ORIGINAL EPISODES OF "THE BIG BANG THEORY," "CSI" AND "THE MENTALIST" RETURN WITH HIGHEST ADULTS 18-49 RATINGS SINCE EARLY NOVEMBER

CBS Delivers Its Largest Thursday Audience of the Season

"The Big Bang Theory" Is the Night's Top Program in Adults 18-49

CBS Wins Thursday in Viewers and Adults 25-54

CBS delivered its largest Thursday audience of the season, winning the night in viewers and adults 25-54 as original episodes of THE BIG BANG THEORY, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION and THE MENTALIST returned with their best adults 18-49 ratings since early November, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Jan. 6.

THE BIG BANG THEORY was first in households (8.2/14), viewers (14.02m), adults 25-54 (5.7/15) and adults 18-49 (4.4/13). THE BIG BANG THEORY posted its best deliveries in these measures since Nov. 4, 2010, and was the night's top program in adults 18-49.

$#*! MY DAD SAYS was first in households (6.5/11), second in viewers (10.86m), adults 25-54 (4.0/10) and adults 18-49 (2.9/08). Compared to the last first-run episode (on Dec. 16, 2010), $#*! MY DAD SAYS was up +5% in households (from 6.2/10), even in adults 18-49 and added +560,000 viewers (from 10.30m, +5%).

CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION was first in households (8.6/14) and viewers (14.22m); it was second in both adults 25-54 (4.5/11) and adults 18-49 (3.3/09). CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION posted its best households and adults 18-49 ratings since Nov. 4, 2010, and its best deliveries in both viewers and adults 25-54 since Oct. 28, 2010.

THE MENTALIST was first in households (9.0/15), viewers (14.81m), adults 25-54 (4.3/11) and adults 18-49 (3.0/09). THE MENTALIST posted its best ratings in households, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 since Nov. 18, 2010, and largest audience since Oct. 28, 2010. THE MENTALIST was the night's top program in viewers.

For the night, CBS was first in households (8.3/14), viewers (13.824m), adults 25-54 (4.6/12) and second in adults 18-49 (3.4/09, -0.2 behind ABC). CBS posted the network's largest Thursday audience of the season and best ratings in households, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 since Nov. 4, 2010.

Updated Thursday ratings will be available this afternoon.