HD Ratings: A Weekend Of It

Sunday

TVNZ 1’s Sunday Theatre dramatisation Ablaze proved to be a damp squib, averaging only 1.5% of the network’s target audience, 25-54 year-olds.

This was despite rave reviews. Stuff judged it to be “the best film of this year’s Sunday Theatre crop” and The Spinoff, “a memorable drama, one that will share an important piece of New Zealand history with a new audience”.

But viewers switched off the black-and-white dramatisation of the 1947 Ballantynes department store fire.

It opened with 3.2% of 25-54s and closed with 1.3%; at least the decline wasn’t as steep with 18-49s (from 1.9% – 1.2%) or household shoppers with kids (from 3.2% – 2.4%).

TVNZ 2’s movies The Jungle Book and Olympus Has Fallen dominated the night in all the core commercial demographics.

Olympus averaged 2.8% of 25-54s and 2.0% of 18-49s vs 2.8% and 2.1% respectively for Three’s Passengers.

Prime’s Making NZ finished third in the 8.30 hour, with a 25-54 average of 1.3%.

TVNZ 1 won the night with the biggest 25-54 share, TVNZ 2 with the biggest 18-49 and HHS/k shares, and Three with the biggest 18-39 share.

Saturday

TVNZ 2’s movies Inside Out and The Man From UNCLE ruled on Saturday in all the key demos except household shoppers with kids, where Three’s Date Night seesawed with UNCLE.

TVNZ 1’s Rugby World Cup coverage won the early evening zone, with core demo averages of 3.2% – 5.2%.

But shifting the 1 News at 6 bulletin to TVNZ 2 saw it lose to Three’s Newshub Live in all the key demos except 18-39.

Its 7.00 re-run on TVNZ 1 topped America’s Got Talent but not Inside Out.

TVNZ 2 won the night in all the major demos.

Friday

TVNZ 2 usurped Three’s Friday night light ent crown when Dumb Daredevils Make You Laugh and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown out-rated The Best of Graham Norton and 7 Days in all the core demos except 18-39.

Daredevils averaged 3.2% – 6.7% to win the 7.30 hour and Cats, 2.6% – 5.3% to dominate post-8.30.

Norton won its hour only among 18-39s.

The flagship news hours were in a tight race, with Newshub Live winning the 18-39 demos and 1 News edging it out in the 18-49 and HHS/k stakes; only among 25-054s did 1 News have a clear lead.

Sky Sport 4 scored strongly, with its NRL coverage carrying all the key demos post-9.30.

TVNZ 1 narrowly won the night with 25-54s but TVNZ 2 led in the other demos.