News The Big Bang Theory Hits All-Time High Ratings

[phantagrae]

I get it, thanks. So I guess those watching cable channels wouldn't be counted in network television viewership.

Exactly.

The networks are the channels one could get, theoretically, without cable--CBS, NBC, ABC, and I guess FOX and maybe WB (does that still exist?)

TBS, TNT, USA, etc., along with channels like HBO are cable and not counted as network channels.

Of course, nowadays you pretty much have t have some kind of cable service to get anything, but those are the traditional network channels.

Edited January 8, 2013 by phantagrae

[bostrich]

Wow, 6.1 in the finals! I hoped 6.0 would happen before March and I got my wish. I'm really pleased that the show is performing so well. I hope they have time for a little celebrating today on set and in the writer's office—they deserve it. Congrats to all.

[mjc45]

should be high next week,

(not to spoiler any one)

looks like a great episode

[Superlovelexi]

I'm so glad an episode with Amy and Bernadette in it broke the previous record this season..I hope one with lots of Shamy in it breaks this record someday lol

[Tensor]

Overnight fast ratings are out.   TBBT set new highs for the 18-49 demo with a 6.3 and total viewers with 19.78 million.  Both beating last week's records.  Interesting bit of information is that last night all the network competition was first run episodes.   Last week's record was against all repeats.   These are subject to adjustments, TBBT is usually adjusted up.   If so, it may hit 20 million Live + same day.  

[koops]

Wow. Just wow.

[iTz Lotus]

Holy crap.....words cannot describe the success the show is having this season. With any adjustments it may be well over 20 million

[Kiru Breezy]

Overnight fast ratings are out.   TBBT set new highs for the 18-49 demo with a 6.3 and total viewers with 19.78 million.  Both beating last week's records.  Interesting bit of information is that last night all the network competition was first run episodes.   Last week's record was against all repeats.   These are subject to adjustments, TBBT is usually adjusted up.   If so, it may hit 20 million Live + same day.  

 

I eat my words - we are gonna push 21 mil in February sweeps...you watch! 

 

SUCK ON IT HATERS!

[mjc45]

should be high next week,

(not to spoiler any one)

looks like a great episode

TREKKIES---CALLED IT

[Bang Fan 420]

This season has been the funniest yet!

[The God Particle]

Does this Guarantee another 3-series renewal?

[Tensor]

Ok, I've been busy with some papers and have only been doing quick check ins. As a result I have fallen down on my ratings reporting and a couple of numbers have been reported in another thread.  In the interest of keeping ratings (and analysis) in one thread, here are some updates.

 

 

Overnight fast ratings are out.   TBBT set new highs for the 18-49 demo with a 6.3 and total viewers with 19.78 million.  Both beating last week's records.  Interesting bit of information is that last night all the network competition was first run episodes.   Last week's record was against all repeats.   These are subject to adjustments, TBBT is usually adjusted up.   If so, it may hit 20 million Live + same day.  

It's not a "may hit 20 million live + same day", it did hit 20 million live + same day. It also scored a 6.4 18-49 demo. Live + 3 day for The Bakersfield Expedition increased the total viewers to 23.13 million with an amazing 7.9 in 18-49 demo.

 

I eat my words - we are gonna push 21 mil in February sweeps...you watch! 

I'm wondering if the recent "leaks" by different cast members (especially about the Valentine episode) are an attempt to get to at least 21 million, same day. We know the cast members, in the past, have stated they don't see scritps or hear about future scripts, so several different cast members talking about future episodes isn't something that is normally done.

Back on January 4th, I pointed out the following:

 

For those who read my comparison of the percentage of network viewers in the ratings thread, last night (4 Jan. 2013) TBBT had 66.5% of network viewers. Two of every three network viewers were watching TBBT.

The Bakersfield Expedition got 19.78 million viewers (I'm using the overnights here as I don't have the total viewers for the Live + 3) out of a total of 34.55 million network viewers. While that doesn't reach the 66% of network viewers for the previous episode (The Egg Salad Equivalency, Jan 3 over all repeats), it is rather remarkable that the number that week's episode reached, 57%, was against all first run episodes.

A few other tidbits:

One, there have not been any Live + 7 releases for the new year, as of yet. Live + 7 December increases have been higher by about a million viewers than the Live + 3, so the first couple of episodes in 2013 may hit 24 million.

With TBBT hitting 20 million for same day, CBS was the first network since 2007 to have two scripted series above 20 million viewers(the other series to hit 20 million this week was NCIS), and the first since 2005 (the last year of Friends), to have a comedy be one of the two to hit 20 million.

TBBT was #1 in National Syndication (and three of the top ten, the other two at #6 and #9).

The Jan. 17 episode ran up against the premier of American Idol. Idol brought in a 5.6 demo with 16.2 million viewers. TBBT was a repeat and ran a 3.2 demo, with 11.6 million viewers. Those two were the only shows above 10 million and above a 3.0 demo (Grey's Anatomy did run a 3.0 demo, but with only 8 million viewers). And, remember, TBBT was a REPEAT. It will be very interesting to see the comparison with Idol's numbers on the 31st, when there is a new TBBT broadcast.

