BIG BANG THEORY Returns with CBS On Top

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (13.80 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) pulled in front on Thursday with the season premieres of "The Big Bang Theory" (15.31 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1), "Two and a Half Men" (12.37 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3) - its lowest-rated telecast ever, "Person of Interest" (14.27 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #6) and "Elementary" (13.29 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #5).

ABC (9.21 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) then took home the silver with the launch of "Last Resort" (9.08 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T9) followed by the return of "Grey's Anatomy" (11.55 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.3, #2) and "Scandal" (7.01 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T9).

Next up was FOX (7.56 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3) and its week three lineup of "The X Factor" (9.19 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.2, #4) and "Glee" (5.93 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.66 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) offered up its mix of "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" (5.43 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #13), "Up All Night" (4.46 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.8, #12), "The Office" (5.23 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.4, #8), "Parks & Recreation" (4.46 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.1, #11) and "Rock Center With BrIan Williams" (4.17 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #14).

And finally, a repeat of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.77 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T15) and a new "The Next" (0.68 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T15) closed out the night for The CW (0.73 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "The Vampire Diaries" delivered a 0.3 rating while "The Next" posted a 0.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
38.46% - Up All Night
23.53% - Parks & Recreation
14.29% - The Office
9.09% - Rock Center With BrIan Williams
6.25% - Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday
-5.88% - The X Factor
-13.79% - Glee
-50.00% - The Next
Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+46.67% - Last Resort (vs. Charlie's Angels)
+29.63% - Two and a Half Men (vs. How to Be a Gentleman)
+24.00% - Elementary (vs. The Mentalist)
+22.86% - Grey's Anatomy
+7.41% - Person of Interest
0.00% - The Big Bang Theory
-5.56% - Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday (vs. Community)
-11.11% - The X Factor
-14.29% - Up All Night (vs. Parks & Recreation)
-16.00% - Parks & Recreation (vs. Whitney)
-20.00% - Rock Center With BrIan Williams (vs. Prime Suspect)
-21.43% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice)
-29.41% - The Office
-40.48% - Glee (vs. The X Factor)
-66.67% - The Next (vs. The Secret Circle)
In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):
· In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.9/8; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

· At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/29/11):

FOX (11.92 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1) held onto the demo crown on Thursday with new episodes of "The X Factor" (11.28 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.6, #3) and a second "The X Factor" (12.57 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.2, #2).

CBS (12.29 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) then was the most-watched network with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (14.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1), the debut of "How to Be a Gentleman" (8.96 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T7), "Person of Interest" (12.42 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T7) and "The Mentalist" (12.71 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T9).

Next up was ABC (8.35 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3) with week two of "Charlie's Angels" (7.15 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T13) and "Grey's Anatomy" (10.02 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.5, #4) followed by the return of "Private Practice" (7.89 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6).

Next up was NBC (5.25 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4) and its lineup of "Community" (4.05 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.8, #12), "Parks & Recreation" (4.36 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.1, #11), "The Office" (6.60 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.4, #5), "Whitney" (5.37 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T9) and "Prime Suspect" (5.55 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T13).

And finally, fresh installments of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.70 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.3, #15) and "The Secret Circle" (2.10 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.9, #16) on The CW (2.40 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #5) rounded out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 2.0 rating while "Circle" delivered a 1.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+8.33% - The Vampire Diaries
+5.88% - Community
+5.00% - Parks & Recreation
0.00% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - The Secret Circle
-4.55% - The X Factor - 9:00
-7.69% - The X Factor - 8:00
-10.26% - Grey's Anatomy
-10.71% - The Mentalist
-12.82% - The Office
-12.90% - Person of Interest
-16.67% - Prime Suspect
-21.88% - Whitney
-28.57% - Charlie's Angels
Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+121.05% - The X Factor - 9:00 (vs. Fringe)
+44.00% - The X Factor - 8:00 (vs. Bones)
+36.36% - Charlie's Angels (vs. My Generation)
+11.63% - The Big Bang Theory
+7.14% - Prime Suspect (vs. The Apprentice)
-3.45% - Private Practice
-5.26% - Community
-8.11% - The Office
-10.00% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita)
-10.00% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
-10.71% - Whitney (vs. Outsourced)
-13.33% - The Vampire Diaries
-15.63% - How to Be a Gentleman (vs. Bleep My Dad Says)
-16.67% - The Mentalist
-19.23% - Parks & Recreation (vs. 30 Rock)
-20.45% - Grey's Anatomy
In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):
In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.7/4; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/3). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters

Source: Nielsen Media Research

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