CBS Ratings Extra

CBS'S THURSDAY GROWTH

Network's Top-Rated Thursday Surges With Year-to-Year Gains by "The Big Bang Theory," "Two and a Half Men," "Person of Interest" and Freshman Drama "Elementary"

CBS's top-rated Thursday lineup continues to grow, paced by year-to-year gains from THE BIG BANG THEORY, the newly relocated TWO AND A HALF MEN, PERSON OF INTEREST and the hit freshman drama ELEMENTARY, according to Nielsen most current ratings through Week Seven.

THURSDAY SEASON-TO-DATE INCREASES

Viewers A18-49 A25-54

2012 CBS THURSDAY 16.11m 4.3 5.7

2011 CBS THURSDAY 14.42m 3.8 5.1

+12% +13% +12%

THE BIG BANG THEORY, the season's most-watched comedy, is up +13% in viewers (18.99m from 16.86m), +8% in adults 18-49 (6.5 from 6.0) and +9% in adults 25-54 (8.2 from 7.5). TWO AND A HALF MEN has improved the year-ago time period ("How to be a Gentlemen"/"Rules of Engagement") by +39% in viewers (14.61m from 10.50m), +32% in adults 18-49 (4.5 from 3.4) and +31% in adults 25-54 (5.9 from 4.5).

Sophomore drama PERSON OF INTEREST is registering year-to-year increases of +24% in viewers (17.03m from 13.74m), +15% in adults 18-49 (3.8 from 3.3) and +13% in adults 25-54 (5.2 from 4.6). The freshman drama ELEMENTARY has improved the time period by +6% in adults 18-49 (3.5 from 3.3).

CBS's Thursday programs are also among the top shows in television among DVR playback. In live plus 7-day playback among viewers, BIG BANG THEORY ranks #3, ELEMENTARY #4 and PERSON OF INTEREST #10. Among adults 18-49, THE BIG BANG THEORY is #3, ELEMENTARY #8 and PERSON OF INTEREST #15.

Source: The Nielsen Company, P2+ AA (000), A25-54 AA%, A18-49 AA%, primetime, regularly scheduled programs, 9/24/12-11/11/12, 9/19/11-11/13/11. All data are "most current."

This Just In...

...From CBS Entertainment

BAZINGA!

"THE BIG BANG THEORY" ROCKETS PAST THE 20-MILLION-VIEWER MARK FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH LIVE PLUS 3-DAY PLAYBACK

THE BIG BANG THEORY, which last week notched its largest audience ever in live plus same day playback (16.68 million viewers), has achieved another milestone.

Now, live plus 3-day playback has added another +3.42 million viewers, pushing the show past the 20-million-viewer mark (20.10m) for the first time in the L3 window.

Live plus 7-day viewership for last Thursday's THE BIG BANG THEORY will be available the week of Nov. 26, pushing the total audience for that episode even higher.