HDTV Ratings: May 2

The nonsense of monitoring social media sites to generate fatuous headlines like “Viewers Want The GC Cancelled” was amply demonstrated by overnight ratings that show just the opposite.

This morning’s NZ Herald reported Wednesday’s premiere as inspiring “so much hatred among some that a Facebook page was set up called ‘Cancel The GC TV Show’.”

That clearly isn’t going to happen judging by the premiere’s performance, which has dented the appeal of TV2’s unassailable sitcom block more than any other shows TV3 has thrown at it.

The GC didn’t win the 8pm slot but it seriously challenged 2 Broke Girls’ supremacy, averaging 11.5% of 25-54 year-olds (versus Girls’ 12.9%), 10.7% of 18-49 (vs 12.6%), 11.2% of 18-39 (vs 12.5%) and 10.8% of HHS (vs 14.6%).

This was off the back of Road Cops’ return, which averaged a solid 7.4%-9.7% opposite Two and a Half Men’s 12.3%-16.5%.

Moreover, The GC’s popularity boosted lead-out The Almighty Johnsons, which posted its highest ratings this season: 8.8%-9.2%.

However, Johnsons’ lead-out Sons of Anarchy struggled against new time-slot rival Hell’s Kitchen, which out-rated it in every key demographic: Sons averaged 4.8%-8.5% and Kitchen, 7.4%-9.5%.

TV One’s Castle and Harry’s Law were steady, with respective 25-54 ratings of 7.0% and 4.5%.