Debra Messing's MYSTERIES OF LAURA Retains 91% of Lead-In

By: Sep. 18, 2014
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NBC won Wednesday night among the Big 4 networks in every key measure with the #1 show of the night in 18-49 and total viewers, "America's Got Talent," and the most-watched debut on any Big 4 network since early March, "The Mysteries of Laura."

A special preview of "The Mysteries of Laura" (2.1/7 in 18-49, 10.4 million viewers overall from 10:01-11 p.m. ET) scored the highest 18-49 rating for any ABC, CBS or NBC programming in the time period, excluding sports, since Feb. 26.

The "Mysteries of Laura" preview retained 91% of the 18-49 rating for its lead-in "America's Got Talent," easily the top retention among the four hour-long dramas that have followed a "Talent" finale, with the three previous retentions being 59% for a preview of "Outlaw" on Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010 (2.3 vs. 3.9), 61% for "Lipstick Jungle" on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008 (3.0 vs. 3.3) and 60% for "Windfall" on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2006 (2.1 vs. 3.5).

"The Mysteries of Laura" is up +50% vs. NBC's average in the time period last season in 18-49 (2.1 vs. 1.4) and is the most-watched debut on any network, any genre, since the "Believe" preview out of "The Voice" on March 10 (10.563 million). The 10.4 million viewers for "Laura" is a one-year high for NBC in the time slot in total viewers, excluding sports (best since the "Talent" finale earned 12.3 million viewers in the slot on Sept. 18, 2013).

The season finale of "America's Got Talent" (2.3/8 in 18-49, 12.0 million viewers overall from 8-10:01 p.m. ET) jumped +28% week to week in 18-49 (2.3 vs. 1.8) to score a Wednesday high for "Talent" since the show's Wednesday season premiere on July 23 (2.4). In total viewers, the week-to-week surge is +14% (11.980 million vs. 10.519 million), lifting "Talent" to a three-year high for a Wednesday telecast.

Despite running in the 8-10 p.m. slot this year versus the 9-11 p.m. time period last year, "Talent" retained 92% of the year-ago finale rating in 18-49 (2.3 vs. 2.5) and is up +4% in total viewers (11.980 million vs. 11.492 million), making this the most-watched "Talent" finale in three years (since 2011).

It's a three-year high for NBC in the time period in total viewers, excluding sports (best since the Sept. 14, 2011 "Talent" finale, 14.374 million).

"Talent" and "Laura" both won their time slots among the Big 4 networks in every key measure - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers


In Late-Night Metered Markets Wednesday Night:

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 3.4/9; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.5/4 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.2/6; "Late Show," 0.3/2 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.1/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.5/6 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.9/3). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/5 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.


NOTE: All ratings are "live plus same day" from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise indicated. Season figures are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day."



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