Click Here for More Articles on RATINGS WATCH...

CBS's BIG BANG THEORY Soars to its Largest Audience Ever

CBS was #1 in viewers for the seventh time in eight weeks, adults 18-49 (tie) and adults 25-54 with nine of the top 10 scripted programs in viewers and nine of the top 11 programs in adults 18-49, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending Nov. 18, week eight of the 2012-2013 season.

THE BIG BANG THEORY delivered its largest audience ever with 17.63 million viewers and highest adult 25-54 rating (7.4/12). It also delivered the season's highest rated scripted broadcast in adults 18-49 (5.7/17). PERSON OF INTEREST and TWO AND A HALF MEN also notched season high adult 18-49 ratings.

CBS had the top six scripted programs of the week in viewers: THE BIG BANG THEORY, NCIS, NCIS: LOS ANGELES, PERSON OF INTEREST, TWO AND A HALF MEN and CRIMINAL MINDS and nine of the top 10 (with CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, ELEMENTARY and VEGAS).

CBS had nine of the top 11 programs in adults 18-49: THE BIG BANG THEORY, TWO AND A HALF MEN, 2 BROKE GIRLS, PERSON OF INTEREST, NCIS, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, CRIMINAL MINDS, MIKE & MOLLY and NCIS: LOS ANGELES.

CBS won 24 consecutive half hours on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

For the week in viewers: CBS (10.65m), ABC (8.13m), NBC (7.03m) and FOX (4.53m). Season-to-date: CBS (11.73m), ABC (9.09m), NBC (8.68m) and FOX (6.90m).

For the week in key demographics, CBS was #1 in adults 25-54 (3.4/08) and tied for first in adults 18-49 (2.5/07, with NBC). Season-to-date, CBS is #1 in adults 25-54 (3.7/09, tie) and a solid second (2.8/08).

For the week in households: CBS (6.8/11), ABC (5.2/08), NBC (4.3/07) and FOX (2.8/04). Season-to-date: CBS (7.5/12), ABC (5.9/09), NBC (5.4/09) and FOX (4.2/07).

CBS Weekly Highlights:

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (5.0/07, 7.95m) was second in adults 25-54 (3.6/08), adults 18-49 (3.0/08) and adults 18-34 (2.5/08). Compared to last week, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER was up +9% in households (from 4.6/08), +3% in adults 25-54 (from 3.2/09), +7% in adults 18-49 (from 2.8/07), even in adults 18-34 and added +730,000 viewers (from 7.22m, +10%).

2 BROKE GIRLS (5.6/08, 8.94m) was second in adults 25-54 (4.1/09), adults 18-49 (3.2/08) and adults 18-34 (2.2/06). 2 BROKE GIRLS was the night's #1 scripted program in adults 18-49, tied with MIKE & MOLLY as the top scripted program in adults 25-54. Compared to last week, 2 BROKE GIRLS was up +2% in both households (from 5.5/08) and adults 25-54 (from 4.0/09), even in adults 18-49.

MIKE & MOLLY (5.9/08, 9.24m) was second in adults 25-54 (4.1/09) and adults 18-49 (3.0/07). Compared to last week, MIKE & MOLLY was up +7% in both households (from 5.5/08) and adults 18-49 (from 2.8/07), +8% in adults 25-54 (from 3.8/08) and added +460,000 viewers (from 8.78m, +5%).

HAWAII FIVE-0 was second in households (5.3/09), viewers (7.96m), adults 18-49 (2.1/06) and tied for second in adults 25-54 (2.7/07, with ABC). Compared to last week, HAWAII FIVE-0 was up +6% in households (from 5.0/08), +4% in adults 25-54 (from 2.6/06), +5% in adults 18-49 (from 2.0/05) and added +430,000 viewers (from 7.53m, +6%).

NCIS was first in households (10.7/16), viewers (17.05m), adults 25-54 (4.6/11) and second in adults 18-49 (3.1/09). NCIS was the night's #1 program in households, viewers and adults 25-54, #1 scripted program in adults 18-49.

NCIS: LOS ANGELES was first in households (10.1/15), viewers (15.77m), adults 25-54 (4.1/09) and adults 18-49 (2.8/07). NCIS: LOS ANGELES beat NBC (5.37m), ABC (3.74m) and FOX (3.78m) combined by over +2.8 million viewers (15.77m vs. 12.89m, +22%).

VEGAS was first in households (7.0/12), viewers (10.41m), adults 25-54 (2.4/06) and second in adults 18-49 (1.6/04). VEGAS beat NBC (4.82m) and ABC (3.72m) combined in by nearly 2.5 million viewers (10.41m, vs. 8.00m, +30%).

SURVIVOR: PHILIPPINES was first in households (6.2/10), viewers (10.06m), adults 25-54 (3.7/09) and second in adults 18-49 (2.6/07).

CRIMINAL MINDS was first in households (7.6/12), viewers (12.20m), second in adults 25-54 (3.9/09) and tied for second in adults 18-49 (3.0/08, with FOX).

CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION was first in households (7.2/12), viewers (11.01m), adults 25-54 (3.3/08) and adults 18-49 (2.5/07). CSI was up +6% in households (from 6.8/12), +10% in adults 25-54 (from 3.0/07), +9% in adults 18-49 (from 2.3/06) and added +680,000 viewers (from 10.33m, +7%) compared to last week. CSI posted a +39% advantage over ABC's "Nashville" in adults 18-49 (vs. 1.8/05) and +56% over NBC's "Chicago Fire" (vs. 1.6/05).

Thursday, CBS was first in households (8.6/14), viewers (13.73m), adults 25-54 (4.7/12) and adults 18-49 (3.5/10). CBS posted a Thursday best adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 ratings this season.

THE BIG BANG THEORY (8:00-8:31PM) swept its time period, finishing first in households (10.7/17), viewers (17.63m), adults 25-54 (7.4/19), adults 18-49 (5.7/17) and adults 18-34 (3.7/13). THE BIG BANG THEORY beat the NBC, ABC and FOX combined in households (vs. 10.0/17, +7%), adults 25-54 (vs. 5.6/14, +32%), adults 18-49 (vs. 4.6/14, +14%) and nearly tied in adults 18-34 (vs. 3.8/14). THE BIG BANG THEORY posted series high deliveries in households, viewers and adults 25-54, best ever Thursday rating in adults 18-49, best adults 18-34 rating since March 29, 2012.

TWO AND A HALF MEN (8:31-9:01PM) was first in households (8.6/13), viewers (13.87m), adults 25-54 (5.6/14) and adults 18-49 (4.1/12). TWO AND A HALF MEN posted its best adults 18-49 rating since February 20, 2012, matched best adults 25-54 rating of the season.

PERSON OF INTEREST (9:01-10:01PM) was first in households (9.1/14), viewers (14.57m), adults 25-54 (4.3/10) and second in adults 18-49 (3.1/08, -0.1 behind ABC). PERSON OF INTEREST posted its best adults 18-49 ratings since March 29, 2012, matched second best adults 25-54 delivery of the season.

ELEMENTARY (10:01-11:00PM) was first in households (7.0/12), viewers (10.75m), adults 25-54 (3.3/08) and adults 18-49 (2.3/07). ELEMENTARY posted its best delivery in adults 25-54 since October 4, 2012; best adults 18-49 ratings since October 18, 2012.

UNDERCOVER BOSS was first in households (5.8/10), viewers (9.01m), adults 25-54 (2.6/07) and adults 18-49 (1.8/06).

WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU: A GRAMMY SALUTE TO Whitney Houston (S) won its time slot in households (4.8/08), viewers (7.18m), adults 25-54 (2.2/06) and was tied for first in adults 18-49 (1.4/04, with ABC).

CBS's late running football averaged a 14.0/23 with 22.84m viewers, 8.6/22 in adults 25-54 and 7.4/22 in adults 18-49 from 7:00-7:53PM.

60 MINUTES (7:53-8:53PM) was first in households (9.0/13), tied for first in viewers (14.04m, with NBC), second in adults 25-54 (4.0/09) in the 8PM hour. Compared to last week, 60 MINUTES was up +20% in households (from 7.5/12), +60% in adults 25-54 (from 2.5/06), +88% in adults 18-49 (3.0/07 from 1.6/04) and added +2.62m viewers (from 11.39m, +23%).

CBS top programs of the week: #2 THE BIG BANG THEORY (an average of 17.63m viewers), #3 NCIS (17.05m), #4 NCIS: LOS ANGELES (15.77m), #5 PERSON OF INTEREST (14.57m), #6 60 MINUTES (14.04m), #7 TWO AND A HALF MEN (13.87m), #10 CRIMINAL MINDS (12.20m), #15 CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (11.01m), #16 ELEMENTARY (10.75m), #17 VEGAS (10.41m), #19 SURVIVOR: PHILIPPINES (10.06m), #20 THE GOOD WIFE (9.95m), #22 CSI: NY (9.594m), #23 AMAZING RACE 21 (9.591m), #25 MIKE & MOLLY (9.24m), #26 UNDERCOVER BOSS (9.01m) and #27 2 BROKE GIRLS (8.94m).

Prime averages are based on the following hours of rated broadcasts in Week #8

CBS – 22 hours

NBC – 21 1/2 hours

ABC – 22 hours

FOX – 16 hours

NATIONAL NIELSEN SUMMARY - PRIMETIME

Week #8 of 2012-13 Season (ending: 11/18/12)

2012-13

VIEWERS

(000)

CBS 10,654

NBC 7,030

ABC 8,126

FOX 4,527

A25-54

Rtg Sh

CBS 3.4 8

NBC 2.9 7

ABC 2.7 7

FOX 1.8 4

A18-49

Rtg Sh

CBS 2.5 7

NBC 2.5 7

ABC 2.2 6

FOX 1.7 5

NATIONAL NIELSEN SUMMARY - PRIMETIME

SEASON-TO-DATE RATINGS REPORT (09/24/12-11/18/12)

2012-13

VIEWERS

(000)

CBS 11,734

NBC 8,675

ABC 9,086

FOX 6,902

A25-54

Rtg Sh

CBS 3.7 9

NBC 3.7 9

ABC 3.2 8

FOX 2.8 7

A18-49

Rtg Sh

CBS 2.8 8

NBC 3.2 9

ABC 2.6 7

FOX 2.4 7