CBS's MONDAY COMEDY BLOCK GROWS OPPOSITE "THE BACHELOR" FINALE AND OLYMPIC-PROMOTED NBC

"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 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 preliminary 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 (10.48m), 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% in households (from 6.1/09), +4% in adults 25-54 (from 4.5/11), +3% in both adults 18-49 (from 3.8/10) and adults 18-34 (from 3.3/09) and added +470,000 viewers (from 10.01m, +5%).

The season premiere of RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (P) was second in households (5.9/09), viewers (9.81m), adults 25-54 (4.2/10) and adults 18-49 (3.5/09). 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), +13% in adults 18-49 (from 3.1/08) and added +1.57m viewers (from 8.24m, +19%).

TWO AND A HALF MEN was first in households (10.0/15), viewers (16.75m), 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 (7.0/15), tied for first in adults 18-49 (5.9/14, with ABC), second in households (9.2/14), viewers (15.61m) and adults 18-34 (4.0/11). 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 (12.05m), adults 25-54 (4.5/11) and adults 18-49 (3.4/09).

For the night, CBS was second in households (7.8/12), viewers (12.79m), adults 25-54 (5.3/12) and adults 18-49 (4.3/11).

Updated Monday ratings will be available later today.

CBS's MONDAY COMEDY BLOCK GROWS OPPOSITE "THE BACHELOR" FINALE AND OLYMPIC-PROMOTED NBC

"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).