HD Ratings: Resurrection Razes Wire

The most popular drama launch in three years, Resurrection, laid waste to two NZ HD hits on Thursday.

Agent’s Anna’s demolition wasn’t surprising, given how season two of this Robyn Malcolm comedy has faltered, but after two weeks of winning its slot, the final instalment of Hope and Fire tumbled spectacularly.

Episode two of Resurrection, screening 24 hours after the first, averaged 11.9% – 21.5% of the major demographics compared to Agent Anna’s 2.2% – 3.8% and Hope and Wire’s 1.7% – 2.5%.

Amazingly Resurrection rated even higher among household shoppers with kids than it had the night before while largely retaining its viewership in the other key demos.

Said TVNZ programming chief John Kelly of the fantasy drama’s premiere: “We’re thrilled with how Resurrection launched.

“Strategically, we launched it off the back of NZ’s number one show for 2013 and 2014 so far – My Kitchen Rules – which proved a successful formula.

“This week, we’ve given viewers the chance for a second helping by launching the first two episodes across two consecutive nights.”

The difference with Thursday’s episode was it had a weaker lead-in than MKR, with Code: 1 averaging 10.5% – 13.8%.

Resurrection’s pulling power was terrific news for lead-out Gloriavale: A World Apart, an HD documentary about a remote religious community on the West Coast that averaged a stonking 14.2% – 20.7% from 9.30-10.30 — and also contributed to Hope and Wire’s shocking fall from grace.

Earlier, TV One’s season premiere of Restoration Man averaged 3.2% – 6.6%, which put it ahead of TV3’s Grand Designs (3.2% – 5.5%) but behind the show it abruptly replaced, RPA, which last week was more popular in every key demo except HHS/k.

Week-on-week, there was a seismic shift in the network’s ratings and shares, with TV2 virtually doubling theirs in each of the key demos and TV3 halving theirs.

Thursday’s peak-hour HD channel ratings and shares were:

• A18-49: TV One, 4.9 rating/16.0 share; TV2, 12.0 rating/39.4 share; TV3, 6.3 rating/22.8 share
• A18-39: TV One, 3.7 rating/11.7 share; TV2, 11.7 rating/40.6 share; TV3, 3.2 rating/11.2 share
• A25-54: TV One, 6.5 rating/19.6 share; TV2, 12.5 rating/37.7 share; TV3, 4.1 rating/12.3 share
• HHS/k: TV One, 6.6 rating/18.5 share; TV2, 16.8 rating/47.3 share; TV3, 4.1 rating/11.6 share.