NEW YORK Six CBS and four ABC prime-time shows added more than 1 million viewers each during premiere week (Sept. 22-28), when seven-day DVR viewing was factored in, according to Nielsen Media Research live-plus-seven-day ratings data.
CBS had the most shows gaining 1 million or more viewers of any network, but the show gaining the largest number of viewers with DVR viewing included was ABC's Grey's Anatomy, which added 2.7 million to its total, boosting viewership from 18.5 live plus same day to 21.2 million for seven-day viewing.
The data show that CBS shows CSI: Miami gained 1.47 million viewers, boosting its premiere week total to 18.76 million; NCIS gaining 1.35 million to 19.3 million; Without a Trace gaining 1.16 million to 12.49 million; freshman drama The Mentalist gaining 1.15 million viewers to 16.79 million; Criminal Minds gaining 1.07 million to 18.12 million; and sitcom Two and a Half Men gaining 1.05 million to 15.96 million.
Overall for premiere week, CBS averaged 670,000 more viewers per night watching via seven-day DVR, boosting its viewership total 6 percent to an average 11.94 million per night.
ABC's Desperate Housewives and Boston Legal each gained 1.2 million viewers when seven-day DVR viewing was included, while Brothers & Sisters added 1 million.
Grey's Anatomy added a sizable 18 percent of viewers among the 18-49 demo, boosting its rating to an 8.7, while Boston Legal added 13 percent to its rating to a 2.7; ABC's Ugly Betty boosted its rating 12 percent when seven-day viewing was added to a 3.7; while Brothers & Sisters boosted its rating by 11 percent to a 5.1.
CSI: Miami added 6 percent more 18-49 demo viewers, boosting its rating to a 5.8; while NCIS, The Mentalist and Criminal Minds each boosted its 18-49 ratings by 5 percent to a 4.1, 4.0 and 5.2, respectively.
