Opposite the 2011 World Series Game 1 on Fox, ABC finished #2 on Wednesday night among Adults 18-49, while ranking #1 across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). For the 4th straight week this season, as Modern Family outdelivered the World Series, ABC aired Wednesday’s #1 TV show. In fact it was the 2nd year in a row for the ABC hit comedy to beat out Game 1 of the World Series in the key young adult sales demo.
The Net continued to produce improved year-over-year returns on the evening, jumping over the year-ago Wednesday in viewers (+22%) and young adults (+32%) for the 5th consecutive week this season.
At 8pm, ABC’s The Middle dominated its comedy competition in the half-hour, defeating NBC’s Up All Night by 3.4 million viewers and by 38% in Adults 18-49. In addition, The Middle won its half-hour over the World Series with Women 18-49, while qualifying as the #1 regular program in its slot with Adults 18-34 and Men 18-34. The ABC comedy once again registered as the time slot’s top-rated broadcast series with Teens 12-17.
Opposite World Series competition, The Middle grew week to week with Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, Women 18-49 (2nd best of season) and Women 25-54 (season high).
Rising over its year-ago performance for the 5th straight broadcast this season, The Middle grew over the same night last year by 6% in viewers and by 12% in young adults.
Increasing from its Adult 18-49 lead-in for the 4th time in as many telecasts (+7%) at 8:30pm, ABC’s Suburgatory topped the World Series in the half-hour with Women 18-49, beat its CBS and NBC competition with Adults 18-34 and stood as the #1 broadcast program with Teens 12-17.
Despite facing the Fall Classic, Suburgatory held 100% of its Adult 18-49 audience week to week, while hitting series highs with key Men (M18-49/M25-54).
Suburgatory once again generated substantial improvement for the Net over the year-ago time period occupant (Better with You) in viewers (+29%) and young adults (+48%).
Building on its lead-in at 9pm to take first place in its slot with Adults 18-49 over the World Series (+40%) and CBS’ Criminal Minds (+47%), ABC’s Modern Family registered as the evening’s #1 TV program for the 5th week running this season. In fact the ABC comedy won its slot over the World Series across all key Adult demos (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54).
Up year to year for the 5th consecutive telecast this season, Modern Family improved over its year-ago telecast by 7% in viewers and by 19% with young adults.
In the 9:30pm half-hour, ABC’s sophomore Happy Endings stood as the #1 series in its slot for the 3rd week running in Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34. The ABC comedy was also the highest-rated series in its time period with hard-to-reach Men 18-34.
ABC’s Happy Endings hit series highs with Men 18-34 and Men 18-49.
Once again gaining on its Total Viewer lead-in (+1.0 million) during the 10 o’clock hour against established dramas on both CBS (CSI) and NBC (L&O: SVU), ABC’s freshman drama Revenge ran neck-and-neck with CSI among Adults 18-49 (pacing within 1-tenth and tied in share) and easily beat out Law & Order: SVU (+19%). In addition, Revenge was the #1 series in the hour for its 5th consecutive airing with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34, while winning its hour outright over the World Series with Women 18-49 and Women 25-54.
For the new series’ 5th straight telecast, Revenge produced enormous time-period improvement for ABC, surging over the year-ago night in viewers (+78%) and young adults (+92%). In fact, Revenge stands as ABC’s most-watched series in Wednesday’s 10 o’clock hour in more than 4 years – since Lost during the 2006-07 TV Season.
(source; ABC)
