PERSON OF INTEREST Hits Series Highs, BIG BANG Tops Thursday in Adults 18-49

PERSON OF INTEREST, the season's #1 new drama/series, hit series highs in viewers and key demographics and THE BIG BANG THEORY was the night's #1 program in adults 18-49, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Thursday, March 8.

THE BIG BANG THEORY was first in adults 25-54 (6.4/17), adults 18-49 (5.1/15), adults 18-34 (3.6/13) and second in both households (9.3/15) and viewers (15.22m). If the ratings hold, THE BIG BANG THEORY was the night's #1 program in adults 25-54, adults 18-49 and adults 18-34.

THE BIG BANG THEORY 8:30 PM SPECIAL (R) (S) was second in households (7.8/12), viewers (12.87m), adults 25-54 (5.1/11), adults 18-49 (4.0/11) and adults 18-34 (2.7/09).

At 9:00 PM, PERSON OF INTEREST was first in households (9.7/15), viewers (15.78m), adults 25-54 (4.9/11) and adults 18-49 (3.4/09). If the ratings hold, PERSON OF INTEREST posted series-high deliveries in households, viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.

At 10:00 PM, THE MENTALIST was first in households (8.7/15), viewers (13.79m), adults 25-54 (4.0/10) and adults 18-49 (2.8/08). THE MENTALIST was up +5% in households (from 8.3/14), +8% in both adults 25-54 (from 3.7/09) and adults 18-49 (from 2.6/07) and added +430,000 viewers (from 13.36m, +3%) from the last first-run episode on Feb. 23, 2012.

For the night, CBS was first in households (9.0/14), viewers (14.54m), adults 25-54 (4.9/12) and tied for first in adults 18-49 (3.6/10, with FOX).

Updated ratings will be available this afternoon via cbs.com.