HDTV Ratings: November 30-December 2

Spectacular ratings for the NZ’s Got Talent finale barely breathed new life into the dead-on-arrival whodunit, Vera.

TV One premiered Vera to dismal Friday night ratings mid-year and clearly hoped a bonanza audience for Talent would help to relaunch the Brenda Blethyn mystery series.

But whereas Talent averaged 13.3% – 21.4% of the major demographics, to become “the biggest TV show in 10 years,”* Vera rated only 2.8% – 7.7%.

While viewership in TV One’s target audience, 25-54 year-olds, as well as among 18-49 year-olds and household shoppers, was up sharply on previous episodes, it halved over the two-hour slot.

For instance, 25-54 ratings declined from 12.5% at the start to 8.1% midway to 5.4% at the end.

The night’s big post-Talent winner was TV3’s movie, The Holiday, which averaged 8.2% – 10.1%.

On Saturday, Annabel Langbein The Free Range Cook: Simple Pleasures out-rated On the Grill by roughly 2:1, Pan Am lost to CSI: Miami in all the key demos and Come Dine With Me largely beat CSI: New York.

On Friday, TV3’s light ent line-up won the key age demos but see-sawed with TV2’s  HD comedies and The Voice among HHS.

* According to TVNZ, “Last night’s finale of New Zealand’s Got Talent secured its winning position as the number one television show in 10 years.

“The Decider episode attracted over half of the viewing population against AP5+ (50.7%share, 23.3 rating) and was the number one show against all key demographics.

“Last night’s episode also continued the show’s record breaking run by achieving the highest channel share performance of the series against AP25-54 (44.5% share, 20.5 rating).”