ABC's “S.H.I.E.L.D.” Earns 2nd-Highest Numbers Since September Season Premiere

During the week of December 8, 2014, ABC delivered 7 of the Top 20 non-sports TV programs in Adults 18-49: "Modern Family" - No. 4, "black-ish" - No. 9, "The Middle" and "The Goldbergs" tied at No. 12, while "The Great Christmas Light Fight," "S.H.I.E.L.D." and "Once Upon a Time" tied at No. 19.

2014-15 Season to Date (12 Weeks Most Current - All Programming): The Network is up 5% in Total Viewers (8.9 million vs. 8.5 million) this season to rank as the biggest gainer among the broadcasters. ABC is holding steady this season in Adults 18-49 (2.4/8), as the other nets are declining in the key sales demo: CBS (-7% - 2.5/8 vs. 2.7/8), NBC (-9% - 2.9/9 vs. 3.2/9) and FOX (-16% - 2.1/7 vs. 2.5/7).

Monday
"The Great Christmas Light Fight" (8:00-10:00 p.m. - 6.8 million and 1.7/5 in AD18-49):
Improving its 8:00-10:00 p.m. time slot week to week with young adults (+6%), ABC's special of "The Great Christmas Light Fight" jumped year to year by 24% in Total Viewers (6.8 million vs. 5.5 million) and by 21% in Adults 18-49 (1.7/5 vs. 1.4/4) for the program's best numbers ever.

"Castle" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 7.3 million and 1.4/4 in AD18-49):
"Castle" delivered more viewers than NBC's "The Voice"-driven "State of Affairs" for the 4th week running (7.3 million vs. 6.3 million).

Tuesday
"Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 5.3 million and 1.7/5 in AD18-49):
Spiking 55% over its holiday special lead-in at 9:00 p.m. in Adults 18-49 (1.7/5 vs. 1.1/3 for "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town"), ABC's "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." ranked No. 1 in its hour (tie), beating original comedies on FOX by 31% ("New Girl"/"The Mindy Project" = 1.3/4) and NBC by 55% ("Marry Me"/"About a Boy" = 1.1/3).

Trailing only the prior week's delivery, which had a much stronger lead-in from "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "S.H.I.E.L.D." drew its 2nd-largest audience and equaled its 2nd-highest Adult 18-49 rating since its season premiere 11 weeks ago - since 9/23/14. In fact, the show held steady week to week in viewers (5.3 million vs. 5.4 million) and young adults (1.7/5 vs. 1.8/5).

The ABC drama improved its hour year to year by 29% in Total Viewers and by 21% in Adults 18-49 (4.1 million and 1.4/4 for original comedies on 12/10/13).

"Forever" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 5.2 million and 1.1/3 in AD18-49):
Opposite increased competition at 10:00 p.m. from CBS' "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show," ABC's "Forever" took second among the broadcasters in its hour and held steady week to week in Total Viewers (5.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.1/3 vs. 1.2/4). In fact, the ABC drama marked its most-watched telecast in 10 weeks - since 9/30/14.

"Forever" was up in THE HOUR from original programing on the same night last year (3.1 million and 0.9/3 on 12/10/13) by 2.1 million viewers and by 22% and Adults 18-49.

In each of the last two weeks of L+7 ratings, (weeks of 11/10/14 and 11/17/14), "Forever" doubled its L+SD Adult 18-49 rating (+100%) for its biggest-ever playback lifts.

Wednesday
With all 5 of its shows up on the night, ABC won Wednesday in Adults 18-49 (2.1/7). The No. 1 TV show of the night with young adults (3.1/10), "Modern Family" stood as Wednesday's highest-rated TV series for its 10th time in as many original telecasts this season. ABC was up week to week in Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+17%).

The Net built over the year-ago Wednesday's all-original lineup by 11% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/7 vs. 1.9/6 on 12/11/13). And season to date (11 complete weeks Most Current), ABC is the No. 1 network on Wednesday night in Adults 18-49 and is up year to year (+3% - 3.2/10 vs. 3.1/9).

"The Middle" (8:00-8:30 p.m. - 8.1 million and 2.2/7 in AD18-49):
At 8:00 p.m., "The Middle" spiked in viewers (+16%) and young adults (+38%) to match a season high and its top Adult 18-49 rating in nearly 1 year - since 1/22/14. In addition, the show was up 10% over its year-ago telecast in Adults 18-49 (2.0/6 on 12/11/13).

"The Goldbergs" (8:30-9:00 p.m. - 7.4 million and 2.2/7 in AD18-49):
At 8:30 p.m., "The Goldbergs" jumped over the prior week by 12% in viewers and 29% in young adults. The sophomore comedy continued to pace way ahead of its year-ago benchmarks in Adults 18-49, improving its half-hour year to year for ABC by 47% (2.2/7 vs. 1.5/4 for "Back in the Game" on 12/11/13) and outdelivering its own year-ago Tuesday 9:00 p.m. telecast by 38% (1.6/5 on 12/10/13).

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:31 p.m. - 9.7 million and 3.1/10 in AD18-49):
At 9:00 p.m., "Modern Family" grew week to week in Total Viewers (+8%) and Adults 18-49 (+11%). Season to date, "Modern Family" is up in both Total Viewers (+7%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%).

