CBS Sweeps Thursday, Winning First Night of February Sweeps in Key Demos

CBS swept Thursday, winning the opening night of the February sweep in adults 18-49 for the first time since 2006, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Jan. 31.

THE BIG BANG THEORY, the night's #1 program in all key measures, swept its time period, finishing first in households (10.8/17), viewers (17.51m), adults 25-54 (7.0/18), adults 18-49 (5.3/15) and adults 18-34 (3.7/12). The Big Bang Theory beat its closest competitor in both households (vs. 7.4/12 for FOX) and adults 25-54 (vs. 4.8/12) by +46%; in adults 18-49 (vs. 4.1/12) by +29%; in adults 18-34 (vs. 3.5/12) by +6%; and by +4.67m viewers (vs. 12.84m, +36%).

Two and a Half Men was tied for first in households (8.4/13, with FOX), and was second in viewers (13.72m), adults 25-54 (5.4/13, -0.2 behind FOX) and adults 18-49 (3.9/11).

Person of Interest swept its time period, finishing first in households (9.5/15), viewers (15.62m), adults 25-54 (4.6/11) and adults 18-49 (3.2/09). Person of Interest beat a first-run "Grey's Anatomy" by its largest margin of victory to date in viewers (+6.85m viewers), adults 25-54 (+1.2 rating points) and adults 18-49 (+0.4 rating points).

Elementary was first in households (6.9/12), viewers (10.80m) and adults 25-54 (3.3/08) and was second in adults 18-49 (2.2/06).

For the night, CBS was first in households (8.7/14), viewers (14.01m), adults 25-54 (4.7/11) and adults 18-49 (3.4/09). CBS won the first Thursday of the February sweep in households, viewers and adults 25-54 for the third time in four years while winning the first Thursday of a February Sweep in adults 18-49 for the first time since 2006.