'9-1-1: Nashville' SAVES ABC! Ratings SKYROCKET! What's the Secret?!

Well folks, it looks like ABC's Thursday night lineup is ending the year on a high note. Even though "9-1-1," "9-1-1: Nashville," and "Grey's Anatomy" are on winter break, the network is still riding the wave of those fall premiere numbers. And boy, are they impressive!

'9-1-1: Nashville' SAVES ABC! Ratings SKYROCKET! W...

According to the latest Nielsen report crunching big data with panel insights, all three shows have landed squarely in the Top 10 broadcast series among that oh-so-important 18-49 demographic after a whopping 35 days of viewing. That's a testament to the power of delayed viewing and streaming, something networks are definitely paying attention to these days.

But the real standout here is "9-1-1: Nashville." As the new kid on the block in the "9-1-1" franchise, it's apparently stolen the spotlight, becoming the number one new series in that key demographic. The premiere episode racked up a massive 19.29 million cross-platform viewers in 35 days. That's a mind-blowing 414% increase over the initial live numbers. Even if you strip out the encore presentations, "Nashville" still pulled in a very respectable 10.44 million viewers and a 2.15 rating among adults 18-49. Not bad for a freshman show, right?

Interestingly, even without the encore boosts, "Nashville" is actually performing right up there with the original "9-1-1." That's saying something, considering the flagship show is now in its ninth season. The Season 9 premiere of "9-1-1" itself snagged 10.46 million total cross-platform viewers and a 2.17 rating in that 18-49 bracket after 35 days. That's a solid 148% jump from its live audience. While it did outperform the Season 8 finale, it didn't quite reach the heights of the prior season's premiere, which I recall was a real buzz-worthy event.

Now, let's not forget about "Grey's Anatomy." Twenty-one seasons! That's practically unheard of in today's TV landscape. While the Season 21 premiere numbers were a bit lower than the previous season's debut, it still managed to pull in a sizable audience. In 35 days, the episode garnered 7.4 million cross-platform viewers, which ABC is calling the best audience since the Season 20 premiere. That's a 184% increase from the live viewers. Look, maybe it's not breaking records, but let's be honest, it's impressive for a show that's been on the air as long as I've been covering television!

So, mark your calendars, folks! All three dramas are scheduled to return with their midseason premieres on Thursday, January 8th. Get ready for more emergencies, more drama, and more medical mysteries. It looks like ABC is banking on these shows to keep their Thursday nights strong well into the new year. And based on these numbers, I'd say they have a pretty good reason to be confident.