COMEDY, DRAMA AND REALITY ALL DELIVER FOR CBS
“The Big Bang Theory” Scales New Heights While “Two and a Half Men” Delivers Its Largest Audience Since 2008 and Best Adult 18-49 Rating in Three Years
“NCIS” and “NCIS: Los Angeles” are the Top Two Dramas as CBS Notches Nine of the Week’s Top 10 Scripted Series
“Undercover Boss” More Than Doubles its Time Period’s Season Averages and Posts the Best Adult 18-49 Rating Since 2004
“Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains” Premieres with Show’s Largest
Audience Since 2007
The Premiere of “The Amazing Race 16” Posts Year-to-Year Demo Gains
THE BIG BANG THEORY, TWO AND A HALF MEN, NCIS, NCIS: LOS ANGELES, THE GOOD WIFE, the time period of UNDERCOVER BOSS and the season premieres of SURVIVOR and THE AMAZING RACE all posted strong ratings, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the Olympic-driven week ending Feb. 14, week 21 of the 2009-2010 television season.
On the comedy front, THE BIG BANG THEORY and TWO AND A HALF MEN were the week’s top scripted programs in adults 18-49. THE BIG BANG THEORY hit series highs in all key ratings measures while TWO AND A HALF MEN delivered its best viewer total and adults 25-54 rating since Dec. 2008, and best adults 18-49 rating since February 2007. Additionally, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE attracted its largest Wednesday audience.
NCIS and NCIS: LOS ANGELES were the week’s top two dramas, followed by THE MENTALIST, THE GOOD WIFE, CRIMINAL MINDS, CSI: MIAMI and CSI: NY.
In all, CBS had the top seven scripted programs and nine of the top 10 scripted programs overall.
CBS’s three reality series all posted impressive ratings. UNDERCOVER BOSS more than doubled its time period’s season average in key demos, posting the time period’s best adults 18-49 delivery with regularly scheduled programming since November 2004. THE AMAZING RACE 16 posted year-to-year gains in key demos while SURVIVOR premiered with its largest audience since 2007.
For the week in viewers: CBS (10.64m), NBC (16.08m), FOX (10.11m) and ABC (6.62m). Season-to-date, CBS is first in viewers (12.50m), ahead of FOX (9.93m), ABC (8.69m) and NBC (7.91m).
For the week in households: CBS (6.5/10), NBC (8.9/14), FOX (5.8/09) and ABC (4.1/07). In households, season-to-date, CBS is first (7.6/12), ahead of FOX (5.8/09), ABC (5.5/09) and NBC (4.9/08).
For the week in key demographics, CBS averaged a 3.7/09 in adults 25-54 and 2.9/08 in adults 18-49. Season-to-date, CBS is first in adults 25-54 (4.3/11) and second in adults 18-49 (3.4/09).
CBS’s Weekly Highlights:
Comedy
TWO AND A HALF MEN was first in households (10.5/15), viewers (17.66m), adults 25-54 (7.2/16) and adults 18-49 (5.7/13). TWO AND A HALF MEN delivered its best households, viewers and adults 25-54 performances since December 15, 2008, and best adults 18-49 delivery since February 5, 2007.
THE BIG BANG THEORY was first in households (9.7/14), viewers (16.26m), adults 25-54 (7.1/15) and adults 18-49 (6.0/14) – all series’ highs.
THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE was first in households (5.0/08), second in viewers (8.10m) and adults 25-54 (3.0/08) and tied for second in adults 18-49 (2.3/07, with FOX, -0.1 behind ABC). THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE posted its best Wednesday delivery in viewers ever; it also notched its best households since December 10, 2008, and best adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 since December 16, 2009.
Drama
NCIS was second in households (11.8/18), viewers (19.75m), adults 25-54 (5.6/13) and adults 18-49 (4.1/11). Compared to last week, NCIS was up +3% in households (from 11.5/17) and added +520,000 viewers (from 19.23m, +3%).
NCIS: LOS ANGELES was first in households (10.9/16) and viewers (17.91m), second in adults 25-54 (5.3/12, -0.1 behind ABC) and adults 18-49 (4.1/10). NCIS: LOS ANGELES posted its best households, viewers and adults 25-54 delivery since January 5, 2010, and best adults 18-49 performance since November 24, 2009. NCIS: LOS ANGELES posted its best retention percentages ever in households (92%) and adults 18-49 (100%) from NCIS (for first-run episodes only) and matched best retention in both viewers (91%, with the series/season premieres) and adults 25-54 (95%).
THE GOOD WIFE was first in households (9.6/16), viewers (14.75m), adults 25-54 (4.5/11), adults 18-49 (3.1/09), women 18-49 (3.9/10) and women 25-54 (5.6/14). THE GOOD WIFE posted series’ highs in households, viewers and adults 25-54, delivering its best adults 18-49 ratings since Sept. 29, 2009.
THE MENTALIST was first in households (9.8/17), viewers (15.86m), adults 25-54 (5.0/13) and adults 18-49 (3.7/10). Compared to last week, THE MENTALIST was up +5% in households (from 9.3/16), +14% in adults 25-54 (from 4.4/11), +12% in adults 18-49 (from 3.3/09) and added +1.18m viewers (from 14.68m, +8%). THE MENTALIST posted season-high ratings in adults 25-54 and delivered its best viewers totals since Dec. 10, 2009, and best adults 18-49 since Nov. 19, 2009.
