HDTV Ratings: July 30-August 1

Replacing The Slap with Grand Designs Revisited on the back of the surging popularity of The Block NZ helped TV3 to win the night on Wednesday.

The Block averaged a staggering 12.6% – 16.5% of key demographics and was almost as popular with 25-54-year-olds and household shoppers as Wednesday’s episode of Shortland Street.

It hammered TV2’s Two and Half Men re-runs, although the second hour of the Charlie Sheen marathon rebounded against Grand Designs Revisited.

But TV3’s strategy of switching The Slap to 9.35 paid off, with the HD drama shedding only a rating point or so whereas Designs was up several points on the previous week’s ratings for the 8.30 hour.

The Slap, meanwhile, outrated TV One’s HD rival Castle in every key demo except 25-54, where the crime show won by half a point.

Tuesday’s Hawaii Five-0 was more competitive than usual, averaging 4.7% of TV3’s target 25-54 viewership compared to Coppers’ 5.0% and Body of Proof’s 5.6%.

It was a similar story with 18-49 year-olds but Body of Proof scored twice as many HHS as Five-0.

TV2’s The Mentalist won every key demo in the 8.30 hour (7.1% – 10.2%), although the 25-54 race was tight: 8.7% versus First Crossings’ 8.0%.

The HD premiere of Coastwatch averaged 5.8% – 10.6% at 7.30 on TV One while Kings Cross ER at 8.00 on TV3 averaged 6.5% – 7.8%; neither could challenge TV2’s My Kitchen Rules (15.2% – 17.2%).

Monday’s HD premiere of The A-Team won TV3 the two-hour slot among 25-54 year-olds and kept it competitive in most of the other key demos.

TV One’s Unforgettable averaged 4.6% – 7.4% and Missing, 3.4% – 5.7%.

Meanwhile, Prime’s peak-hour Olympics Games coverage is generating 25-54 ratings of 6%-plus and 7%-plus for Tuesday and Wednesday morning broadcasts.