HD Ratings: Magnum Far From Tip-Top

How much lower will Magnum P.I.’s ratings have to sink before they trigger its demise?

Tonight’s teaming with The Block NZ: Firehouse, ahead of the return of Hawaii Five-O, may be the reboot’s last chance to earn its primetime stripes.

Last week’s episode averaged an abysmal 1.3% of Three’s core commercial demographic, 25-54 year-olds, 0.9% of 18-49s, 0.6% of 18-39s and 1.5% of household shoppers with kids — making it the network’s lowest rating programme of the night.

Even a 10.45 re-run of 9-1-1 rated higher (or the same in the case of 18-39s).

Moreover, the horrific ratings followed the show’s high-profile promotion the previous week, when Three ran it on two consecutive nights off the back of the popular Lego Masters Australia.

But the minor ratings rebound was short-lived in the face of TVNZ 2 strengthening its Wednesday line-up with the top-rating Travel Guides (Australia) and Wentworth.

Last week the latter averaged 4.6% – 5.1% of the key demos and the former, 5.3% – 7.1%, with both winning their slots.

Last week’s premiere of TVNZ 1 crime drama Manhunt also proved formidable competition, with 3.3% of 25-54s and 2.3% of 18-49s.

Of course, Three’s line-up wasn’t helped by The Project drawing half as many viewers as TVNZ 1’s Seven Sharp.

And at least this week Magnum P.I. will start around the same time as Wentworth and Manhunt rather than midway through them.

Whatever the causes of Magnum P.I.’s failure to out-rate even a re-run of Men in Black II on Prime, a 9.30 demotion seems inevitable at the very least.

Meanwhile, Prime also scored highly at 9.30, with Can’t Pay? We’ll Take It Away! beating everything on the other networks with 2.9% of 25-54s and 2.1% of 18-49s.