HDTV Ratings: April 18

The Walking Dead has turned into just that for TV2’s ratings.

Wednesday’s episode was the season’s lowest-rated yet, roughly halving last week’s viewership to only 2.9%-3.6% of the key demographics.

Worryingly for TV2, it drew fewest of the network’s target audience, 18-39 year-olds, and was watched by even fewer household shoppers than lead-out Nikita at 10.30.

Curiously, viewers didn’t desert Dead for HD rivals Harry’s Law or Sons of Anarchy.

TV3’s bikie drama was up slightly with 18-49 and 18-39 year-olds, to 7.3% and 7.5% respectively, but down in the other demos.

Similarly, HHS viewers boosted Harry’s Law from 4.6% the previous week to 5.6% but in the 25-54 demo virtually the opposite happened.

Its 8.30 lead-in, Castle, was down sharply, averaging only 5.6% of 25-54 year-olds (compared to 8.0% for its season premiere), 4.3% of 18-49 (5.8%)  and 2.7% of HHS (6.4%).

Time slot rivals The Big Bang Theory/Happy Endings and The Almighty Johnsons also shed viewers across the board, although the comedies’ HHS and 18-39 ratings largely held up.

TV3’s Road Madness ended its season strongly, averaging 6.9%-10.1%, with every demo except 18-39 rating above 8%, while Shortland Street was, as usual, the most watched show of the night.