Thursday's Debut of "The Big Bang Theory" Sweeps Time Period in all Key Ratings Categories

"The Big Bang Theory" Posts Gains over Its Year-Ago Monday Premiere and Last Year's Thursday 8:00 PM Time Period

The Series Premiere of "$#*! My Dad Says" Also Sweeps Time Period in All Measures

"CSI" Wins Time Period in Viewers with Gains over Last May's Finale

"The Mentalist" is #1 Show of the Night and Wins Time Period in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

CBS Wins Premiere Thursday in Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54 for the First Time Since 2007

CBS Wins all Four Nights of Premiere Week at 10:00 PM in Viewers and

Adults 25-54, and Three of Four in Adults 18-49

            CBS launched Thursday with a "big bang" as the season premiere of THE BIG BANG THEORY swept its new 8:00 PM time period in all ratings categories with gains over last year's Monday premiere and the year-ago time period, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for Sept. 24.

            At 8:00 PM, THE BIG BANG THEORY (P) was first in households (8.4/14), viewers (14.04m), adults 25-54 (5.9/17), adults 18-49 (4.9/15) and adults 18-34 (3.8/13).

           Compared to last year's season premiere (on Monday, Sept. 21 at 9:30 PM), THE BIG BANG THEORY was up +6% in households (from 7.9/11), +2% in adults 25-54 (from 5.8/12), +4% in adults 18-49 (from 4.7/11), +27% in adults 18-34 (from 3.0/08) and added +1.06m viewers (from 12.98m, +8%). 

         Compared to the same time period premiere last year (SURVIVOR: SAMOA, Thursday 8:00-8:30 PM on Sept. 24), THE BIG BANG THEORY was up +29% in households (from 6.5/11), +37% in adults 25-54 (from 4.3/12), +44% in adults 18-49 (from 3.4/10), +90% in adults 18-34 (from 2.0/07) and added +2.86m viewers (from 11.18m, +26%). 

          At 8:30 PM, $#*! MY DAD SAYS (P) was first in households (7.5/12), viewers (12.58m), adults 25-54 (5.2/14), adults 18-49 (4.0/12) and adults 18-34 (2.9/09).  Compared to the time period premiere last year (SURVIVOR: SAMOA, Thursday 8:30-9:00 PM on Sept. 24), $#*! MY DAD SAYS was up +7% in households (from 7.0/11), +4% in adults 25-54 (from 5.0/13), +26% in adults 18-34 (from 2.3/07), even in adults 18-49 and added +410,000 viewers (from 12.17m, +3%). 

          At 9:00 PM, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (P) was first in viewers (14.69m), tied for first in households (9.0/14, with ABC), second in adults 25-54 (4.6/11) and averaged a 3.4/09 in adults 18-49.  Compared to last year's season finale (on May 20), CSI was up +5% in both households (from 8.6/14) and adults 25-54 (from 4.4/11), +3% in adults 18-49 (from 3.3/09) and added +330,000 viewers (from 14.36m, +2%). 

         At 10:00 PM, THE MENTALIST (P) was first in households (9.6/17), viewers (15.50m), adults 25-54 (4.6/12) and adults 18-49 (3.4/10).  CBS won the 10:00-11:00 PM time slot for the fourth consecutive night in both viewers and adults 25-54, was first in adults 18-49 for the third night out of four.  Compared to last year's season finale (on May 20), THE MENTALIST was up +2% in households (from 9.4/16), +6% in adults 18-49 (from 3.2/09), even in adults 25-54 and added +250,000 viewers (from 15.25m, +2%).  THE MENTALIST was the night's #1 program in viewers.

           For the night, CBS was first in households (8.8/15), viewers (14.50m), adults 25-54 (4.9/13) and adults 18-49 (3.7/11).  This was CBS's first win on a Premiere Week Thursday since 2007.  

CBS RESEARCH LIVE PLUS 7-DAY PROJECTIONS

Estimated Increases in Viewers and Adults 18-49 Versus Live Plus

Same Day Fast Affiliates Results

                                            Total                                        Total

                                            Viewer Lift     Live +7         A18-49 Lift     Live +7

The Big Bang Theory                3.69m              17.64m            +1.2                 6.0

$#*! My Dad Says                   2.01m              14.49m            +0.9                 4.8

CSI                                          2.30m              16.87m            +0.9                 4.3

The Mentalist                            3.06m              18.39m            +0.9                 4.2

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Press Contacts:            

Ed Harrison            818-655-1584       ed.harrison@cbs.com

                                    Jeremy Murphy      212-975-4577       jeremy.murphy@cbs.com