ABC's Scandal and The Catch Score AD18-49 Gains on Thursday; Scandal Draws 6-Week High in Viewership

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 6.2 million and 1.5/5 in AD18-49): ABC ran a strong second in Live + Same Day Adults 18-49 (1.5/5) on Thursday to a Big Bang-led CBS (1.7/6), dominating original programming on NBC by 67% (0.9/3) and Fox by 88% (0.8/3). Please Note: ESPN aired the high-rated 2016 NFL draft on Thursday night.

· ABC's Grey's Anatomy stood Thursday's #2 TV series in Adults 18-49, behind only CBS' The Big Bang Theory. In addition, Grey's and Scandal were Thursday's Top 2 dramas while The Catch ranked as the #1 series in the 10pm hour.

Grey's Anatomy (8-9pm - 7.8 million and 1.9/7 in AD18-49): From 8-9pm, ABC's Grey's Anatomy overshadowed its drama competition among Adults 18-49 (1.9/7), continuing to more than double Fox's Bones (+138% - 0.8/3). Grey's moved up into the #1 position at 8:30pm and beat out CBS' Big Bang-driven The Odd Couple by 11% (2.0/7 vs.1.8/6). Grey's was steady week to week in Total Viewers in Adults 18-49.

Scandal (9-10pm - 6.3 million and 1.6/5 in AD18-49): In the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's Scandal increased its winning advantage over NBC's The Blacklist to 33% in Adults 18-49 (1.6/5 vs. 1.2/4) week to week and outdelivered Fox's American Grit by 129% (0.7/2). The ABC drama was the #1 series in the hour with Adults 18-34 and all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W). Scandal was up week to week in Total Viewers (+5%) and Adults 18-49 (+7%), marking its most watched telecast overall in 6 weeks - since 3/17/16.

The Catch (10-11pm - 4.6 million and 1.0/3 in AD18-49): At 10pm, ABC's The Catch ranked #1 in Adults 18-49 over its drama competition on CBS (+11% over Rush Hour = 0.9/3) and NBC (best-yet +43% over Game of Silence = 0.7/2). The ABC freshman drama built week to week by 11% in Adults 18-49

Live + 3 Day Ratings for Last Thursday (4/21/16): The Catch was the biggest gainer at 10pm on broadcast in Adults 18-49 (+56%), posting much larger lifts from L+SD to L+3 than CBS' Rush Hour (+10%) and NBC's Game of Silence (+43%).

Quick Take for Thursday, April 28, 2016 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

'Grey's' More than Doubles Its 8 p.m. Drama Competition in Adults 18-49

'Scandal' Gains Adults 18-49 and Draws a 6-Week High in Total Viewers

'The Catch' Is Up 11% to Rank as the No. 1 Series at 10 p.m. in Adults 18-49

Thursday (4/28/16) - ABC Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections With Multiplatform + 35 Days

"Grey's": L3 = 10.5 million/3.0 rating, L7 = 11.2 million/3.3 rating and MP+35 = 4.6 rating

"Scandal": L3 = 8.5 million/2.5 rating, L7 = 9.5 million/2.7 rating and MP+35 = 3.8 rating

"The Catch": L3 = 6.5 million/1.6 rating and L7 = 7.0 million/1.7 rating

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 6.2 million and 1.5/5 in AD18-49):

ABC ran a strong second in Live + Same Day Adults 18-49 (1.5/5) on Thursday to a "Big Bang"-led CBS (1.7/6), dominating original programming on NBC by 67% (0.9/3) and Fox by 88% (0.8/3). Please note: ESPN aired the high-rated 2016 NFL draft on Thursday night.

· ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" stood Thursday's No. 2 TV series in Adults 18-49, behind only CBS' "The Big Bang Theory." In addition, "Grey's" and "Scandal" ran as Thursday's Top 2 dramas while "The Catch" ranked as the No. 1 series in the 10:00 p.m. hour.

"Grey's Anatomy" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 7.8 million and 1.9/7 in AD18-49):

From 8:00-9:00 p.m., ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" overshadowed its drama competition among Adults 18-49 (1.9/7), continuing to more than double Fox's "Bones" (+138% - 0.8/3). The ABC drama moved up into the No. 1 position at 8:30 p.m. and beat out CBS' "Big Bang"-driven "The Odd Couple" by 11% (2.0/7 vs.1.8/6). "Grey's" was steady week to week in Total Viewers in Adults 18-49.

"Scandal" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 6.3 million and 1.6/5 in AD18-49):

In the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's "Scandal" increased its winning advantage week to week over NBC's "The Blacklist" to 33% in Adults 18-49 (1.6/5 vs. 1.2/4) and outdelivered Fox's "American Grit" by 129% (0.7/2). The ABC drama was the No. 1 series in the hour with Adults 18-34 and all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). "Scandal" was up week to week in Total Viewers (+5%) and Adults 18-49 (+7%), marking its most watched telecast overall in 6 weeks - since 3/17/16.

"The Catch" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 4.6 million and 1.0/3 in AD18-49):

At 10:00 p.m., ABC's "The Catch" ranked No. 1 in Adults 18-49 (1.0/3) over its drama competition on CBS (+11% over "Rush Hour" = 0.9/3) and NBC (best-yet +43% over "Game of Silence" = 0.7/2). The ABC freshman drama built week to week by 11% in Adults 18-49.

Live + 3 Day Ratings for Last Thursday (4/21/16): With a 56% spike, "The Catch" was the biggest gainer at 10:00 p.m. on broadcast in Adults 18-49, posting much larger lifts from L+SD to L+3 than CBS' "Rush Hour" (+10%) and NBC's "Game of Silence" (+43%).

Projections Rationale:

Lifts vs. L+SD are based on 2015-16 season averages for originals (excluding the premiere).

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

New Series: Based on similar series.

A note about DVR penetration: DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample is currently at 48% 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 Nielsen measure to gauge the size of the TV audience.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings for 4/28/16, unless otherwise specified.