HDTV Ratings: August 21-23

Thursday’s premiere of HD comedy Auckland Daze out-rated the series it replaced, Episodes, but viewers may not be quick to return.

It averaged 4.2% of TV One’s 25-54 demographic, although viewership fell sharply during the half-hour, from 4.9% to 3.6%.

There was a similar fall in other key demos, which averaged 2.0% – 4.7%.

TV One quit season two of Episodes after only two weeks so it could cash in on Mrs Brown’s Boys’ popularity as the lead-in to a local show.

The Dominion Post’s Jane Bowron dubbed Auckland Daze a “budget version” of Entourage that “might have started out as a Jackass interactive send-up but really it’s stale old comedic business as usual”.

Otherwise, Thursday was notable for a big jump in Dogs in the City’s popularity, with the show averaging twice as many viewers as its premiere of two weeks earlier: 4.6% – 8.1%, which will have TV3 ruing its decision to this week dump it mid-season for a movie.

It was helped by The Block NZ averaging 9.6% – 13.3%, not quite enough to out-rate TV2’s Police Ten-7 but ahead of Rescue 1.

Wednesday’s episode of the renovation hit averaged 10.5% – 13.4%, with the overrun beating the first half of TV2’s new HD comedy, Anger Management.

Overall, it drew 10.3% – 12.2% and its HD stablemate, Cougar Town, 8.4% – 9.7%.

At 9.30, TV One’s Castle averaged 4.4% – 5.2% and the penultimate episode of TV3’s The Slap, 3.0% – 5.2%.

On Tuesday, the season finale of First Crossings ended on a high (7.9% – 11.1%), opposite The Mentalist’s 8.6% – 14.5% and NCIS’ 3.5% – 4.4%.

At 9.30, TV One’s SD newcomer, One Born Every Minute, dented Body of Proof’s popularity, with the Dana Delany drama averaging only 3.5% – 7.5%.

Two hours earlier, Coastwatch averaged 7.1% – 12.5 and at 8.00, Kings Cross ER drew 4.1% – 5.6%.