The folks at ABC provide their view of last night’s ratings, particularly in regard to Dancing with the Stars, Happy Endings, Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23, and Private Practice.

ABC Scores its Best Numbers with Comedy Programming in the 9pm Hour Since 2009

Early info on ABC’s Tuesday, ahead of the regular press release.

With DWTS: All-Stars, the season premieres of Happy Endings and Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt 23 and Private Practice, ABC ran as the 2nd-most-watched TV network on Tuesday to CBS, outdrawing NBC (with The Voice) by 7% and Fox (with The X-Factor) by 70%.

Surging by double digits from its first half-hour to its second half-hour, Part 2 of ABC’s DWTS: All-Stars performance show took 2nd place from 8-9pm with Total Viewers, beating NBC’s The Voice by 17%. In addition, DWTS dominated Fox’s comedies (Raising Hope/Ben and Kate) by 38% with Adults 18-49.

· Growing over the prior week’s Results Show by 10% in Adults 18-49, DWTS: All-Stars scored ABC’s best performance in the hour in 8 months – since 2/7/12.

In the 9pm half-hour, the season premiere of ABC’s Happy Endings topped Fox’s New Girl by 13% in Total Viewers.

· Soaring over its season finale in April with viewers (+59%) and young adults (+12%), Happy Endings scored its largest audience since February and its top Adult 18-49 number since March – since 2/29/12 and 3/14/12, respectively.

· Happy Endings delivered ABC’s best performance with comedy programming in the half-hour in Total Viewers in nearly 4 years and in Adults 18-49 in almost 3 years – since 1/6/09 and 12/8/09, respectively.

From 930-10pm, ABC’s season premiere of Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt 23 finished second in its slot among Adults 18-34, Men 18-34 and Women 18-34, beating its NBC comedy competition (The New Normal) by solid double-digit margins.

· The sophomore ABC series turned in the Net’s strongest performance with comedy programming in the slot in both Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 since December 2009 – since 12/1/09.

ABC’s Private Practice ranked #2 in the 10 o’clock hour with Adults 18-34 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54), beating CBS’ Vegas.

Quick Take for Tuesday, October 23, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Earns Second Place on the Night in Total Viewers, Outdrawing NBC with “The Voice” and Fox with “The X-Factor”

Part 2 of ABC’s “DWTS: All-Stars” is Tuesday’s Most-Watched Unscripted Series

ABC’s “Happy Endings” Premiere Scores the Show’s Best Numbers in Over 7 Months

“Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23” Opens with ABC’s Top Performance With Comedy Programming in Tuesday’s 9:30pm Slot Since December 2009

ABC’s “Private Practice” Outdelivers CBS’ “Vegas” in Adults 18-34 and Key Women

Tuesday Night (8:00-11:00 p.m.)

With “DWTS: All-Stars,” the season premieres of “Happy Endings” and “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt 23” plus “Private Practice,” ABC ran as the 2nd-most-watched TV network on Tuesday (7.5 million) to CBS, outdrawing NBC (with “The Voice”) by 7% (7.0 million) and Fox (with “The X-Factor”) by 70% (4.4 million).

“DWTS: All-Stars” (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Part 2 of ABC’s “DWTS: All-Stars” finished as the most-watched unscripted show of the night (12.7 million), beating NBC’s “The Voice” in head-to-head competition by 17% (10.9 million) and Fox’s “The X-Factor” by 140% (5.3 million). In addition, “DWTS” dominated Fox’s comedies in the 8 o’clock hour (“Raising Hope”/”Ben and Kate”) by 38% with Adults 18-49 (2.2/7 vs. 1.6/5).

· Growing over the prior week’s “Results Show” by 10% in Adults 18-49, “DWTS: All-Stars” scored ABC’s best performance in the hour in 8 months – since 2/7/12.

“Happy Endings” (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

In the 9:00 p.m. half-hour, the season premiere of ABC’s “Happy Endings” topped Fox’s “New Girl” by 13% in Total Viewers (5.9 million vs. 5.2 million).

· Soaring over its season finale in April with viewers (+59%) and young adults (+12%), “Happy Endings” scored its largest audience (5.9 million) since February and its top Adult 18-49 number (1.9/5) since March – since 2/29/12 and 3/14/12, respectively.

· “Happy Endings” delivered ABC’s best performance with comedy programming in the half-hour in Total Viewers in nearly 4 years and in Adults 18-49 in almost 3 years – since 1/6/09 and 12/8/09, respectively.

“Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt 23” (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

From 9:30-10:00 p.m., ABC’s season premiere of “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt 23” finished second in its slot among Adults 18-34, Men 18-34 and Women 18-34, beating its NBC comedy competition (“The New Normal”) by solid double-digit margins.

· The sophomore ABC series turned in the Net’s strongest performance with comedy programming in the slot in both Total Viewers (4.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.7/4) since December 2009 – since 12/1/09.

“Private Practice” (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC’s “Private Practice” ranked No. 2 in the 10 o’clock hour with Adults 18-34 (1.1/3) and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54), beating CBS’ “Vegas.”

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 46% currently, from 42% at the same point in 2011. 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.

Source: The Nielsen Company (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings), 10/23/12.