"Two and a Half Men" is the Night's Top Program in Viewers; Ties Season-High in Adults 18-49

"The Big Bang Theory" is the Night's Number One Program in Adults 18-49

The Premiere of "Rules of Engagement" Posts Double-Digit Percentage Increases in Viewers and Demos Compared to the Season's Time Period Average

"How I Met Your Mother" Up Over Last First-Run Episode

CBS's Monday comedy block returned strong following two weeks of rebroadcasts, posting increases in viewers and key demographics versus the same night last year with TWO AND A HALF MEN as the night's top program in viewers and THE BIG BANG THEORY tops in adults 18-49 (opposite the finale of "The Bachelor" and Olympic-promoted NBC), according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for March 1.

Compared to the 8:00-10:00 PM comedy block on the same night last year (BIG BANG THEORY/HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER/TWO AND A HALF MEN/RULES OF ENGAGEMENT), CBS was up +7% in households (7.9/12 from 7.4/11), +8% in adults 25-54 (5.7/12 from 5.3/11), +12% in adults 18-49 (4.7/12 from 4.2/10) and added +860,000 viewers (13.17m from 12.31m, +7%). 

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER was second in households (6.3/10), viewers (10.37m), adults 25-54 (4.7/12), adults 18-49 (3.9/11) and adults 18-34 (3.4/10).  Compared to the last first- run episode (on February 8, 2010), HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER was up +3% each in households (from 6.1/09), adults 18-49 (from 3.8/10) and adults 18-34 (from 3.3/09), +4% in adults 25-54 (from 4.5/11) and added +360,000 viewers (from 10.01m, +4%). 

The season premiere of RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (P) was second in households (5.9/09), viewers (9.73m), adults 25-54 (4.2/10) and adults 18-49 (3.4/09).  Compared to the time period's live plus same day first-run average this season, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT was up +16% in households (from 5.1/08), +14% in adults 25-54 (from 3.7/08), +10% in adults 18-49 (from 3.1/08) and added +1.49m viewers (from 8.24m, +18%). 

TWO AND A HALF MEN was first in households (10.1/15), viewers (16.86m), adults 25-54 (6.9/15) and adults 18-49 (5.7/14).  TWO AND A HALF MEN matched its season high in adults 18-49 and was the night's number one program in viewers.

THE BIG BANG THEORY was first in adults 25-54 (7.1/15) and tied for first in adults 18-49 (5.9/14, with ABC); it was second in households (9.2/14), viewers (15.73m) and adults 18-34 (4.1/11).  THE BIG BANG THEORY was the night's number one program in adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.  

CSI: MIAMI was second in households (7.7/13), viewers (12.07m), adults 25-54 (4.4/11) and adults 18-49 (3.4/09). 

For the night, CBS was second in households (7.8/12), viewers (12.80m), adults 25-54 (5.3/12) and adults 18-49 (4.3/11).   

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Press Contacts:            

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

Jeremy Murphy            212-975-4577             jeremy.murphy@cbs.com