HD Ratings: MKR Nips at DWTS’ Heels

Three’s Dancing With the Stars dominated the ratings for the second night in a row — but faced fancier footwork from TVNZ 2’s My Kitchen Rules than it did Survivor NZ on Sunday.

DWTS easily topped the 25-54 and 18-49 demographics, with respective averages of 7.9% and 6.6% vs MKR’s 6.2% and 5.1%.

But the contest was much tighter in the 18-39 and household shoppers with kids demos.

The ratings seesawed in each, with MKR emerging the winner in both with 5.3% of 18-39s (vs 5.0%) and 9.6% of HHS/k (9.6% vs 9.0%).

DWTS’ 25-54/18-49 ratings were down on Sunday’s season premiere (9.8%/8.3%).

But its high ratings across the board led to lead-out Lost & Found making a clean sweep of all the core commercial demos in its season premiere, as did its lead-out, An Hour to Catch a Killer, which ensured Three won the night in all the key demos.

L&F rated extraordinarily well, averaging 5.9% of Three’s target 25-54 demo and 7.5% of HHS/k while To Catch a Killer maintained most of its 25-54 lead-in to average 4.6%

Both shows wiped out the return of TVNZ 2 comedies American Housewife (which averaged 2.0%-4.0% of the core demos) and Life in Pieces (1.8% – 3.4%) while Grey’s Anatomy mustered only 1.1% – 1.9%.

TVNZ 1’s crime dramas Criminal Minds and Lucifer fared better in the 18-49 and 25-54 demos but finished third with 18-39s and HHS/k.

The network’s Fair Go and Mind Over Money With Nigel Latta managed to average 5.9% and 5.2% opposite TVNZ 2 and Three’s juggernauts.

TVNZ 1’s Coast NZ took a hit on Sunday, opposite DWTS and Three’s time-slot winning movie Central Intelligence, averaging only 4.7% of 25-54s compared to 7.9% for its season premiere the previous week.

Lead-in Sunday also shed nearly three rating points, to average 6.6%, while Hyundai Country Calendar was down one, to 8.9%, which was remarkable given DWTS’ popularity.

TVNZ 2’s network premiere of The Legend of Tarzan rated higher than Boy the previous week and topped Central Intelligence in the 18-39 and HHS/k demos.

And despite DWTS’ blockbuster appeal, Survivor NZ rated higher than its season premiere, averaging 5.0% – 7.9% of the core demos.