Also, in the Repeat category, on Monday, January 14, a repeat TBBT aired in the 8:30 slot. It pulled in a 3.7 demo, with 11.7 million viewers. This was the third highest demo rating for the night. Only How I Met Your Mother (3.9) and Two Broke Girls(4.1) were higher, and they were both first run. Only one show had more viewers and that was Two Broke Girls, with 12.45 million. Think about that, there were 13 shows on Monday. All were new (except for a repeat of the premier of The Carrie Diaries at 9 PM and all shows on other networks were one hour (higher ratings). And a REPEAT of TBBT had more viewers than all but one of the new shows, and a higher demo than all but two of the new shows.

And, to The God Particle, it doesn't guarantee anything. I'm quite sure that TBBT was in at least two-year renew territory before January, with the numbers they've pulled in since the beginning of this year.

[Pomita]

Thanks for the detailed summary. I'm looking forward with curiosity to see whether the TBBT first run on 31 January beats AI. I think it will.

[mjc45]

@tensor:

do the renew work like sports

they wait until the final year

is done,or with 1 year to go

sometime. IN MAY they would

start it up with lorre and C.B.S.

could it b 3 years (not 2 years)

with the high ratings.

thanks

[Shel_Ra_Ho_Le]

Announcements usually come in March/April of the year before the contracts are up IF the show is doing well in ratings and the network is interested.  We all know the ratings kick ass and I KNOW the Network can never let this show go so I'd watch for announcements in March/April.

 

Honestly I believe they already have an inkling to their futures, just cant publicize it til given the green light.

 

Edited January 22, 2013 by Shel_Ra_Ho_Le

[Tensor]

@tensor:

do the renew work like sports

they wait until the final year

is done,or with 1 year to go

sometime. IN MAY they would

start it up with lorre and C.B.S.

could it b 3 years (not 2 years)

with the high ratings.

thanks

I'm just letting you know that I saw this and am not ignoring you. Shel-Ra-Ho-Le gave an answer I can't improve upon. And I think the show will be renew for three years. I only put "at least two", because I can't see them only renewing for one year, with the number of viewers and huge demo they are pulling in.

[The God Particle]

Two or Three Series renewal would make me very, very pleased! (As would it all.)

[mjc45]

I'm just letting you know that I saw this and am not ignoring you. Shel-Ra-Ho-Le gave an answer I can't improve upon. And I think the show will be renew for three years. I only put "at least two", because I can't see them only renewing for one year, with the number of viewers and huge demo they are pulling in.

thanks to the both of you.

it was a great answer

[Tensor]

A couple of days ago, I mentioned that there hadn't been any Live + 7 numbers yet for this year. Well, I saw them today(released yesterday) and the final numbers for the January 3, 2013 episode, The Egg Salad Equivalency, were a total of 23.38 million viewers and a fantastic 8.0 in the demo. This is a increase of 4.13 million viewers and a 1.9 increase in the demo. A couple of points of interest. There were no shows with a Live + 7 demo higher than 5.5, TBBT overnight demo was 6.1, higher than any other show's Live + 7. In addition, the overnight for TBBT in terms of viewers was 19.23. Only one show managed to beat that in Live + 7. Person of Interest pulled in 19.77 million viewers. All other show's Live + 7 viewers were under 18 Million.

Last night, running out of it's normal time slot, only three shows beat a repeat TBBT, with a 3.2 demo (HIMYM and 2 Broke Girls (both 3.7) and Mike and Molly (3.3). TBBT had 10.45 million viewers, with only 2 Broke Girls (11.47) and Mike and Molly (10.85) beating it. Remember, every other show last night was a first run episode. And, with the exception of the three shows mentioned above, all were at least one hour long, and a couple were two hours long (meaning more chances for viewers to be counted), and yet, a TBBT repeat was in the top three for night.

[Shel_Ra_Ho_Le]

Thats why its #1 now.  BYE BYE TAAHM! :D

[Moonbase]

Good analysis Tensor. I saw 2 Broke Girls the other night and it's awful. This is why I don't follow ratings. I never trust the taste of the mainstream general public. I'm pleased TBBT is so loved anyway...

[Pomita]

Thanks for the report. 23.3 million viewers is huge. Also, it's a good sign that even repeats are getting so much interest.. it shows that people are really invested.

[phantagrae]

Pomita, here's the TV Guide article I mentioned yesterday: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Big-Bang-Theory-1059493.aspx

[Pomita]

Oh, thanks! I just found it and was about to post it.

 

I believe Molaro's good for the show. As they say, he certainly has been able to introduce a little more depth and continuity in the characters and storylines, while still keeping them funny and relatable.

 

"These characters are growing and getting deeper. We can do stories with a little more heart than they used to in the early days," Molaro says. "Stories that impact the characters a little bit more."

 

"A show about people who felt disenfranchised from the mainstream, and how they find each other and create a surrogate family. I think it's really easy to fall in love with these characters".

 

These comments from the writers express perfectly how I feel about what's happening on the show.

Edited January 24, 2013 by Pomita

[Tensor]

Live ratings were down this week. 18-49 went from 6.4 to 5.3. Total viewers dropped from 20 million to 17.5 million. There shouldn't be an concern about this. This was the first non repeat to go head to head with American Idol this year. And Idol only scored a 4.5 in demo with 4.5 and 13.7 million viewers. So TBBT beat idol rather handily. There's other good news in the numbers(DVR for instance)but I'm on my phone. I'll have a more thorough analysis up in about two hours.