Ratings: Scandal Surges to Series Highs; Millers Opens Strong

New series highs? It's handled. 
Season 3 of Scandal bowed to 10.5 million viewers and a 3.6 in the adults 18-to-49 demographic Thursday, hitting all-time highs in both measures. The drama's previous benchmarks were 9.1 million and a 3.2 for its Season 2 finale in May, and it's up 71 percent over its Season 2 premiere. How hot is the show? ABC's recap show Scandal: The Secret Is Out (5.7 million, 1.6) finished third in the 8 o'clock hour. Scandal also built on lead-in Grey's Anatomy (9.4 million, 3.4), which fell 10 percent.

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CBS still topped the night though, led by The Big Bang Theory (17.8 million, 5.0), which dipped three tenths. Lead-out The Millers fared the best out of Thursday's freshmen premieres, debuting to 13.2 million and a 3.3, down two tenths from Two and a Half Men's performance in the slot last year. The Crazy Ones (11.8 million, 2.9) fell 25 percent from its Big Bang-inflated demo last week, but led its timeslot in viewership. Two and a Half Men (9.3 million, 2.4) and Elementary (9.2 million, 2.0) both dipped a bit.NBC's new comedies Welcome to the Family (3.3 million, 1.2) and Sean Saves the World (4.9 million, 1.6) had much softer debuts, and both were down from Up All Night's and The Office's numbers last year in their respective slots. Parks and Recreation (3.5 million, 1.3) was flat and The Michael J. Fox Show (5.9 million, 1.9) dropped 15 percent from its premiere. Parenthood (4.8 million, 1.7) was on par with last week.On The CW, The Vampire Diaries (2.5 million, 1.2) returned down four tenths and The Originals drew 2.1 million and a 0.9 for its special Thursday premiere, down 25 percent from Beauty and the Beast's launch last year.Fox's The X Factor (7 million, 2.0) was steady, while Glee (4.5 million, 1.6) dropped 20 percent.8 p.m.
CBS: The Big Bang Theory 17.8 million (5.0); The Millers 13.2 million (3.3)ABC: Scandal: The Secret Is Out 5.7 million (1.6) Fox: The X Factor 7 million (2.0)NBC: Parks and Recreation 3.5 million (1.3); Welcome to the Family 3.3 million (1.2)CW: The Vampire Diaries 2.5 million (1.2)9 p.m.
CBS: The Crazy Ones 11.8 million (2.9); Two and a Half Men 9.3 million (2.4)
ABC: Grey's Anatomy 9.4 million (3.0) Fox: Glee 4.5 million (1.6)NBC: Sean Saves the World 4.9 million (1.6); The Michael J. Fox Show 5.9 million (1.9)CW: The Originals 2.1 million (0.9)10 p.m.
CBS: Elementary 10.1 million (2.0)ABC: Scandal 10.5 million (3.6)NBC: Parenthood 4.8 million (1.7)