HDTV Ratings: May 9

TV2’s first hour-long ‘winter edition’ of Shortland Street was a ratings blockbuster, peaking with 28.1% of household shoppers with kids.

In this demographic, it averaged 25.1% from 7pm-8pm and 23.8% of its target audience, 18-39 year-olds; both ratings were up nearly a point on the previous Monday (which had to be sustained over only half-an-hour).

But in the older demos that the other networks chase, ratings dipped: 19.8% of 18-49 year-olds and 17.6% of 25-54 year-olds.

Opposite the return of My House My Castle at 8pm, TV3’s HD hit, Drug Bust, lost viewers, slipping from 15.7% of 25-54 year-olds last week to 12.8%, and from 13.8% of 18-49 year-olds to 12.3%.

But in both demos, Drug Bust’s ratings built whereas My House’s declined – although the latter still won the slot in the 18-49 and 18-39 demos while the former dominated 25-54 and HHS/kids.

The rest of the night was business as usual, with TV2’s Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters winning their slots; Criminal Minds beat CSI in the 25-54 race and the latter narrowly won the 18-49 contest.

Their 9.30pm HD stablemates, Castle and Californication, were up a point or so from the previous week, with the latter being more popular.