The CW Had Most Watched Week In Nearly 2 Years Thanks To ‘Vampire Diaries’ And ‘Arrow’

Looks like CW’s plan to launch their shows later than other networks has paid off. The network had its most watched week in 20 months last week! What shows are to thank? That would be Arrow, Vampire Diaries , and Supernatural!

Arrow‘s premiere last Wednesday night drew 4.14 million viewers and was the network’s most watched telecast of any show, on any night, in three years! What beat it three years ago? That would The Vampire Diaries(9/10/2009).

Arrow was also the most watched show in the Wednesday 8:00-9:00 pm time period in more than three years (5/13/2009). And there’s still more… Arrow beat NBC’s original comedies in the hour in total viewers and in adults 18-34 and tied in adults 18-49.

The Arrow premiere also gave Supernatural a boost; it was Supernatural‘s most watched episode (2.51M) since 10/29/10, and it had its best adults 18-34 rating (1.0/3) since 5/6/11.

Week to week, Supernatural was up 35% in total viewers, and up two-tenths in both adults 18-34 and adults 18-49 (1.0/3).

It was The CW’s best Wednesday night in total viewers (3.3M) in more than two years (5/12/10) and in two years in adults 18-34 (1.1/3, 12/1/10) and in adults 18-49 (1.2/3, 10/13/10).

When Live + 3 Day DVR viewing is added in, Arrow averaged 4.8 million viewers, a 16% jump over its L+SD total, and it also gained 24% in adults 18-34 (1.4 rating). With L+3 data, Supernatural gained 26% in total viewers (3.2M) and 32% in adults 18-34 (1.3 rating).

Then there was last Thursday….

The Vampire Diaries still has teeth in its fourth season. With competition including the NFL and MLB playoffs, Thursday’s premiere was up 13% in women 18-34 (2.6/8 vs. 2.3/8) compared to last year’s season premiere, up 7% in adults 18-49 (1.6/5 vs. 1.5/5), up 3% in total viewers (3.18M vs 3.1M) and held steady in adults 18-34 (1.7/6).

The Vampire Diaries out-rated both NBC and ABC in the 8:00-9:00 pm hour in adults and women 18-34, and outrated NBC and tied ABC in adults 18-49. The Vampire Diaries also outrated NBC in total viewers (3.18 vs. 3.14).

The series premiere of Beauty And The Beast had a solid debut – versus last year’s season premiere of The Secret Circle it was off just a tenth in adults 18-49 (1.2/3) and two tenths in adults 18-34 (1.1/3). Versus this same week last year, Beauty And The Beast is up across the board in the time period, up 22% in adults 18-34, up 14% in women 18-34 (1.6/4) and up 50% in adults 18-49 (1.2/3).

With Live + 3 Day viewing added in, The Vampire Diaries rises 23% in total viewers (3.9M), 26% in adults 18-34 (2.2) and 27% in women 18-34 (3.3). Including Live + 3 Day viewing, Beauty And The Beast rose 17% in total viewers (3.25M), 23% in adults 18-34 (1.3) and 25% in women 18-34 (2.0).

All of these numbers do not reflect Live + 7 DVR viewing, which has typically boosted The CW in percentage gains more than any other broadcast network.