ABC came in second for the week

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Overall: For the 2nd week in a row, ABC was the #2 most-watched TV network to CBS, outdrawing Fox by 5% and NBC by 25%. The Net aired 7 of the Top 20 broadcast series for the week in Adults 18-49, including 4 of the Top 10 dramas (Scandal, Grey’s, Castle and Once Upon a Time), led by Scandal which hit a series high and was TV’s #1 drama for the first time ever.  In addition, ABC delivered the top-rated 10 o’clock dramas with young adults on Monday (Castle), Tuesday (Body of Proof) and Thursday (Scandal), as Scandal was the week’s #1 regular 10pm drama for its 10th straight original broadcast (on each week since its January return).  The Net placed 3 of the week’s Top 10 most-watched TV shows overall with DWTS, DWTS: The Results Show and Body of Proof.  Up for the 2nd straight week, ABC grew 7% in Adults 18-49 week to week.


Please Note:  ABC’s The Middle, Modern Family and Nashville were in repeats during the week.

Monday: ABC was the most-watched TV network on Monday night and delivered the #2 position in Adults 18-49.  Dancing with the Stars was up for the 2nd straight week in Total Viewers, while Castle gained viewers and young adults, once again pacing as the Monday’s most-watched scripted series with its 2nd-most-watched telecast this season.  In addition at 10pm, Castle built on its lead-in to beat NBC’s The Voice-led Revolution in Adults 18-49 for the first time.  Gaining viewers for the 2nd week in a row, ABC’s Dancing with the Stars finished #2 from 8-10pm in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 to The Voice, pacing within just 400k viewers of the NBC show.  Ranking #1 in the 10pm hour, Castle outdrew NBC’s The Voice-driven Revolution by a best-ever 5.9 million viewers and beat the NBC drama in Adults 18-49 (+15%) for the first time ever.  In fact the ABC drama has been the most-watched TV show in its time period for its 7 consecutive first-run airings and stood as Monday’s #1 scripted series for its 6th consecutive telecast.  Growing week to week in Total Viewers (+16%) and Adults 18-49 (+15%), Castle drew its 2nd-largest-audience this season, while equaling a season-high in the key adult demo.

Tuesday: With Splash, DWTS: The Results Show and another winning performance by Body of Proof, ABC was the 2nd-most-watched net on Tuesday, outdrawing NBC’s The Voice-led original lineup by 2.8 million viewers.  ABC’s Body of Proof won Tuesday’s 10pm hour in Total Viewers (5th week in a row) and hit a season-high in Adults 18-49.  In the 8pm hour against CBS’ NCIS and NBC’s The Voice, ABC freshman Splash gained audience from start to finish and delivered more viewers than Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen for the 6th week in a row.  Splash held even week to week in Adults 18-49 and grew by 17% in Adults 18-34.  Jumping from its lead-in, ABC’s DWTS: The Results Show took second place in the 9 o’clock hour with viewers and young adults. Victor Ortiz was the fifth celebrity to leave the competition this season. The ABC dancing results program was up over its comparable fifth telecast of Season 15 by 10% in Total Viewers and by 11% in Adults 18-49.  During the 10 o’clock hour, ABC’s Body of Proof ranked as the #1 series, outdelivering runner-up CBS’ Golden Boy by 1.4 million viewers, by 10% in Adults 25-54 and by 14% in Adults 18-49. It was the ABC drama’s 5th straight Tuesday to rank as the most-watched TV show in its slot. Body of Proof was up week to week in Total Viewers (+4%), Adults 25-54 (+15%) and Adults 18-49 (+14%). In fact, the show equaled a season high in Adults 18-49 and marked its 2nd-strongest performance this season with Viewers and Adults 25-54.

Thursday: ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal returned for their first original telecasts in 3 weeks, standing as Thursday’s Top 2 dramas.  In fact, Scandal tied American Idol on the night in Adults 18-49 and returned up to match a series high. More than doubling its Adult 18-49 lead-in (+145%) at 9pm, ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy shot up to rank as the #1 series in its hour for its 4th straight original, beating CBS’ Person of Interest by 13%, Fox’s Idol-led Glee by 50% and NBC’s comedies by 80% (The Office/Parks and Recreation).  Grey’s came back within 1-tenth of a rating point of its last first-run broadcast on 4/4/13. Building on its Grey’s lead-in for the first time ever and up 8% over its last original airing, ABC’s Scandal took full control of its 10 o’clock drama competition in Adults 18-49, beating CBS’ Elementary by a best-ever 40% and nearly tripling NBC’s Hannibal (+180%)  Scandal has finished as the #1 TV series in its time slot on each of its last 13 original telecasts.  Continuing to trend well ahead of its freshman season, Scandal was up sharply from its same night year-ago performance in viewers (+14%) and young adults (+40%).  The ABC drama equaled a series high in Adults 18-49 and set new series bests with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34. Scandal was once again Thursday’s #1 most social series during primetime, leading #2 American Idol by 79% in number of tweets.

Friday: ABC ranked #1 among the broadcasters on Friday in Adults 18-49, outdelivering NBC by 44% and Fox by 63%. ABC’s Shark Tank once again finished as the #1 series on the night in Adults 18-49, with an 18% advantage over runner-up Undercover Boss.  More than tripling its lead-in (+233%), ABC’s Shark Tank shot up to dominate the 9 o’clock hour over original dramas, outperforming NBC’s Grimm by 54%, CBS’ Vegas by 100% and Fox’s Touch by 233%.  The ABC unscripted show was Friday’s top-rated TV series in Adults 18-49 for the 5th time in its last 6 original telecasts.  Spiking year to year, Shark Tank was up by double digits over its delivery on the same night last year in Total Viewers (+22%) and Adults 18-49 (+43%).  Season to date, the show is up 17% in Adults 18-49, delivering its best season ever.  In the 10 o’clock hour, ABC’s 20/20 defeated its newsmagazine competition by strong margins, leading NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams by 21% in Total Viewers, by 33% in Adults 18-49 and by 42% in Adults 25-54.  20/20 reported on surviving, from random violence and acts of terror to massive highway accidents and the madness of crowds and stampedes.

Saturday: For the 3rd straight week, ABC’s Bet On Your Baby outdelivered NBC’s original Smash in Saturday’s 8 o’clock hour, beating the high-profile NBC drama by 32% in Total Viewers and by 50% in Adults 18-49.  In fact, Bet On Your Baby was the #1 regular TV program in the hour with viewers and young adults. Spiking week to week in Teens 12-17 (+40%) and Kids 2-11 (+33%), Bet on Your Baby delivered a series high with teens.

Sunday: Gaining 23% week to week, ABC’s America’s Funniest Home Videos won the 7 o’clock hour in Adult 18-49.  AFHV delivered an 8-week high in young adults – since 3/17/13.  Building 25% on its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 8pm, ABC’s Once Upon a Time surged to rank as the top-rated broadcast drama on Sunday night. Once Upon a Time paced within 1-tenth of a rating point week to week. The ABC sophomore drama was the #1 most social broadcast series on Sunday night.  Returning to original for the first time since March (since 3/31/13), ABC’s Revenge came back with a 13% increase in Adults 18-49 from its last first-run airing to stand as the #2 broadcast drama of the night.  During the 9 o’clock hour, Revenge beat out CBS’ season finale of The Good Wife and the first hour of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice in Adults 18-49, while winning its slot among Women 25-54.