HD Ratings: Rumble Flexes Muscle, Humans Hammered

TV2’s Reno Rumble is building in popularity while TV3’s new sci-fi drama Humans has collapsed.

Tuesday’s episode of the latter tumbled from the premiere’s highs, averaging only 2.2% – 4.3% of the commercial demographics.

It finished behind TV1’s The Mentalist (2.9% – 5.4%) in three of the four key demos and, along with lead-out Caught on Camera, was crushed by TV2’s re-run of Pretty Woman (5.3% – 9.6%).

The 25-year-old blockbuster had the advantage of not only perennial appeal but also lead-in Reno Rumble (6.1% – 9.0%), which is starting to make up for its slow start.

Tuesday’s episode lost the 25-54 race to TV1’s doggie duo but beat TV3’s Road Madness and Gold Coast Cops across the board.

TV3’s prospects weren’t help by its news and current affairs shows underperforming against TV1’s (which had nearly double the 25-54 viewership).

But it was TV2 that won the night in all the key demos except 25-54:

TV2 also dominated Monday with Shortland Street, Reno Rumble and Tabatha Takes Over while TV1’s dramas, Criminal Minds and Castle, out-rated TV3’s Shark Tank and Odyssey.

MasterChef NZ also failed to fire, with only 2.6% – 5.1% of the key demos.

Both Sunday’s broadcast and TV1’s Sunday struggled against TV2’s light-ent newcomers improving sharply after wretched premieres: Repeat After Me averaged 5.9% – 8.9% and I Can Do That, 5.0% – 6.5%.

However, TV2’s re-run of What to Expect When You’re Expecting (3.9% – 5.3%) lost to TV1’s How to Murder Your Wife (2.3% – 5.5%) in the 25-54 and household shopper stakes, and to TV3’s network movie premiere of The Internship (4.6% – 6.0%) in the 18-39 and 18-49 demos.

As a result, TV3 won the night in the 18-39 demo and TV1 in the others:

Sky’s Bledisloe Cop coverage decimated Saturday’s free-to-air HD ratings while Friday’s light-ent fare on TV2 largely out-rated TV3’s, except in the 25-54 race, where they seesawed.

Running Lip Sync Battle (2.0% – 2.6%) instead of Story at 7.00 against Shortland Street (9.5% – 19.9%)proved a disastrous strategy for TV3.

TV2’s two-hour reality block was tops on Thursday but TV3’s final of Born Naughty? (5.0% – 5.6%) rated ahead of TV1’s House Husbands (2.3% – 4.4%).

However, TV2 is still rebuilding support for its Wednesday comedy block after programming Mom (5.4% – 8.6%) and Mike & Molly (3.5% – 7.6%) in later slots.

Neither sitcom is rating as well as in their heyday but won their half-hours against TV1’s This Town (3.6% – 4.9%) and Undercover Boss (3.3% – 6.2%), and TV3’s re-run of War of the Worlds (2.2% – 4.3%).

However, Undercover Boss beat Mike & Molly lead-out Brooklyn Nine Nine (2.1% – 5.1%).