"The Big Bang Theory" Delivers Largest Audience Ever

"NCIS" Returns With More Than 20 Million Viewers

CBS Has the Week's Top Five Scripted Programs

DVR Playback Soars +17% Over Last Season; Huge Live Plus 3-Day Lifts for CBS Thursday Night Shows

                CBS won premiere week in viewers for the fifth consecutive year — its ninth year overall in the past 11 — led by the premiere of THE CRAZY ONES, the #1 new program during premiere week, as well as huge returns by THE BIG BANG THEORY and NCIS, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending Sept. 29.

The Network had the top five scripted programs of the week — THE BIG BANG THEORY (S), NCIS (P), THE BIG BANG THEORY (P), NCIS: LOS ANGELES (P) and THE CRAZY ONES (P).

CBS had nine of the top 20 programs in viewers, eight of the top 20 in adults 25-54 and seven of the top 20 in adults 18-49 — more than any other network in these measures.   

 

THE CRAZY ONES

•  The series premiere of THE CRAZY ONES, starring Robin Williams, was first in viewers (15.51m), adults 25-54 (5.3/13) and adults 18-49 (3.9/11). CBS posted its best delivery in the time period in adults 18-49 since Dec. 10, 2009 and in adults 25-54 since Nov. 12, 2009.  

 

THE BIG BANG THEORY

•  At 8:30 PM on Thursday, THE BIG BANG THEORY (S) was first in viewers (20.43m), adults 25-54 (8.0/20) and adults 18-49 (6.1/18). This marks the series' most-watched episode ever, eclipsing the 20.0 million viewers for the Jan. 10, 2013 broadcast.

•  The 8:00 PM season premiere of THE BIG BANG THEORYwas first in viewers (18.99m), adults 25-54 (7.3/21) and adults 18-49 (5.5/18), up +16% in adults 25-54 (from 6.3/17), +10% in adults 18-49 (from 5.0/16) and added +3.33m viewers (from 15.66m +21%) compared to last year.  THE BIG BANG THEORY posted premiere highs in these ratings categories. 
  

NCIS

•  The season premiere of NCISwas first in viewers (20.02m) and averaged 4.9/13 in adults 25-54 and 3.6/11 in adults 18-49 against the heavily promoted "Marvel: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." premiere and "The Voice."  NCIS posted its third-largest premiere, only behind 2009's 20.61m and 2012's 20.48m. 

 

BLUE BLOODS

•  The season premiere of BLUE BLOODSwas first in viewers (11.70m), adults 25-54 (2.4/07) and adults 18-49 (1.7/06).  Compared to last year's season premiere, BLUE BLOODS was up +4% in adults 25-54 (from 2.3/06), +13% in adults 18-49 (from 1.5/05) and added +480,000 viewers (from 11.22m, +4%).  BLUE BLOODS was Friday's top show in viewers and top scripted program in adults 18-49 and adults 25-54.

 

3-DAY DVR PLAYBACK

•  DVR playback for the first week of the 2013/14 season is up vs. year ago:  +17% in viewers, +12% in adults 18-49 and +23% in adults 50+.

•  12 of 13 CBS shows are delivering better L+3 day lifts than a year ago.

•  With Live +3 day DVR playback, CBS’s premiere Monday is now showing year-to-year gains on the night in viewers and adults 18-49 compared to L3 total ratings for the same night last year.

•  HOSTAGES’ season premiere jumped a strong +50% in adults 18-49 (2.7 from 1.8) and +35% in viewers (10.0m from 7.41m).

•  NCIS soared +3.43m viewers (23.45m from 20.02m, +17%), +1.2 in adults 25-54 (6.1 from 4.9, +24%) and +0.8 in adults 18-49 (4.4 from 3.6, +22%).

•  The premiere of THE BIG BANG THEORY added +3.93m viewers (22.92m from 18.99m, +21%), +2.0 rating points in adults 25-54 (9.3 from 7.3, +27%) and +1.8 in adults 18-49 (7.3 from 5.5, +33%). 

•  The special 8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY (S) added +4.23m viewers (24.67m from 20.44m, +21%), +2.1 rating points in adults 25-54 (10.1 from 8.0, +26%) and +1.8 in adults 18-49 (7.9 from 6.1, +30%).  This broadcast posted the series' best-ever Live + 3 day lift in viewer and adults 25-54. 

•  The series premiere of THE CRAZY ONES added +3.46m viewers (18.98m from 15.52m, +22%), +1.5 rating points in adults 25-54 (6.8 from 5.3, +28%) and +1.2 in adults 18-49 (5.1 from 3.9, +31%). 

•  The season premiere of ELEMENTARY added +4.17m viewers (14.35m from 10.18m, +41%), +1.5 rating points in adults 25-54 (4.4 from 2.9, +52%) and +1.1 in adults 18-49 (3.2 from 2.1, +52%).  ELEMENTARY posted its best Live +3 day lift total in viewers and matched its series-best in adults 18-49. 

 

CBS- 22 hours

NBC- 21 ½ hours

ABC- 22 hours

FOX- 15 ½ hours  

 

NATIONAL NIELSEN SUMMARY - PRIMETIME      

Week #1 of 2013-2014 Season (ending: 9/29/13)       

 2013-2014          

VIEWERS        

          (000)   

CBS  10,377   

NBC  9,713   

ABC  7,990   

FOX  6,008   

     

A25-54         

         Rtg  Sh  

CBS  3.0   8  

NBC  3.7  10  

ABC  2.7   7  

FOX  2.4   6               

A18-49         

         Rtg  Sh  

CBS  2.2   7  

NBC  3.1   9  

ABC  2.3   7  

FOX  2.2   7

 

Editor's Note: Television viewing on platforms such as DVR, video-on-demand and online streaming continues to grow at a fast pace.  Last season during premiere week, Live+7 CBS audiences grew 20% over Live+SD in total viewers, up from 17%  in 2012.  In A18-49, Live+7 levels grew 29% from Live+SD, up from 23% one year ago.  Additionally, many CBS shows experienced as much as a 50% increase in total viewers once full 30-day multi-platform audiences were accounted for.  In an effort to quantify how much non-linear viewing adds to Live+SD audiences, CBS Research will provide estimates for series which will include DVR playback as well as multi-platform viewership.

 

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

                                     David Pepose         212-975-1929       david.pepose@cbs.com