press release:

ABC Ranks No. 1 on Monday Night in Total Viewers for the 6th Week in a Row,

Beating CBS by a Season-Best 7.1 Million Viewers and by 15% in Adults 18-49

“Dancing with the Stars” Wins its 2-Hour Time Slot in Viewers and Adults 18-49, Towering Over CBS’ Comedy Block by 9.8 Million Viewers and 20% in Young Adults

ABC’s “Castle” Beats CBS’ “Hawaii Five-0” in Adults 18-49 for the First Time Ever, While Outdrawing the CBS Drama in Viewers for the 2nd Week in a Row

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

ABC ranked No. 1 on Monday night in Total Viewers for the 6th week in a row. During prime, ABC beat CBS by a season-best 7.1 million viewers (17.3 million vs. 10.2 million) and 15% in Adults 18-49 (3.8/10 vs. 3.3/9). In addition, ABC turned in its strongest performance on the night in both viewers and young adults in 4 weeks – since 9/27/10.

Growing its Monday results year to year for the 6th straight week, ABC was up over the same night last season by 2.3 million viewers and by 19% in Adults 18-49 (15.0 million and 3.2/8 on 10/26/09).

Second “Castle” Novel from Hyperion was Released September 28

Richard Castle (played by Nathan Fillion), the lead character on “Castle” – ABC’s hit series airing Monday nights (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) — will have his second novel, “Naked Heat,” debut at No. 7 on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction bestsellers list for Sunday, October 17. “Naked Heat” is the thrilling sequel to Castle’s “Heat Wave” – which has more than 200,000 copies in print (after 10 printings) and spent 16 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list when published last fall.

“Naked Heat” is Castle’s second mystery novel to feature Nikki Heat, a tough, sexy and professional detective based on NYPD Homicide Detective Kate Beckett, with whom Castle solves crimes and trades barbs from case to case. The two are no strangers to innuendos and unfulfilled sexual tension while trailing murderers.

“Castle” stars Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, and Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle.

“Castle” is produced by ABC Studios. Andrew Marlowe serves as executive producer/writer, along with executive producers Rob Bowman, Laurie Zaks, David Amann, and Armyan Bernstein.

press release:

ABC Airs 4 of the Top 10 TV Shows for the Week in Adults 18-49, More

Than Any Other Network, Delivering 4 of the Top 6 Non-Sports Programs

“DWTS” is America’s Most-Watched TV Show for the 2nd Week Running

WEEK No. 2:

Based on Nielsen’s non-sports averages for the week of September 27, 2010, ABC finished No. 2 in Adults 18-49 (2.8/8), beating Fox by 12% (2.5/7) and NBC by 40% (2.0/6). Also for the 2nd week in a row, the Net took second place overall (all programming) among Total Viewers (9.2 million), while ranking No. 1 with key Women: W18-34 (2.7/9) and W18-49 (3.3/10-tie).

Rankings: ABC aired 4 of the Top 10 TV shows for the week in Adults 18-49 (more than any other network), delivering 4 of the Top 6 non-sports programs. “Dancing with the Stars” – No. 5 (No. 2 non-sports show), “Modern Family” and “Grey’s Anatomy” tied at No. 7 (No. 4 non-sports shows) and “Desperate Housewives” – No. 9 (No. 6 non-sports show). For the 2nd consecutive week this season, ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” stood as America’s most-watched TV show overall.

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 38% currently, from 32% at the same point in 2009. 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.

Monday

ABC finished as the most-watched network for the second straight Monday of the 2010-11 TV Season. During prime, ABC outdrew CBS by 6.7 million viewers (18.0 million vs. 11.3 million) and by 8% in Adults 18-49 (4.1/10 vs. 3.8/10).

Growing its Monday results year to year for the 2nd week in row, ABC was up over the same night last season by 3.5 million viewers and by 28% in Adults 18-49 (14.5 million and 3.2/8 on 9/28/09)

“Dancing with the Stars” (8:00-10:01 p.m.)

ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” won its 2-hour time period for the 2nd consecutive week with Total Viewers and across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). “DWTS” outperformed CBS’ original comedy block by 10.7 million viewers (21.3 million vs. 10.6 million) and by 23% in Adults 18-49 (4.8/12 vs. 3.9/10).

“DWTS” stood as Monday’s No. 1 TV program for the second week in a row in Total Viewers and across all key Women demographics.

“Dancing” registered its most-watched-ever Week 2 ever in the Fall and 3rd-highest second week in Adults 18-49, pulling its best young adult number in 3 years (since 10/1/07).
For the 1st time ever in-season, “DWTS” grew its overall audience from Week 1 to Week 2 (21.34 million vs. 21.29 million).

“Castle” (10:01-11:00 p.m.)

“Castle” grew from its week-ago season premiere in both Total Viewers (11.1 million vs. 10.7 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.8/8 vs. 2.7/7), delivering the program’s best numbers since April – since 4/12/10.

ABC’s “Castle” beat CBS’ high-profile reboot, “Hawaii Five-0,” among Women 18-34 (2.9/8 vs. 2.2/6) and Women 18-49 (3.9/10 vs. 3.7/10).
“Castle” was up sharply over the series’ performance on the same night last year for the 2nd consecutive week, jumping by nearly 2 million viewers and by 27% in Adults 18-49 (9.2 million and 2.2/6 on 9/28/09).

