HDTV Ratings: August 1

The Mentalist's Simon Baker

Fans of The Mentalist belatedly remembered a new season had started last night, when they returned to it in droves after last week’s premiere lost resoundingly to TV3’s movie, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

This week’s episode was as popular as predecessor Desperate Housewives, with an 18-39 rating of 15.5%, 18-49 rating of 15.3%, 25-54 rating of 14.8% and a household-shoppers-with-kids rating of 19.4%.

The best TV3’s free-to-air HD premiere of 12 Rounds could muster in any of these demographics was 10% of HHS/kids.

However, it still easily out-rated TV One’s Criminal Minds: Suspect Behaviour, although the race was closer in the demo both networks chase, 25-54 year-olds: 8.6% vs 7.5%.

At 9.30pm, TV2’s Body of Proof dominated, with age group ratings of 9.2%-9.5% and an HHS/kids rating of 13.4% whereas TV One’s Castle rated as low as 3.4% (18-39) and as high as 6% (HHS/kids).

But the most popular HD show of the night continues to be Shortland Street, with ratings of 15.9% (25-54)-24.7% (HHS/kids).