"THE MENTALIST" SEES ANOTHER SERIES HIGH - 19.56 MILLION VIEWERS

"NCIS" Delivers its Second Largest Audience Ever

CBS Wins Tuesday in Viewers and Adults 25-54

CBS's freshman hit THE MENTALIST delivered nearly 20 million viewers, the largest audience ever for the first year drama, while NCIS posted its second largest audience ever, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Tuesday, Jan. 6.

THE MENTALIST was first in households (12.3/19), viewers (19.56m), adults 25-54 (5.9/10) and second in adults 18-49 (3.9/10). THE MENTALIST was up +6% in households (from 11.6/18) and added +250,000 viewers (from 19.31m, +1%) compared to the last first run episode (on Dec. 16, 2008). These are series highs in both households and viewers and the second best delivery ever in adults 25-54 (behind the Dec. 16, 2008 broadcast).

NCIS was first in households (11.6/18), viewers (19.07m), adults 25-54 (5.5/13) and second in adults 18-49 (3.7/10, -0.2 behind NBC). This is the second largest audience ever for a first-run NCIS episode, just behind the Dec. 16, 2008 broadcast (19.93m).

WITHOUT A TRACE was first in households (8.5/14), viewers (13.21m), second in adults 25-54 (3.8/09) and tied for second in adults 18-49 (2.7/07).

For the night, CBS was first in households (10.8/17), viewers (17.28m), adults 25-54 (5.1/12) and was second in adults 18-49 (3.4/09). This was the sixth straight Tuesday win for CBS in households and viewers, 13th win this season in both measures. CBS won five of the last six Tuesdays in adults 25-54.