HDTV Ratings: May 16

The season finale of Sons of Anarchy won its time slot on Wednesday, averaging 7.3%-10.5% of the key demographics.

It not only outrated the TVNZ competition — HD rival Castle struggled on 2.9%-5.1% — but also its lead-in, the penultimate episode of The Almighty Johnsons (6.9%-7.8%).

But TV3’s most popular show of the night was the publicity gift that keeps on giving, The GC.

It lost to TV2’s 2 Broke Girls but by a relatively slim margin, averaging 9.5%-12.9% compared to the HD comedy’s 12.7%-14.0%.

The GC’s lead-in, Road Cops, also is rating well, drawing 7.2%-11.5% of the key demos — a competitive performance given its gangsbuster opposition, Two and a Half Men (16.6%-17.8%).

But The Big Bang Theory continues to be the most popular comedy of the night, with ratings of 15.7%-20.0% — and drew fractionally more 18-39 year-olds than even Shortland Street (19.8%).