Ratings: Scandal Opens Solidly On Super-Soft Night, As 11 Shows See Declines

By Matt Webb Mitovich
KERRY WASHINGTON SCANDAL - In the series premiere, "Sweet Baby," young lawyer Quinn Perkins is offered a job with the crisis management firm Olivia Pope and Associates. Quinn is in awe. Olivia Pope is the former communications director to the President. She and her team of "gladiators in suites" will do whatever it takes to make their clients' problems go away, and newbie Quinn is initiated into the group with trial by fire on day one. Olivia's former boss, President Fitzgerald Grant and his chief of staff, Cyrus Beene are never far from her beat - and when a White House intern accuses the President of having an affair, Olivia is the only one they trust to diffuse the problem. But the news hits close to home for Olivia, and Quinn soon realizes Olivia's clients aren't the only ones with secrets. "Scandal" premieres THURSDAY, APRIL 5 (10:02-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/DANNY FELD) KERRY WASHINGTON

ABC's Scandal broke solidly on Thursday night, scoring a 2.1 demo rating in its  debut. That's down just a tenth from what Private Practice last delivered in the 10 o'clock spot, while its total viewership (7.5 million) marks the best retention (91%) out of Grey's in three years — and the best audience retention ever for a non-crossover episode.

The Mentalist, despite dropping 8 and 11 percent to 12.5 million viewers and a 2.4, as usual led the hour.

For reference, here is how ABC's other freshman drama debuts performed:

* Once Upon a Time: 12.8 million viewers, 3.9 rating

* Revenge: 10 mil, 3.3

* Pan Am: 10.8 mil, 3.1

* The River: 7.5 mil, 2.4

* GCB: 7.6 mil, 2.2

* Charlie's Angels: 8.7 mil, 2.1

* Missing: 10.6 mil, 2.0

Grey's Anatomy (8.1 mil/2.8) itself was down 17 and 7 percent from its last fresh, opening the door for CBS' Person of Interest (13.5 mil/2.9) to eke out its first-ever demo win.

Over in the Land of Sad News (which is 30 miles north of Blanketsburg): Community dropped 11 and 24 percent to 3.1 million viewers and a series-low 1.3 demo rating.

That said, on a night when TV viewership was down 6 percent as a whole, 11 out of 12 broadcast programs saw declines. (The lone holdout, Rules of Engagement, merely stayed flat at 8.8 mil/2.7.) Looking at the bloodbath hour by hour....

8 pm | American Idol was the night's most-watched program with 13.8 million total viewers, while scoring a 3.8 rating (down 13 percent). Big Bang Theory (13 mil/4.2) drew the top demo rating, though it was down 11 percent. ABC's Missing (7.1 mil/1.4) dipped another 6 percent in the demo. Leading out of Community, 30 Rock (2.8 mil/1.2) dropped 10 and 20 percent.

9 pm | Person of Interest swept Grey's with 13.5 mil and a 2.9, despite dipping 8 and 12 percent. Fox's Touch (7.5 mil/2.3) slipped 15 percent. Up All Night was down 10 and 15 percent to 2.6 mil/1.1).

10 pm | Awake dropped 20 and 10 percent to new lows of 2.54 mil/0.9.

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