There’s no doubt a lot of happy campers over at the CBS network today. Not only did the ninth season premiere of Two and a Half Men bring record numbers for the sitcom but it also helped give a huge launch to 2 Broke Girls (best since 2001), a big season premiere for How I Met Your Mother (best in the show’s history), and a very healthy return for Hawaii Five-0.
Here’s the press release from CBS:
MEN DELIVERS 28 MIL VIEWERS, ALL TIME SERIES HIGH; 2 BROKE GIRLS BEST FALL COMEDY PREMIERE SINCE 2001; HIMYM SCORES BEST EVER PREMIERE
The Season Premiere of “Two and a Half Men” Scores the Largest Audience and Highest Adult 18-49 Rating in Series History“Two and a Half Men” Posts TV’s Best Scripted Series Season Premiere Since 2005
“How I Met Your Mother” Posts Biggest Premiere in Series History in Viewers and Demos
The Series Premiere of “2 Broke Girls” is the Biggest Fall Comedy Premiere Since 2001
“Hawaii Five-0” Wins its Time Period in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54
CBS Wins Premiere Monday in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54
The highly-anticipated season premiere of TWO AND A HALF MEN, featuring the first episode with Ashton Kutcher, delivered the series’ largest audience and best adult 18-49 rating ever, leading CBS to a Monday win in adults 18-49 and adults 25-54, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Sept. 19.
Leading off the night, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (P) was first in adults 25-54 (5.3/13), adults 18-49 (4.7/13), adults 18-34 (4.3/13), second in households (6.9/11) and viewers (11.26m). HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER posted its best delivery ever with a season premiere in viewers, adults 25-54, adults 18-49 and adults 18-34.
At 8:30 PM, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER SPECIAL (S) was first in adults 25-54 (5.7/13), adults 18-49 (5.1/13), adults 18-34 (4.6/13) and second in both households (7.3/11) and viewers (12.24m).
At 9 PM, TWO AND A HALF MEN (P) was first in households (16.2/23), viewers (27.76m), adults 25-54 (12.2/26) and adults 18-49 (10.3/24) – all series highs. TWO AND A HALF MEN posted the best season premiere for a scripted program in viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 since “Desperate Housewives” in September 2005.
Following TWO AND A HALF MEN, the series premiere of 2 BROKE GIRLS (P) was first in households (11.4/16), viewers (19.15m), adults 25-54 (8.6/16) and adults 18-49 (7.0/16). The freshman comedy posted CBS’s best delivery in this time period with entertainment programming since May 16, 2005 in these measures. 2 BROKE GIRLS posted the largest audience for a fall comedy premiere since in September 2001 (“Inside Schwartz”).
At 10 PM, HAWAII FIVE-0 (P) won its time slot in adults 25-54 (4.5/10), adults 18-49 (3.4/08), second in both households (7.6/12) and viewers (12.00m).
For the night, CBS was first in adults 25-54 (6.8/15), adults 18-49 (5.7/14), adults 18-34 (4.3/12), second in both households (9.5/14) and viewers (15.73m).
Updated Monday ratings will be available this afternoon.
Note: DVR penetration is at 42%, up from 38% last year. Last Fall, Live+7 audiences for original entertainment series on CBS gained over 1.8 million viewers, on average, over Live+ Same Day ratings, more than any other network. This season, we expect DVR penetration to continue to increase and, as a result, we expect DVR playback audiences to grow to as well.
What do you think? Did you tune in to CBS last night? Will you be back next week?
Image courtesy CBS.
I never liked this show with Charlie Harper in it. Now that he’s gone, the show is much more enjoyable. Alan is still a loser and nobody can complain about that. A lot of the old cast is still in it so that is good. But I think that some people will look at that moment and think that’s when the show got good. Then again, that’s just my opinion.
Two things stood out:
Ashton stinks. Rating will drop dramatically.
They left the door WIDE open for Charlie to return. The body…a blob of exploded meat? Rose?…Rose is the last one to see Charlie?
This is a slam dunk! I can just see the season opener next year. Charlie returns after escaping from….fill in the blank….where Rose has been holding him captive.
If the show starts to tank…watch everyone protect their money & bring back Charlie.
I don’t see it going anywhere. I only laughed once and I used to laugh the whole time its not just charlie sheen’s character. Jake’s Character is a big part in the show. How can Ashton live up to the part?? He can’t. Everyone just like his young looks….well looks don’t go with the show. 2 Broke girls…..that was a huge huge huge mistake. How I met your mother on the other hand….Loved it!!! I hate the clif hangers but it will keep me watching over and over
It was OK, we’ll know in a few eps how it will really go. Not big on Ashton’s character, he’s quite flat, but will give it a chance. They really need to improve the writing, it was very hit and miss in season 8, and this first ep of season 9 is at best . . . OK.
I was busting up laughing during the funeral, a fitting end… As with Ashton, I was actually surprised that I really enjoyed his part in the episdode. Was getting tired of the Ashton running around naked jokes though, seriously? But, again, enjoyed the episode.
I watched it and like most of the audience was curious to see how it would be continued but I think it may have ”jumped the shark’-crude f art jokes and Alan as a mentor to a suicidal lovelorn Ashton does not a good sitcom make-it could improve but if it doesn’t it will drop like a rock.
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A.K. did not bring in those high ratings, wondering what happened to the Charlie did. We will see how it holds up.