THURSDAY RATINGS: MEET THE NEW BOSS, SAME AS THE OLD BOSS

"CSI:" 24.8 MILLION VIEWERS; "GREY'S ANATOMY:" 20.5 MILLION; "THE OFFICE:" 9.7 MILLION

CBS Sweeps Thursday in Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

The Eighth Season Premiere of "CSI" Registers Year-to-Increases and Posts Its Largest Margin of Victory Ever Against a First-Run" Grey's Anatomy"

"Without a Trace" Triumphantly Returns to 10:00 PM with a Across-the-Board Win Against "ER" and the Premiere of "Big Shots"

"Survivor: China" Beats "Ugly Betty" and "My Name Is Earl" in Viewers and Demos

CBS remained the No.1 network on the most important night of television, sweeping the first Thursday of the season in viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 as the season premiere of CSI notched year-to-year increases while posting its largest margin of victory ever against "Grey's Anatomy." In addition, WITHOUT A TRACE triumphantly returned to the night with a time period win in all key categories while SURVIVOR: CHINA maintained its winning streak in viewers and key demos beating the premieres of "Ugly Betty" and "My Name is Earl," according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Sept. 27.

CSI (P), with its season eight premiere, was first in households (14.8/22), viewers (24.85m), adults 25-54 (9.7/21) and second in adults 18-49 (8.0/19). This is CSI's largest margin of victory over a first run episode of "Grey's Anatomy" in households (+1.8 rtg pts), viewers (+4.37m), and adults 25-54 (+0.6 rtg pt) and matches the closest finish in adults 18-49 (-0.7 rtg pt) to date.

Compared to the season seven premiere last year (on 9/21/06), CSI was up +8% in households (from 13.7/21), +2% in adults 25-54 (from 9.5/21), +4% in adults 18-49 (from 7.7/19) and added +2.25m viewers (from 22.60m, +10%).

CBS Research estimates that all DVR playback will boost CSI's ratings by an additional +15% in adults 18-49, +22% in adults and +13% in adults 25-54.

WITHOUT A TRACE (P) triumphantly returned to 10:00 PM, winning its time period in households (10.9/18), viewers (16.73m), adults 25-54 (6.1/15) and adults 18-49 (4.8/13). Compared to time period premiere last year (SHARK on 9/21/06), WITHOUT A TRACE was up +12% in households (from 9.7/16), +11% in adults 25-54 (from 5.5/13), +17% in adults 18-49 (from 4.1/11) and added +1.98m viewers (from 14.75m, +13%).

CBS Research estimates all DVR playback will increase ratings for WITHOUT A TRACE by +7% in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and adults 18-34.

SURVIVOR: CHINA (P) was first in households (8.4/14), viewers (14.17m), adults 25-54 (5.6/15) and adults 18-49 (4.6/13). SURVIVOR topped "Ugly Betty" (P) by +14% in households (vs. 7.4/12), +27% in adults 25-54 (vs. 4.4/12), +21% in adults 18-49 (vs. 3.8/11) and by +3.12m viewers (vs. 11.05m, +28%).

SURVIVOR topped the hour-long premiere of "My Name is Earl" by +58% in households (vs. 5.3/09), +40% in adults 25-54 (vs. 4.0/11), +24% in adults 18-49 (vs. 3.7/11) and by +5.65m (vs. 8.52m, +66%).

CBS Research estimates all DVR playback will increase SURVIVOR: CHINA ratings by +7% in adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 and +10% in adults 18-34

For the night, CBS was first in households (11.3/18), viewers (18.58m), adults 25-54 (7.1/17) and adults 18-49 (5.8/15).

Final Thursday ratings will be available this afternoon.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: What follows is the afternoon update with the final national Nielsen ratings.]

THURSDAY RATINGS: MEET THE NEW BOSS, SAME AS THE OLD BOSS

"CSI:" 25.2 MILLION VIEWERS "GREY'S ANATOMY:" 20.9 MILLION "THE OFFICE:" 9.7 MILLION

CBS Sweeps Thursday in Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

The Eighth Season Premiere of "CSI" Registers Year-to-Year Increases and Posts Its Largest Margin of Victory Ever Against a First-Run "Grey's Anatomy"

"Without a Trace" Triumphantly Returns to 10:00 PM with an Across-the-Board Win Against "ER" and the Premiere of "Big Shots"

"Survivor: China" Beats "Ugly Betty" and "My Name Is Earl" in Viewers and Demos

CBS remained the No.1 network on the most important night of television, sweeping the first Thursday of the season in viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 as the season premiere of CSI notched year-to-year increases while posting its largest margin of victory ever against "Grey's Anatomy." In addition, WITHOUT A TRACE triumphantly returned to the night with a time period win in all key categories while SURVIVOR: CHINA maintained its winning streak in viewers and key demos beating the premieres of "Ugly Betty" and "My Name is Earl," according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for Sept. 27.

CSI (P), with its season eight premiere, was first in households (14.9/23), viewers (25.22m), adults 25-54 (9.9/22) and second in adults 18-49 (8.2/19). This is CSI's largest margin of victory over a first run episode of "Grey's Anatomy" in households (+1.7 rtg pts), viewers (+4.29m), and adults 25-54 (+0.6 rtg pt) and the closest finish in adults 18-49 (-0.6 rtg pt) to date.

Compared to the season seven premiere last year (on 9/21/06), CSI was up +9% in households (from 13.7/21), +4% in adults 25-54 (from 9.5/21), +6% in adults 18-49 (from 7.7/19) and added +2.62m viewers (from 22.60m, +12%).

CBS Research estimates that all DVR playback will boost CSI's ratings by an additional +15% in adults 18-49, +22% in adults and +13% in adults 25-54.

WITHOUT A TRACE (P) triumphantly returned to 10:00 PM, winning its time period in households (10.9/18), viewers (16.68m), adults 25-54 (5.9/15) and adults 18-49 (4.7/13). Compared to time period premiere last year (SHARK on 9/21/06), WITHOUT A TRACE was up +12% in households (from 9.7/16), +7% in adults 25-54 (from 5.5/13), +15% in adults 18-49 (from 4.1/11) and added +1.93m viewers (from 14.75m, +13%).

CBS Research estimates all DVR playback will increase ratings for WITHOUT A TRACE by +7% in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and adults 18-34.

SURVIVOR: CHINA (P) was first in households (8.3/14), viewers (14.15m), adults 25-54 (5.7/15) and adults 18-49 (4.6/13). SURVIVOR topped "Ugly Betty" (P) by +14% in households (vs. 7.3/12), +27% in adults 25-54 (vs. 4.5/12), +18% in adults 18-49 (vs. 3.9/11) and by +2.99m viewers (vs. 11.16m, +27%).

SURVIVOR topped the hour-long premiere of "My Name is Earl" by +57% in households (vs. 5.3/09), +39% in adults 25-54 (vs. 4.1/11), +21% in adults 18-49 (vs. 3.8/11) and by +5.49m (vs. 8.66m, +63%).

CBS Research estimates all DVR playback will increase SURVIVOR: CHINA ratings by +7% in adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 and +10% in adults 18-34

For the night, CBS was first in households (11.4/18), viewers (18.73m), adults 25-54 (7.2/17) and adults 18-49 (5.9/15).