HDTV Ratings: July 5-8

Sunday’s HD repeats of movies featuring two of TV’s funniest, Billy T James and Homer Simpson, were ratings also-rans.

The Sunday Theatre dramatisation, Billy, drew about a third of last year’s viewership, averaging 4,2%-6.1% of key demographics, while The Simpsons Movie, which overlapped, drew 6.3%-7.3%.

The Simpsons Movie started competitively opposite Mike & Molly but was largely abandoned mid-way through for TV2’s movie, Click.

Kiwi comedy Golden averaged a respectable 5.2%-6.3% given the competition: Planet Dinosaur (4.7%-9.4%) and another Big Bang episode (12.0%-14.7%).

Judy Bailey’s Australia at last marginally improved on Saturday, averaging 2.9%-4.4%, but CSI was up spectacularly, drawing 5.5%-10.0%.

This was off the back of a surging Ice Road Truckers (9.0%-10.8%) and ahead of House’s series finale (3.8%-6.0%).

Earlier in the night, Hyundai Country Calendar averaged 8.5%-11.4% and ITM Fishing Show, 2.9%-5.2%.

On Friday, Vera drew 3.3% of 25-54 year-olds, TV One’s target audience, and 3.5% of HHS, compared to The Graham Norton Show’s 8.0%-10.0% in the same demos.

Glee exited with a less-than-gleeful 2.7%-4.2%, which means it could wind up next year on Four, while Hounds went out on 3.8%-4.8%.

On Thursday, Once Upon a Time departed with 6.4%-12.8% opposite Bones’ 6.6%-8.3% and after Rescue 1′s 10.4%-13.6%.

And for the first time, Rescue 1 faced a significant challenge: TV3’s second episode of The Block rated exceptionally well opposite it, averaging 9.3%-14.3% for the 7.30 hour and winning among HHS.