'S.H.I.E.L.D.' Scores Second Best Numbers Since Season Premiere

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 (5.2 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 27% 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. - 5.1 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 in its hour and held steady week to week in Total Viewers (5.1 million vs. 5.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.1/3 vs. 1.2/4).

• "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 2.0 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.

A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 49% currently, from 48% at the same point in 2013. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.

Projections Rationale:

Lifts vs. L+SD are based on the 2013-14 season for premiere telecast or an average for originals (excluding the premiere).

Returning shows: Profile based on same show (either premiere or averages for originals).

New Series: Based on similar series.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings for 12/09/14.