HDTV Ratings: March 19

Desperate Housewives’ traditional hold on the 8.30pm Monday hour is shattering as HD rivals Criminal Minds and Homeland cement their gains of recent weeks.

Homeland last night drew a record 7% of TV3’s target 25-54 audience — a modest number by most measures except it was nearly double the audience of the show’s premiere five weeks ago.

Moreover, it was only three points behind Housewives’ 10.0% on TV2, which finished second to Minds’ 12.5% on TV One.

The 18-49 and 18-39 viewerships were slightly lower but mirrored this pattern, with Housewives winning the slot only among household shoppers: 13.2% versus Minds’ 11.8% and Homeland’s 5.8%.

Housewives lead-out Revenge fared better, out-rating not only the competition but also in every demo except 25-54 its Wisteria Lane stabelmate, averaging ratings of 9.6%-14.9%.

Once again, TV One’s Person of Interest and TV3’s CSI were neck-and-neck for the leftovers, with the former having a significant edge only with the 25-54 rating: 7.1% versus CSI’s 6.0% (and Revenge’s 9.6%).

TV One had a strong night overall, with the HD season finales of Piha Rescue and Rapid Response largely winning their slots while TV3’s HD comedies Last Man Standing and Modern Family stayed steady with about half as many viewers in the key demos.