"HIMYM" SOARS TO SERIES HIGH RATINGS

Guest Appearance by Britney Spears Boosts "How I Met Your Mother" to Series Highs in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54 and Another Season-Best Viewer Delivery

The Return of a First-Run "CSI: Miami" Exceeds its Season Averages and Posts Its Second Largest Audience of the Season

"Two and a Half Men" Is Monday's Number One Program in Adults 18-49

CBS Wins Monday in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

A guest appearance by Britney Spears propelled HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER to its highest adult 18-49 and adult 25-54 ratings in its three-season history and its best delivery of this season in viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen live plus same day ratings for Monday, March 24.

On a night which saw the return of all original episodes of CBS's Monday lineup, CSI: MIAMI topped its first-run season averages in all ratings categories and posted its second largest audience of the season.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER was first in adults 18-34 (3.6/10, the night's top program in this demo), second in households (6.3/10), viewers (10.62m), adults 25-54 (5.3/12) and adults 18-49 (4.5/12). Compared to the program's first-run return last Monday, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER was up +9% in households (from 5.8/09), +6% in adults 25-54 (from 5.0/12), +5% in adults 18-49 (from 4.3/11) and added +1.01m viewers (from 9.61m, +11%).

The first-run return of CSI: MIAMI was first in households (10.2/16), viewers (15.83m), adults 25-54 (6.3/15) and adults 18-49 (4.8/12). Compared to the program's live plus same day first-run average this season, CSI: MIAMI was up +3% in households (from 9.9/16), +13% in adults 25-54 (from 5.6/14), +7% in adults 18-49 (from 4.5/11) and added +840,000 viewers (from 14.99m, +6%).

This is CSI: MIAMI's best delivery this season in adults 25-54, second best in viewers and third best delivery (-0.1 behind both 10/15/07 and 11/19/07) in adults 18-49.

TWO AND A HALF MEN was second in households (8.7/13), viewers (14.25m), adults 25-54 (6.5/15, -0.2 behind ABC) and adults 18-49 (5.1/13, -0.1 behind ABC). Compared to the program's first run return last week, TWO AND A HALF MEN was up +2% in households (from 8.5/13) and added +190,000 viewers (from 14.06m, +1%). TWO AND A HALF MEN is the night's #1 program in adults 18-49.

BIG BANG THEORY finished second in households (5.3/09), viewers (8.63m), adults 25-54 (4.0/10) and adults 18-49 (3.4/10).

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE (6.3/09, 9.87m) was second in adults 25-54 (4.8/11) and adults 18-49 (3.8/09). Editors Note: Last week, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE aired against "The Bachelor;" last night it aired against "Dancing with the Stars."

For the night, CBS was first in adults 25-54 (5.5/13), adults 18-49 (4.4/11), second in households (7.8/12) and viewers (12.51m).

Updated Monday ratings will be available this afternoon