CBS LAUNCHES THURSDAY WITH A “BIG BANG”

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 preliminary live plus same day ratings for Sept. 24.

At 8:00 PM, THE BIG BANG THEORY (P) was first in households (8.3/14), viewers (13.95m), adults 25-54 (5.9/17), adults 18-49 (4.8/15) and adults 18-34 (3.7/13).

Compared to last year’s season premiere (on Monday, Sept. 21 at 9:30 PM), THE BIG BANG THEORY was up +5% in households (from 7.9/11), +2% in both adults 25-54 (from 5.8/12) and adults 18-49 (from 4.7/11), +23% in adults 18-34 (from 3.0/08) and added +970,000 viewers (from 12.98m, +7%).

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 +28% in households (from 6.5/11), +37% in adults 25-54 (from 4.3/12), +41% in adults 18-49 (from 3.4/10), +85% in adults 18-34 (from 2.0/07) and added +2.77m viewers (from 11.18m, +25%).

At 8:30 PM, $#*! MY DAD SAYS (P) was first in households (7.5/12), viewers (12.48m), adults 25-54 (5.1/14), adults 18-49 (3.9/12) and tied for first in adults 18-34 (2.8/09, with NBC) at 8:30 PM. 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), +2% in adults 25-54 (from 5.0/13), +22% in adults 18-34 (from 2.3/07) and added +310,000 viewers (from 12.17m, +3%).

At 9:00 PM, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (P) was first in viewers (14.57m), tied for first in households (8.9/14, 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 +3% in both households (from 8.6/14) and adults 18-49 (from 3.3/09), +5% in adults 25-54 (from 4.4/11) and added +210,000 viewers (from 14.36m, +1%).

At 10:00 PM, THE MENTALIST (P) was first in households (9.5/17), viewers (15.33m), adults 25-54 (4.5/12) and tied for first in adults 18-49 (3.3/10, with ABC). 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 +1% in households (from 9.4/16), +3% in adults 18-49 (from 3.2/09) and added +70,000 viewers (from 15.25m). THE MENTALIST was the night’s #1 program in viewers.

For the night, CBS was first in households (8.8/15), viewers (14.37m), 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.

Updated Thursday ratings will be available this afternoon.

CBS RESEARCH LIVE PLUS 7-DAY PROJECTIONS

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