"black-ish" (9:31-10:00 p.m. - 7.3 million and 2.3/7 in AD18-49):
Winning the 9:30 p.m. half-hour, ABC's "black-ish" was the No. 1 series in its slot for its 9th straight original in Adults 18-49 (2.3/7). The freshman comedy built week to week in viewers (+7%) and young adults (+10%).

"black-ish" greatly improved its half-hour year to year for ABC, surpassing the year-ago telecast of "Super Fun Night" (on 12/10/13) by 35% in Total Viewers (7.3 million vs. 5.4 million) and by 28% in Adults 18-49 (2.3/7 vs. 1.8/5).

"Nashville" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 5.7 million and 1.5/5 rating in AD18-49):
During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's "Nashville" ranked No. 1 in Adults 18-49 (1.5/5), beating CBS' "Stalker" for the first time ever (1.4/5) and tying NBC's "Chicago P.D." (1.5/5). Gaining week to week in viewers (+8%) and young adults (+15%), "Nashville" delivered its 2nd-largest audience this season and equaled a season high in Adults 18-49 to tie its best number in over 1 year - since 12/4/13.

The ABC drama topped its year-ago telecast (5.2 million and 1.4/4 on 12/11/13) by 10% in Total Viewers and by 7% in Adults 18-49.

Thursday
"The Taste" (8:00-10:00 p.m. - 3.3 million and 0.9/3 in AD18-49):
From 8:00-10:00 p.m. opposite NBC's much-hyped "Peter Pan Live!" and nearly all-original competition on the other nets, ABC's season premiere of "The Taste" (3.3 million and 0.9/3) was up from its Season 2 finale in Total Viewers (+3%) and held steady in Adults 18-49 (3.2 million and 0.9/3 on 2/20/14), outdrawing the final 3 telecasts of its second season - best since 1/30/14. Please Note: "The Taste" premiered last season on the first Thursday of January (1/2/14) against much lesser competition from NBC and repeats on Fox.

Despite the highly-promoted NBC competition, "The Taste" built 13% from its first hour to its second hour in Adults 18-49 (0.8/3 to 0.9/3) to move up into a tie with Fox's time-slot regular "Gracepoint" from 9:00-10:00 p.m., which had nearly twice the lead-in coming into THE HOUR from "Bones" at 8:00 p.m.

Friday
ABC won Friday in Adults 18-49 (1.3/5), beating original lineups on NBC and CBS.

"Shark Tank" (9:00-10:01 p.m. - 7.0 million and 1.5/5 in AD18-49):
ABC's "Shark Tank" was Friday's No. 1 TV show in Adults 18-49 (1.5/5), holding the top series position on the night for its 11th straight original airing this season.

"20/20" (10:01-11:00 p.m. - 6.1 million and 1.4/5 in AD18-49):
ABC's "20/20" was the night's No. 2 broadcast show in Adults 18-49 (1.4/5) and Adults 25-54 (1.9/6), behind only "Shark Tank," while once again finishing as Friday's top-rated newsmagazine over NBC's "Dateline." In addition, "20/20" was the No. 1 regular program in the 10:00 p.m. hour for the 6th week in a row among Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54 (tie).

Saturday
"20/20-Saturday" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 4.0 million and 0.8/3 in AD18-49):
ABC's "20/20-Saturday" was up over its most-recent regular telecast (on 8/9/14) by 38% in Total Viewers (4.0 million vs. 2.9 million), 100% in Adults 18-49 (0.8/3 vs. 0.4/2) and 71% in Adults 25-54 (1.2/4 vs. 0.7/2) to deliver its best numbers since mid-March - since 3/15/14.

Sunday
"Once Upon a Time" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 5.7 million and 1.7/5 in AD18-49):
At 8:00 p.m., ABC's "Once Upon a Time" more than tripled its lead-in (+240%) to rank as Sunday's No. 1 drama in Adults 18-49 (1.7/5) and tie CBS' season premiere of "Undercover Boss" in the hour.

On average season to date (Most Current), "Once Upon a Time" is up from the same point last year by 6% in Total Viewers (9.9 million vs. 9.3 million) and by 13% in Adults 18-49 (3.6/10 vs. 3.2/8).

"Barbara Walters Presents" (9:00-11:00 p.m. - 7.8 million and 1.4/4 in AD18-49):
From 9:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2014" finished No. 1 against its non-sports competition in the 2-hour time period with Adults 18-49 (1.4/4-tie). The program gained Total Viewers in each half-hour of its broadcast.

The Barbara Walters special improved its 2-hour time period year to year for ABC by 59% in Total Viewers (7.8 million vs. 4.9 million) and by 17% in Adults 18-49 (1.4/4 vs. 1.2/3) over original dramas on the same night last year ("Revenge"/"Betrayal").

WEEK NO. 12: ADULTS 18-49 TOTAL VIEWERS
No.1 NBC 2.2 No.1 CBS 8,610,000
No.2 CBS 1.8 No.2 NBC 8,030,000
No.3 FOX 1.4 No.3 ABC 5,400,000
No.4 ABC 1.3 No.4 FOX 4,190,000
No.5 CW 0.7 No.5 CW 2,100,000