Reality
UNDERCOVER BOSS was second in households (8.6/13), viewers (15.45m), adults 25-54 (6.4/14), adults 18-49 (5.2/13) and adults 18-34 (3.6/10). Compared to the 9:00 PM time slot’s delivery this season (regularly scheduled, live plus same day), CBS was up +56% in households (from 5.5/08), +156% in adults 25-54 (from 2.5/05), +173% in adults 18-49 (from 1.9/04), +227% in adults 18-34 (from 1.1/03) and added +6.81m viewers (from 8.64m, +79%).
CBS posted its best regularly scheduled 9:00-10:00 PM delivery in households since November 18, 2007 (COLD CASE), in viewers since March 11, 2007 (COLD CASE), in adults 25-54 since November 6, 2005 (COLD CASE/CBS SUNDAY MOVIE: “Category 7: End of the World” Pt. 1) and in both adults 18-49 and adults 18-34 since November 14, 2004 (CBS SUNDAY MOVIE: “Category 6: Day of Destruction” Pt. 1).
THE AMAZING RACE 16 (P) was second in households (5.1/08), viewers (9.00m), adults 25-54 (3.5/08) and adults 18-49 (2.8/07). Compared to THE AMAZING RACE 14’s season premiere on the same night last year, CBS was up +3% in adults 25-54 (from 3.4/08) and +8% in adults 18-49 (from 2.6/07).
SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS (P) (8:00-10:00 PM) was first in households (8.1/13), viewers (14.15m), adults 25-54 (5.6/14) and adults 18-49 (4.5/12). Compared to the first episode of SURVIVOR: SAMOA in Sept. 2009, CBS was up +19% in households (from 6.8/11), +22% in adults 25-54 (from 4.6/13), +25% in adults 18-49 (from 3.6/11) and added +2.47m viewers (from 11.68m, +21%). Compared to the one-hour premiere of SURVIVOR: TOCANTINS on the same night last year, CBS was up +1% in households (from 8.0/13), +2% in adults 18-49 (from 4.4/13), even in adults 25-54 and added +520,000 viewers (from 13.63m, +4%).
SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS posted its largest audience since Dec. 13, 2007 (SURVIVOR: CHINA), its best adults 25-54 since Feb. 12, 2009 (premiere of SURVIVOR: TOCANTINS) and best adults 18-49 since Feb. 19, 2009 (SURVIVOR TOCANTINS).
From 9:00-10:00 PM, SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS topped “Grey’s Anatomy” in viewers (14.09m vs. 12.74m) and adults 18-49 (4.5/12 vs. 4.4/11) and ranked as the night’s top program in adults 18-49.
CBS’s top programs of the week: #6 NCIS (an average of 19.75m viewers), #7 NCIS: LOS ANGELES (17.91m), #8 TWO AND A HALF MEN (17.66m), #9 THE BIG BANG THEORY (16.26m), #10 THE MENTALIST (15.86m), #11 UNDERCOVER BOSS (15.45m), #12 THE GOOD WIFE (14.75m), #13 CRIMINAL MINDS (14.33m), #14 SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS (P) (14.15m), #16 CSI: MIAMI (13.53m), #17 CSI: NY (12.98m), #22 HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (10.00m), #25 ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE (9.10m), #27 THE AMAZING RACE 16 (P) (9.00m) and #30 COLD CASE (8.73m).
Prime averages are based on the following hours of rated broadcasts in Week #21:
CBS – 22 hours
NBC – 21.5 hours
ABC – 22 hours
FOX – 15 hours
NATIONAL NIELSEN SUMMARY – PRIMETIME
Week #21 of 2009-10 Season (ending: 02/14/10)
2009-10
HOUSEHOLDS
Rtg Sh
CBS 6.5 10
NBC 8.9 14
ABC 4.1 7
FOX 5.8 9
VIEWERS
(000)
CBS 10,637
NBC 16,076
ABC 6,617
FOX 10,105
A25-54
Rtg Sh
CBS 3.7 9
NBC 5.7 14
ABC 2.6 6
FOX 4.1 10
A18-49
Rtg Sh
CBS 2.9 8
NBC 4.7 13
ABC 2.2 6
FOX 3.6 10
A18-34
Rtg Sh
CBS 1.9 6
NBC 3.5 11
ABC 1.9 6
FOX 3.0 9
NATIONAL NIELSEN SUMMARY – PRIMETIME
SEASON-TO-DATE RATINGS REPORT (09/21/09-02/14/10)
2009-10
HOUSEHOLDS
Rtg Sh
CBS 7.6 12
NBC 4.9 8
ABC 5.5 9
FOX 5.8 9
VIEWERS
(000)
CBS 12,500
NBC 7,908
ABC 8,686
FOX 9,933
A25-54
Rtg Sh
CBS 4.3 11
NBC 3.1 8
ABC 3.2 8
FOX 4.0 10
A18-49
Rtg Sh
CBS 3.4 9
NBC 2.7 7
ABC 2.7 7
FOX 3.7 10
A18-34
Rtg Sh
CBS 2.4 7
NBC 2.3 7
ABC 2.2 7
FOX 3.3 10
(source: information provided by CBS)
