HD Ratings: Westside and Wentworth Rule

TV’s top-rating drama series are Three’s Westside and TVNZ 2’s Wentworth.

The Outrageous Fortune spin-off won its 8.30 slot in all the core commercial demographics on Monday, as did the Australian prison drama on Wednesday.

Westside averaged 5.3% of 25-54 year-olds and 4.2% of 18-49s; Wentworth averaged 5.5% and 4.5% respectively.

Westside had the advantage of a higher-rating lead-in, with the The Block NZ: Firehouse averaging 7.7% of 25-54s against 7.1% for TVNZ 2’s My Kitchen Rules.

In the 18-49 demo, it averaged 7.2% and MKR, 5.8%.

But on Wednesday, it slipped to 5.6% and 4.7% against TVNZ 2’s more popular Travel Guides (6.7% of 25-54s, 5.3% of 18-49s).

Airing Wentworth within days of its Australian broadcast has enhanced its popularity while reviving TVNZ 2’s Wednesday line-up, which had been in the sitcom doldrums with the ageing The Big Bang Theory anchoring lesser comedies.

Wentworth drew twice as many 25-54 viewers as Three’s Magnum P.I. and rated 1.4 points ahead of TVNZ 1 newcomer Race Across the World, which averaged 4.1%.

Race out-rated Magnum in all the key demos except 18-39 while Station 19 led Coronation Street except among household shoppers with kids; Hawaii Five-O finished third at 9.30.

Three’s 9.30 Monday crime drama, Special Victims Unit, easily won its slot but Tuesday’s NCIS double-bill lost to TVNZ 1’s How Not to Get Cancer and 20/20.

Cancer’s premiere averaged 4.8% of 25-54s and improved in all the top demos post-MKR.

Tuesday’s MKR largely seesawed with TBNZ, but won outright with HHS/k, while 20/20 dominated every key demos except 18-39, who opted for NCIS.