HD Ratings: 7 Days Tops Cats

TVNZ 2’s bid to emulate Three’s Friday night success flopped with its weekend debuts of Best Foods Comedy Gala and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

The programming flipped what was on Three’s schedule by pitting Kiwi comedy against British (The Graham Norton Show) and a hit UK panel show against NZ’s (7 Days).

For years this combination has proved all but unassailable for Three, although it’s become increasingly vulnerable to programming like TVNZ 2’s Harry Potter season.

But Friday’s ratings showed why if it ain’t broke, Three won’t be fixing it.

The season 25 premiere of Norton and a 7 Days special posted their best ratings in weeks.

Norton averaged 4.7% of 25-54 year-olds versus BFCG’s 2.3%, and 2.9% of 18-49s vs 2.1%.

But the latter had a commanding lead of 18-39s (2.4% vs 1.6%) and narrowly won with household shoppers with kids (3.9% vs 3.6%).

In both those demographics, BFCG had a stronger lead-in from The Simpsons.

But any gains were quickly shed when the 9.00 panel rivals started.

7 Days easily won its slot across all the core commercial demos, with averages of 2.9% – 4.6% vs 1.3% – 1.6%.

8 Out of 10 Cats even lost in at the key demos against TVNZ 1’s Call the Midwife, including with 18-39s (1.4% vs 1.3%).

Given 8 Out of 10 Cats has long been a fixture on Duke, you would have thought it might have fared better.

But that’s the risk of relocating a series to a channel where fans aren’t used to viewing it — and where it’s up against a local juggernaut.

8 Out of 10 Cats also isn’t exclusive to TVNZ 2: the same season can be seen several times a week on Duke following Friday’s broadcast.

TVNZ 1 also entered the light entertainment shoot-out with the 7.30 season premiere of Britain’s Got Talent, which won the 25-54 vote with a 4.8% average.

But it trailed The Simpsons, BFCG and/or Norton in the other key demos.

Despite the popularity of Norton and 7 Days, Three finished behind its TVNZ rivals in all the core demos for the night: 1 scored the biggest 25-54 and 18-49 shares, and 2 the biggest 18-39 and HHS/k shares.

Shortland Street and The Simpsons won their slots in every key demo except 25-54 while later starting times for Call the Midwife and Coronation Street worked in their favour, with the former benefitting from BGT as its lead-in and the latter winning its post-7 Days slot across the board.