ABC's THE BACHELOR Spikes to Best Premiere in 3 Years

ABC Monday Prime (8-11pm - 8.6 million and 2.4/6 in AD18-49): Featuring the 2-hour season premiere of The Bachelor leading into Castle, opposite ESPN's down-to-the-wire BCS Championship game, ABC was the definitive #1 broadcaster on Monday, leading all 6 half-hours in viewers and young adults. In viewers and young adults, The Bachelor was Monday's #1 TV series overall and Castle was the #1 scripted program of the night. ABC posted a Monday season-high in Adults 18-49.

The Net was up from the year-ago night with an all-original line up (7.5 million and 2.2/5 on 1/7/13) by 15% in Total Viewers and by 9% in Adults 18-49.

The Bachelor (8-10pm - 8.5 million and 2.7/7 in AD18-49): Dominating its non-sports competition from 8-10pm to rank as Monday's #1 TV series, ABC's season opener of The Bachelor spiked by double-digits year to year in Total Viewers (+23% - 8.5 million vs. 6.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (+17% - 2.7/7 vs. 2.3/6) to deliver 3-year-highs on both measures - since 1/3/11. In addition, the show delivered a season-high for ABC in the 2-hour time period among Adults 18-49.

Castle (10-11pm - 8.8 million and 1.8/4 in AD18-49): The #1 series in the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's Castle towered over the final hour of CBS' 2-hour Hostages finale in Total Viewers (+87% - 8.8 million vs. 4.7 million) and Adults 18-49 (+64% - 1.8/4 vs. 1.0/2).