All-Shonda Rhimes Thursday Debuts Strong for ABC, 14 Million Watch 'How to Get Away with Murder'

Jack Falahee stars as Connor Walsh.

Opposite CBS' Thursday Night Football, ABC was the dominant non-sports net on season premiere Thursday in Total Viewers (11.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.5/11). With its new drama lineup, ABC delivered the Top 3 entertainment shows of the night in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 with the debut of How to Get Away with Murder (14.0 million and 3.8/11), the premiere of Scandal in its new 9 p.m. slot (11.9 million and 3.8/11), and the premiere of Grey's in its new 8 p.m. slot (9.8 million and 3.0/10), respectively. How to Get Away with Murder was the night's most-watched show overall.

In fact, with How to Get Away with Murder and Black-ish, ABC has now delivered the season’s Top 2 new TV shows in Adults 18-49, qualifying as the two highest rated debuts on any net since ABC’s Resurrection opened in March – since 3/9/14. overall.

In viewers and young adults, ABC marked its strongest Thursday night in 5 years – since 9/24/09.

Despite its earlier slot and facing Thursday Night Football, Grey's was up from its May finale in viewers and young adults (8.9 million and 2.6/8 on 5/15/14) and also topped its year-ago 2-hour season opener in Total Viewers (9.3 million on 9/26/13). In fact, Grey's earned its most-watched telecast overall in 2 years – since 10/4/12.

Despite shifting back an hour into its new 9 p.m. slot, Scandal scored series highs in Total Viewers (11.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.8/11), building over the year-ago premiere by 13% and 6%, respectively.

Building on its Scandal lead-in in Total Viewers (+18%) and holding 100% in Adults 18-49 at 10 p.m., How to Get Away with Murder (14.0 million and 3.8/11) opened as TV's most-watched 10 p.m. drama debut in 2 years and tied and the highest among Adults 18-49 (matching last year’s Blacklist debut) in 2 years – since 9/25/12 and 9/17/12, respectively.

Watch the sexy How to Get Away with Murder scene viewers were talking about last night featuring Jack Falahee as Connor Walsh.