Editor's Note: With DVR penetration now at 38%, up from 33% last fall, playback continues to have an impact on ratings beyond same day viewing. CBS Research has provided audience estimates below, representing total audiences for each CBS program including live plus DVR playback viewing that occurs within 7 days of the live broadcast.

CBS LAUNCHES THURSDAY WITH A "BIG BANG"

Thursday's Debut of "The Big Bang Theory" Sweeps Time Period in all Key Ratings Categories

"The Big Bang Theory" Posts Gains over its Year-Ago Monday Premiere and Last Year's Thursday 8:00 PM Time Period

The Series Premiere of "$#*! My Dad Says" Also Sweeps Time Period in all Measures

"CSI" Wins Time Period in Viewers with Gains over Last May's Finale

"The Mentalist" is #1 Show of the Night and Wins Time Period in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

CBS Wins Premiere Thursday in Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54 for the First Time Since 2007

CBS Wins all Four Nights of Premiere Week at 10:00 PM in Viewers and Adults 25-54 and Three of Four in Adults 18-49

CBS launched Thursday with a "big bang" as the season premiere of THE BIG BANG THEORY swept its new 8:00 PM time period in all ratings categories with gains over last year's Monday premiere and the year-ago time period, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Sept. 24.

At 8:00 PM, THE BIG BANG THEORY (P) was first in households (8.3/14), viewers (13.95m), adults 25-54 (5.9/17), adults 18-49 (4.8/15) and adults 18-34 (3.7/13).

Compared to last year's season premiere (on Monday, Sept. 21 at 9:30 PM), THE BIG BANG THEORY was up +5% in households (from 7.9/11), +2% in both adults 25-54 (from 5.8/12) and adults 18-49 (from 4.7/11), +23% in adults 18-34 (from 3.0/08) and added +970,000 viewers (from 12.98m, +7%).

Compared to the same time period premiere last year (SURVIVOR: SAMOA, Thursday 8:00-8:30 PM on Sept. 24), THE BIG BANG THEORY was up +28% in households (from 6.5/11), +37% in adults 25-54 (from 4.3/12), +41% in adults 18-49 (from 3.4/10), +85% in adults 18-34 (from 2.0/07) and added +2.77m viewers (from 11.18m, +25%).

At 8:30 PM, $#*! MY DAD SAYS (P) was first in households (7.5/12), viewers (12.48m), adults 25-54 (5.1/14), adults 18-49 (3.9/12) and tied for first in adults 18-34 (2.8/09, with NBC) at 8:30 PM. Compared to the time period premiere last year (SURVIVOR: SAMOA, Thursday 8:30-9:00 PM on Sept. 24), $#*! MY DAD SAYS was up +7% in households (from 7.0/11), +2% in adults 25-54 (from 5.0/13), +22% in adults 18-34 (from 2.3/07) and added +310,000 viewers (from 12.17m, +3%).

At 9:00 PM, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (P) was first in viewers (14.57m), tied for first in households (8.9/14, with ABC), second in adults 25-54 (4.6/11) and averaged a 3.4/09 in adults 18-49. Compared to last year's season finale (on May 20), CSI was up +3% in both households (from 8.6/14) and adults 18-49 (from 3.3/09), +5% in adults 25-54 (from 4.4/11) and added +210,000 viewers (from 14.36m, +1%).

At 10:00 PM, THE MENTALIST (P) was first in households (9.5/17), viewers (15.33m), adults 25-54 (4.5/12) and tied for first in adults 18-49 (3.3/10, with ABC). CBS won the 10:00-11:00 PM time slot for the fourth consecutive night in both viewers and adults 25-54, was first in adults 18-49 for the third night out of four. Compared to last year's season finale (on May 20), THE MENTALIST was up +1% in households (from 9.4/16), +3% in adults 18-49 (from 3.2/09) and added +70,000 viewers (from 15.25m). THE MENTALIST was the night's #1 program in viewers.

For the night, CBS was first in households (8.8/15), viewers (14.37m), adults 25-54 (4.9/13) and adults 18-49 (3.7/11). This was CBS's first win on a Premiere Week Thursday since 2007.

Updated Thursday ratings will be available this afternoon.

CBS RESEARCH LIVE PLUS 7-DAY PROJECTIONS

Estimated Increases in Viewers and Adults 18-49 Versus Live Plus

Same Day Results

Total Total

Viewer Lift Live +7 A18-49 Lift Live +7

The Big Bang Theory 3.69m 17.64m +1.2 6.0

$#*! My Dad Says 2.01m 14.49m +0.9 4.8

CSI 2.30m 16.87m +0.9 4.3

The Mentalist 3.06m 18.39m +0.9 4.2

Please note: According to updated national ratings, "The Big Bang Theory" and "$!*! My Dad Says" both went up 0.1 of a rating in adults 18-49. "The Mentalist" won its time period outright in adults 18-49, growing 0.1 rating points.

