Thursday evening’s TV ratings are in.  Here’s a brief rundown:

  • NBC’s Community returned for its fifth season (with Dan Harmon back as showrunner to boot) to a premiere low 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demo and 3.03 million viewers.  That’s down six tenths from last year’s 1.9 debut for the lackluster fourth season, but it wouldn’t be Community without low-yet-manageable ratings.  Though the 1.3 is indeed a disappointing rating, it speaks to NBC’s troubled comedy lineup that this number is enough to keep Community afloat for now.
  • Over on CBS, The Big Bang Theory returned to a whopping 5.3 rating and 18.93 million viewers, easily destroying everything else in both demo ratings and total viewership.  That’s up two tenths from its last original episode’s 5.1 rating.

Hit the jump for the full ratings rundown for Thursday, January 2nd, including Elementary, Parenthood, The Crazy Ones, and more.

CBS

  • the-big-bang-theory-the-hesitation-ramification
    The Big Bang Theory
    kicked off CBS’ post-holiday schedule with a 5.3 rating and 18.93 million viewers, rising three tenths from its last original episode.
  • New comedy series The Millers notched a 2.9 rating and 11.55 million viewers, which is up three tenths from its last original episode’s 2.6 rating.
  • The Crazy Ones was up one tenth to a 2.0 rating and 8.24 million viewers.
  • Two and a Half Men garnered a 2.1 rating and 8.55 million viewers, rising two tenths from its last new episode’s 1.9 rating.
  • The procedural series Elementary hit a 1.8 rating and 8.92 million viewers in its return, ticking up a tenth from its last episode’s 1.7 rating.

NBC

  • Community’s season five premiere garnered a 1.3 rating and 3.74 million viewers, while the comedy’s superior second episode hit a 1.2 rating and 3.03 million viewers.  This marks a premiere low for the ratings-challenged comedy, down six tenths from last year’s 1.9 rating.
  • Compared to the rest of NBC’s Thursday comedy lineup, though, Community’s performance was impressive.  Sean Saves the World hit a series low 0.8 rating and 2.77 million viewers, dropping two tenths from its last original episode’s 1.0 rating.
  • Also hitting a series low was The Michael J Fox Show, which hit a 0.8 rating and 2.52 million viewers for a drop of one tenth.
  • Closing out the evening was Parenthood, which garnered a 1.3 rating and 3.99 million viewers, rising one tenth from its last original episode’s 1.2 rating.

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