How ‘Scandal\' Hit Its Season Highs

Another broadcast television season has reached its end, and while the overall ratings may paint a dire picture for the networks, there are still some success stories, like ABC's “Scandal.”

In the last six months, the show has gone from solid performer to the No. 1 network drama in the 18-to-49 demographic at times, trading off with “NCIS” on CBS and ABC's own “Grey's Anatomy.” Last week, “Scandal” ranked sixth over all among broadcast programming in that category, ahead of even “American Idol” on Fox, according to Nielsen.

It all began on Nov. 29, when “Scandal” introduced a presidential assassination plot in an episode that drew 6.6 million total viewers. From there, the upward trend is very clear. Starting with the following episode on Dec. 6, the show never again fell below seven million and gained momentum as it went on to reach new series highs in total viewership five times over the season. The highest point came on Thursday for the Season 2 finale, when 9.1 million total viewers tuned in. That translates into a 38 percent increase in total audience, with 2.5 million viewers added in six months.