CRIMINAL MINDS & CSI Score Best-Ever L+7 Lifts

Criminal Minds and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation both delivered their best-ever live plus 7-day viewer lifts, with both Wednesday dramas topping four million viewer gains for the first time, according to Nielsen ratings for Jan. 22.

Criminal Minds gained +4.09 million viewers to 14.45m, a +40% increase over its live plus same day average of 10.36m. Criminal Minds also gained a series best +1.6 rating points in adults 18-49, hiking its rating to 3.8, +73% higher than its live plus same day average of 2.2.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation gained +4.12 million viewers to 13.64m, a +43% increase over its live plus same day average of 9.52m. CSI also matched its best-ever live plus 7-day lift in adults 18-49, gaining +1.3 rating points, an +83% increase to 2.9.

CRIMINAL MINDS revolves around an elite team of FBI profilers who analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. The Behavioral Analysis Unit's most experienced agent is David Rossi, a founding member of the BAU, who is essential in helping the team solve new cases. The BAU team is led by Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, a strong profiler who is able to gain people's trust and unlock their secrets. Other members include Special Agent Derek Morgan, an expert on obsessional crimes; Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid, a classically misunderstood genius whose social IQ is as low as his intellectual IQ is high; Jennifer "JJ" Jareau, the team's former unit liaison-turned-profiler who recently married her longtime love; Penelope Garcia, the team's indispensible computer wizard who helps research the cases with her unique charm; and the team's newest member, Alex Blake, who rejoins the FBI after a stint as a university teacher and brings her linguistics expertise to the BAU. After finally conquering their serial stalker, "The Replicator," who threatened the team's existence, the BAU emerged stronger and more dedicated to use their expertise to pinpoint predators' motivations and identify their emotional triggers in the attempt to stop them.

CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION is a fast-paced drama about a team of forensic investigators trained to solve crimes by examining the evidence. They are on the case 24/7, scouring the scene, collecting irrefutable evidence and finding the missing pieces that will solve the mystery. D.B. Russell, the CSI supervisor for the grave shift, is a family man and scientist, but not a nerd. Son of hippie parents, he's a left-coast Sherlock Holmes who devours crime novels and looks at every crime scene as if it were a story waiting to be told. The team's other members include CSI Julie Finlay, a blood spatter expert who always speaks her mind, regardless of the consequences; Nick Stokes, the conscience of the team, often driven by his emotional connection to the victim to always get the job done; Sara Sidle, aka "Mrs. Grissom," relentless in her pursuit of criminals and the moral compass of the team; Greg Sanders, once an off-beat tech analyst and now an experienced and intuitive crime solver; and Morgan Brody, an exile from the Los Angeles Crime Lab and the daughter of Undersheriff Ecklie. She's a natural-born investigator who still has a lot to learn about politics and family. The CSI team members also work closely with Captain Jim Brass, a seasoned detective and protector of CSI, sometimes to a fault; Dr. Albert Robbins, the ever-professional medical examiner; his wise-cracking assistant, David Phillips; and the CSI Lab Technicians: David Hodges, a tech of many talents who often rubs people the wrong way, but never fails to deliver, and Henry Andrews, the DNA specialist, who always cracks the code.

Photo by: CLIFF LIPSON/CBS

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