TV Ratings: Big ‘Bang’ leads Thursday, ‘Parks’ rises and ‘Assets’ falls

Fast National ratings for Thursday, January 9, 2014.

“The Big Bang Theory” drew its largest-ever audience for a regularly scheduled episode and helped CBS cruise to its normal easy Thursday wins, as “The Crazy Ones,” “Elementary” and “The Millers” and “Two and a Half Men” were all up.

Also having a big night was NBC, which saw “Parks and Recreation” return a whopping 40 percent above its last airing, while “Community,” “Sean Saves the World” and “The Michael J. Fox Show” rose as well.

The news was less good for ABC’s “The Assets,” which had a dismal premiere last week and managed to drop this week.

On to the numbers…

Among adults 18-49, CBS averaged a 3.0 rating for Thursday night, easily winning the key demographic. NBC was a distant second with a 1.2 rating in the key demo. Yes, NBC  finished second for a Thursday in the key demo. NBC is back! Anyway… ABC was third with a 1.0 key demo rating, followed by FOX’s 0.7 key demo rating and the 0.3 key demo rating for The CW.

Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 12.08 million viewers and a 7.4 rating/12 share for Thursday primetime, far ahead of the 3.95 million viewers and 2.6/4 for ABC. NBC was third overall with 3.61 million viewers and a 2.3/4, ahead of the 1.5/2 and 2.41 million viewers for FOX. The CW averaged 945,000 viewers and a 0.6/1 for the night.

8 p.m. – CBS ruled the 8 p.m. hour with “The Big Bang Theory” (20.08 million and a 5.6 key demo) and “The Millers” (13.61 million viewers and a 3.3 key demo rating). ABC’s “The Taste” was second overall with 4.44 million viewers and third with a 1.2 rating among adults 18-49. NBC was third overall and second in the key demo with “Community” (3.57 million and a 1.4 key demo) and “Parks and Recreation” (3.37 million and a 1.4 key demo). FOX’s repeat of “Sleepy Hollow” averaged 2.39 million viewers and a 0.7 key demo rating, topping the 952,000 viewers and 0.3 key demo rating for The CW’s “Vampire Diaries” repeat. 

9 p.m. – CBS stayed on top for the 9 p.m. hour with “The Crazy Ones” (9.62 million and a 2.4 key demo) and “Two and a Half Men” (9.48 million and a 2.4 key demo). ABC’s “The Taste” stayed second with 4.49 million viewers and also finished second with a 1.3 key demo rating. NBC was third with “Sean Saves The World” (3.16 million and a 1.0 key demo) and “The Michael J. Fox Show” (3.14 million and a 1.0 key demo rating), topping the 2.42 million and 0.6 key demo rating for FOX’s “Sleepy Hollow” repeat. The CW’s “Reign” repeat averaged 939,000 viewers and a 0.3 key demo rating.

10 p.m. – CBS finished its primetime sweep with 9.85 million viewers and 2.0 rating among adults 18-49 for “Elementary.” NBC’s “Parenthood” was second with 4.21 million viewers and a 1.3 key demo rating, which doesn’t look so rousing until you compare it to the 2.93 million viewers and 0.6 key demo for “The Assets.”