HD Ratings: CSI Hits the Mark

TV3’s faith in a crime drama as enduring as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation was justified in the ratings on Thursday when the season-14 premiere won the 8.30 hour with the network’s target audience, adults 25-54, and household shoppers with kids.

After being retired to Saturdays last year, CSI’s mid-week return averaged 6.2% of the former and 6.7% of the latter, but lost in the 18-39 and 18-49 stakes to TV2’s movie, I Don’t Know How She Does It.

CSI hit the ground running on the back of The Block: All Stars averaging 6.8% – 8.7% to win the 7.30 hour, compared to a competitive 4.6% – 6.1% for TV2’s The Bachelor Australia and 4.2% – 6.7% for TV One’s re-run of George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces.

TV3’s HD documentary The Man Who Streaked the World finished a distant third at 9.30, with only 1.6% – 2.3%, while the return of American Idol delivered Prime an underwhelming 1.1% – 1.7% from 7.30-9.30.

TV2’s rusty old Robin Williams vehicle, RV, dominated 7.30-9.30 Wednesday, with 5.6% – 6.4% of the key demos while TV One’s HD premiere of the Oscar-winning The King’s Speech rated only 2.9% – 4.9% from 8.30-11.00.

It was poorly served by lead-in Meet the Frockers (2.3% – 4.2%) and see-sawed with TV3’s re-run of The Invention of Lying (3.9% – 4.9%).

Starting midway through TV One and TV3’s movies dented Tabatha Takes Over’s appeal, with the show rating only 3.0% – 4.3%.

Earlier in the night, The Block: All Stars averaged 5.6% – 8.1% and Shortland Street, 11.6% – 16.1%.