NBC's LAW & ORDER: SVU Jumps 29% from Last Year

NBC jumped 26% versus its year-ago premiere-week Wednesday to score its top rating for an opening-week Wednesday in five years.

In its first original with no "Voice" lead-in, "Revolution" (1.8/6 in 18-49, 6.8 million viewers overall from8-9 p.m. ET) finished within just a tenth of a rating point of the 1.9 average for the last five Spring telecasts of its first season (1.9 was also the show's average in the May sweep), and each of those earlier telecasts benefitted from a "Voice" lead-in. It's NBC's best rating in the time period with in-season regular programming since January, 11 2012. "Revolution" (1.8/6 from 8-9) also beat NBC's premiere-week result in the slot last year by 20% (1.8 vs. 1.5 for comedies) and topped NBC's slot average for the 2012-13 season by 29% (1.8 vs. 1.4, "live plus same day, non-sports").

Starting its 15th season, "Law & Order: SVU" (2.7/7 in 18-49, 9.5 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) jumped 29% versus its year-ago debut in the same slot (2.7 vs. 2.1). It's the top "SVU" in 18-49 since May 18, 2011 (2.9). In total viewers, this is SVU's best result (9.5 million) since Nov. 30, 2011 (9.9 million) and the show up versus the year-ago debut in total viewers by 32% (9.503 million vs. 7.189 million). In adults 18-34, (2.3) it's SVU's high in three years (since Sept. 29, 2010, 2.5). That's an 18-34 gain versus last year's premiere of 56% (2.5 vs. 1.6).

"SVU" dominated the 10 p.m. hour among ABC, CBS and NBC, winning from 10-11 among those nets in every key measure. The 18-49 margin of victory is 38% (2.9 vs. 2.1 for both ABC and CBS).

Versus last year's premiere-week Wednesday, NBC is up 26% for the night in 18-49 (2.4 vs. 1.9). This follows gains on Monday of 15% (4.7 vs. 4.1) and on Tuesday of 43% (4.0 vs. 2.8).

On this night last year, NBC finished #4, 1.5 rating points out of #1 and a full point out of #3, last night NBC finished within 0.4 of #1.

This is NBC's best premiere Wednesday in 18-49 (2.4) in five years (since 2008, 2.5). In total viewers, it's NBC's best premiere Wednesday (8.6 million) in six years (since 2007, 11.0 million).

On all three nights of the season so far, NBC has been up year-to-year and has won the 10 p.m.hour in 18-49.

THROUGH THREE NIGHTS OF THE NEW SEASON
NBC...2.9...3.7...+28%
CBS...3.0...2.7...-10%
ABC...2.5...2.7...+8%
Fox...2.6...2.2...-15%

In Late-Night Metered Markets Wednesday night:

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.8/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.5/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 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 Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/6 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/5 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/4 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.