Editor's Note: With DVR penetration now at 38%, up from 33% last fall, playback continues to have an impact on ratings beyond same day viewing. CBS Research has provided audience estimates below, representing total audiences for each CBS program including live plus DVR playback viewing that occurs within 7 days of the live broadcast.

CBS LAUNCHES THURSDAY WITH A "BIG BANG"

Thursday's Debut of "The Big Bang Theory" Sweeps Time Period in all Key Ratings Categories

"The Big Bang Theory" Posts Gains over Its Year-Ago Monday Premiere and Last Year's Thursday 8:00 PM Time Period

The Series Premiere of "$#*! My Dad Says" Also Sweeps Time Period in All Measures

"CSI" Wins Time Period in Viewers with Gains over Last May's Finale

"The Mentalist" is #1 Show of the Night and Wins Time Period in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

CBS Wins Premiere Thursday in Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54 for the First Time Since 2007

CBS Wins all Four Nights of Premiere Week at 10:00 PM in Viewers and Adults 25-54, and Three of Four in Adults 18-49

CBS launched Thursday with a "big bang" as the season premiere of THE BIG BANG THEORY swept its new 8:00 PM time period in all ratings categories with gains over last year's Monday premiere and the year-ago time period, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for Sept. 24.

At 8:00 PM, THE BIG BANG THEORY (P) was first in households (8.4/14), viewers (14.04m), adults 25-54 (5.9/17), adults 18-49 (4.9/15) and adults 18-34 (3.8/13).

Compared to last year's season premiere (on Monday, Sept. 21 at 9:30 PM), THE BIG BANG THEORY was up +6% in households (from 7.9/11), +2% in adults 25-54 (from 5.8/12), +4% in adults 18-49 (from 4.7/11), +27% in adults 18-34 (from 3.0/08) and added +1.06m viewers (from 12.98m, +8%).

Compared to the same time period premiere last year (SURVIVOR: SAMOA, Thursday 8:00-8:30 PM on Sept. 24), THE BIG BANG THEORY was up +29% in households (from 6.5/11), +37% in adults 25-54 (from 4.3/12), +44% in adults 18-49 (from 3.4/10), +90% in adults 18-34 (from 2.0/07) and added +2.86m viewers (from 11.18m, +26%).

At 8:30 PM, $#*! MY DAD SAYS (P) was first in households (7.5/12), viewers (12.58m), adults 25-54 (5.2/14), adults 18-49 (4.0/12) and adults 18-34 (2.9/09). Compared to the time period premiere last year (SURVIVOR: SAMOA, Thursday 8:30-9:00 PM on Sept. 24), $#*! MY DAD SAYS was up +7% in households (from 7.0/11), +4% in adults 25-54 (from 5.0/13), +26% in adults 18-34 (from 2.3/07), even in adults 18-49 and added +410,000 viewers (from 12.17m, +3%).

At 9:00 PM, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (P) was first in viewers (14.69m), tied for first in households (9.0/14, with ABC), second in adults 25-54 (4.6/11) and averaged a 3.4/09 in adults 18-49. Compared to last year's season finale (on May 20), CSI was up +5% in both households (from 8.6/14) and adults 25-54 (from 4.4/11), +3% in adults 18-49 (from 3.3/09) and added +330,000 viewers (from 14.36m, +2%).

At 10:00 PM, THE MENTALIST (P) was first in households (9.6/17), viewers (15.50m), adults 25-54 (4.6/12) and adults 18-49 (3.4/10). CBS won the 10:00-11:00 PM time slot for the fourth consecutive night in both viewers and adults 25-54, was first in adults 18-49 for the third night out of four. Compared to last year's season finale (on May 20), THE MENTALIST was up +2% in households (from 9.4/16), +6% in adults 18-49 (from 3.2/09), even in adults 25-54 and added +250,000 viewers (from 15.25m, +2%). THE MENTALIST was the night's #1 program in viewers.

For the night, CBS was first in households (8.8/15), viewers (14.50m), adults 25-54 (4.9/13) and adults 18-49 (3.7/11). This was CBS's first win on a Premiere Week Thursday since 2007.

CBS RESEARCH LIVE PLUS 7-DAY PROJECTIONS

Estimated Increases in Viewers and Adults 18-49 Versus Live Plus

Same Day Fast Affiliates Results

Total Total

Viewer Lift Live +7 A18-49 Lift Live +7

The Big Bang Theory 3.69m 17.64m +1.2 6.0

$#*! My Dad Says 2.01m 14.49m +0.9 4.8

CSI 2.30m 16.87m +0.9 4.3

The Mentalist 3.06m 18.39m +0.9 4.2