the U.S.).

Quick Take for Monday, September 21, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" Beats Fox's Premieres Head to Head By 7.8 Million Viewers and by 38% in Adults 18-49

"Dancing with the Stars" is Monday's Most Social Broadcast Program For the 2nd Straight Week

At 10pm, "Castle" Posts Biggest Series Audience in Time Slot since May and Top Young Adult Number since June

"Dancing with the Stars" (8:00-10:00 p.m. - 11.6 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49):

Opposite big season premiere/debut competition on each of the other nets from 8:00-10:00 p.m., ABC's 2nd week of "Dancing with the Stars" beat Fox's season opener of "Gotham" and debut of "Minority Report" in the 2-hour time period by 7.8 million viewers (11.6 million vs. 3.8 million) and by 38% in Adults 18-49 (1.8/6 vs. 1.3/4).

· "Dancing with the Stars'" retention of its week-earlier season premiere improved year to year in Adults 18-49 (86% vs. 83% for fall 2014), marking the fall cycle's best Week 1 to Week 2 hold in 5 years - since 2010.

· For the 2nd week in a row, "Dancing" was the most social broadcast program of the evening (142,844 tweets).

"Castle" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 7.1 million and 1.2/4 in AD18-49):

At 10:00 p.m. against "The Voice"-led debut of "The Blindspot," ABC's season premiere of "Castle" tied the season premiere of CBS' "NCIS: LA" in Adults 18-49 (1.2/4) and beat it by 17% in Adults 18-34. "Castle" drew ABC's biggest series audience (7.1 million) in the time period in over 4 months and its top young adult number (1.2/4) in more than 3 months - since 5/11/15 and 6/1/15, respectively.

Please Note: ABC's Monday lineup was preempted in Indianapolis for local NFL coverage (0.951% of the U.S.).

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.

Projections Rationale:

Lifts vs. L+SD are based on the 2014-15 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, 9/21/15. Nielsen Socialguide 9/21/15, Total Tweets +/- 3hrs during telecast.