HD Ratings: The Project Bows Out on Top

Three’s The Project will end the year on a high tonight after beating Seven Sharp three of the last four nights.

It lost to its TVNZ 1 rival on Tuesday but otherwise out-rated it in all the core commercial demographics the rest of the week (except household shoppers with kids on Wednesday — which, ironically, was the only demo it won on Tuesday).

This week’s ratings cemented strong third-quarter gains for The Project, which ends its 2018 run tonight, a week earlier than Seven Sharp.

However, The Project’s popularity on Thursday didn’t stop TVNZ 2 from dominating with Shortland Street, Police Ten-7, Highway Patrol and Little Divas: Tantrums & Tiaras (which won the 8.30 hour with key demo averages of 3.6% – 5.2%).

Three’s 007 movie, Tomorrow Never Dies, finished third in the network’s 25-54 demo and second in the 18-49, 18-39 and HHS/k contests — setting up lead-out Jono and Ben’s Big Stupid Quiz to fail.

Three’s Wednesday movie, Die Hard 2, proved more enduring, and easily beat 2’s Wedding Crashers and TVNZ 1’s line-up in all the key demos.

But 2 was tops with SS, Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory ruling from 7.00 and Will & Grace proving competitive at 8.30.

Tuesday was 2’s night, with The Great Kiwi Bake Off and Australian Survivor: the latter won across the board and the former beat TVNZ 1’s Outback Truckers in the 18-39 and HHS/k demos.

Three’s movie premiere of Hot Pursuit on Monday flopped against 1’s Take Two and the penultimate Survivor (which topped all the major demos) while 2’s  Project Runway finished second to 1’s Highway Cops and Border Security.