Crimefighting Duos Duke It Out

TVNZ 1’s new Britbox whodunit-duo, Murder in Provence and The Magpie Murders, has strengthened its Saturday night arsenal.

They launched last weekend, when Provence delivered a 25-54 share of 10.5 (19,555 viewers) and Magpie a 9.9 share (13,670), helped by Jamie’s One-Pan Wonders opening to a 17.4 share (44,820).

Provence’s share exceeded the previous week’s season final of Call the Midwife but more notable was Magpie’s.

Despite starting an hour later, its share was more than double The Teacher’s a week earlier. Amazingly, it maintained its viewership through to 11.35.

Provence’s two-hour premiere helped to arrest the popularity of Three’s new berths for hitherto midweek staples NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles.

The March 4 broadcast of NCIS averaged a 14.8 share (33,156) against Call the Midwife but the procedural’s March 11 share fell to 8.3 (17,589).

Similarly, week-on-week NCIS: LA’s average dropped from 13.3 (20,117) against The Teacher to 9.4 (15,024) against the second half of Provence.

But TVNZ 2’s bargain-bin movies still dominated the night, starting with The Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift (14.8 share) and continuing with Mile-22 (12.2 share).

Eden’s movie The Personal History of David Copperfield averaged a 1.4 share and Whakaata Māori’s Wind River 1.6 while Prime’s Hurricanes coverage scored 3.1.

Note: These overnight ratings exclude viewership of the networks’ +1 SD channels.