CASTLE & BECKETT’S CASE OF A YOUNG MAN KILLED BY A 200-YEAR-OLD BULLET TAKES THEM INTO A SECRET STEAMPUNK SOCIETY, ON ABC’S “CASTLE”

Victor Webster, Ken Baumann and Eden Riegel Guest Star

“Punked” – Castle and Beckett look into the murder of a young mathematician gunned down with a 200-year-old bullet, sparking some wild theories by Castle about a time-travelling killer. When their investigation uncovers a tricked-out DeLorean and a suspect in Victorian clothing, is it possible Castle’s crazy idea has some validity? This winding tale twists through the towers of Wall Street and into the world of a secret steampunk society that embraces the romance and simplicity of the past, while coupling it with the hope and promise of the future, on “Castle,” MONDAY, OCTOBER 11 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. Victor Webster (as Beckett’s new boyfriend), Ken Baumann (as Alexis’ first boyfriend) and Eden Riegel (as the sister of the murder victim) guest star in the episode.

“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan.

Guest Cast: Victor Webster as Josh Davidson, Ken Baumann as Ashley, Eden Riegel as Rachel Goldstein, Andrew Leeds as Adam Murphy, Ramon De Ocampo as Owen Peterson, Thomas Kopache as Abe Sandrich, Jen Lilley as Julia Foster.

“Punked” was written by David Grae and directed by Rob Bowman.

Singer and actor Lyle Lovett (“The Player,” “The Opposite of Sex”) will guest star on “Castle” for an episode to air in November (date TBA). Lovett will play Agent Darryl Shafer, a larger than life yet shadowy government figure who plays his cards close to the chest. “Castle” airs Mondays (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

In story, after an astrophysicist’s body is found in her car, the victim of explosive decompression, there can be only two possible causes: Either she was killed in a decompression chamber or she died in the vacuum of space. Given that the latter explanation points to something otherworldly, Castle and Beckett focus their investigation here on Earth, but are confronted with evidence that keeps pointing them back to the impossible — alien abduction. Then Shafer arrives, but is he protecting National Security or covering up some deeper, darker secret? Whatever the case, he’s not sharing what he knows. Soon Castle and Beckett learn the startling truth about the victim’s research and her recent astonishing discovery, and have to team with the Shafer to unmask the real killer before he disappears with secrets that, if revealed, could challenge everything we currently believe.

Starring in the series are Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, and Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle.

“Castle” is produced by ABC Studios. Andrew Marlowe serves as executive producer/writer, along with executive producers Rob Bowman, Laurie Zaks, David Amann, and Armyan Bernstein.

In the 10 o’clock hour, ABC’s Castle jumped over its year-ago season opener in Total Viewers (+20%) and Adults 18-49 (+22%). In fact the ABC drama series marked its biggest numbers since April in viewers and young adults – since 4/12/10. Opposite CBS’ highly-promoted debut of Hawaii Five-0 in the final hour of the night, the third-season opener of Castle beat out NBC’s debut of Chase by 3.3 million viewers and by 12% in Adults 18-49. Please note that Castle was one of TV’s top gainers in the 10 o’clock hour last season via recorded playback. Castle generates substantial increases over its first-reported numbers through DVR playback, picking up an average 1.8 million viewers and an additional 6-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point (+23%) from the initially-reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals (based on original telecasts for the 2009-10 TV Season).

ABC PRESS RELEASE:

DID A PSYCHIC SEE HER OWN DEATH COMING, ON ABC’S “CASTLE”

“He’s Dead, She’s Dead” – When a famous psychic is murdered, Beckett and Castle search for her killer while also carrying on a spirited debate on the existence of extrasensory abilities. Evidence mounts on both sides, especially when a letter arrives from the victim, penned the day she was killed and predicting her own death — or was it written by a clever killer, hoping to throw off the investigation? — on “Castle,” MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan.

Guest Cast: Rachel Boston as Penny Marchand, Paige Rowland as Loreen Carter, David Gianopoulos as Albert Moreno, Rick Ravanello as Steve Adams, Kieren Hutchison as Cody Donnelly.

“He’s Dead, She’s Dead” was written by Moira Kirland and directed by John Terlesky.

ABC PRESS RELEASE

SEASON PREMIERE

NATHAN FILLION AND STANA KATIC RETURN FOR SEASON THREE
OF “CASTLE,” PREMIERING SEPTEMBER 20 ON ABC

When the new season of “Castle” begins, Beckett hasn’t heard from Castle since he left for the Hamptons months ago to finish writing his second Nikki Heat novel, “Naked Heat” (on sale September 28). The most Beckett, Ryan and Esposito have seen of Castle is a bookstore standee of him advertising an upcoming book signing. So when Beckett and her team burst into a shadowy apartment on the trail of a murderer, the last thing they expect to see is the real-life Castle standing over a dead woman’s body holding a gun! As Castle protests his innocence, Beckett has no choice but to arrest him on suspicion of murder, on the Season Three premiere of “Castle,” MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

A review screener and clips from this episode will be posted at www.abcmedianet.com.

“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan.

Guest Cast: Michael Rady as Evan Murphy, Charlene Amoia as Ana Marie, Gino Cafarelli as Dean Carbino, Justice Gamble as bartender, Lisa O’Hare as Kitty Canary, Craig Gellis as Earl Moreland.

“A Deadly Affair” was written by Andrew Marlowe and directed by Rob Bowman.

“Castle” is produced by ABC Studios. Andrew Marlowe is creator/executive producer/writer, along with executive producers Rob Bowman, Laurie Zaks and David Amann.

Eden Riegel – who is now on “Young and the Restless” but spent many years as Bianca, Erica Kane’s (Susan Lucci’s) daughter and daytime TV’s first contracted lesbian character, on “All My Children” (earning her a Daytime Emmy Award in 2005) – will guest star on ABC’s “Castle.” In the episode entitled “Punked,” Riegel plays Rachel Goldstein, the distraught sister of a man killed by an antique pistol. “Castle” will premiere Monday, September 20 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET).