HDTV Ratings: October 2-5

Charlie’s Angels’ ratings tumbled against TV One’s Japan earthquake special last night but TV3’s HD premiere of The Borgias was remarkably solid given the competition and weak lead-in.

The costume crime drama averaged 6.2% of TV3’s key audience, 25-54 year-olds, peaking at 6.5% and holding up throughout the hour.

It was an impressive debut in the face of TV One’s Megaquake averaging 11.1%, which is an exceptional 25-54 rating for the network at any hour, let alone in a 9.30pm slot where it normally draws half as many viewers.

Borgias also wasn’t helped by Underbelly: Razor still failing to match the appeal of its predecessors, rating only 5.5% of 25-54s and 6% of 18-49s – compared with HD rival Nothing Trivial’s 9.8% and 8% ratings in these respective demographics.

Borgias also was popular with TV2’s 18-39 demo, rating 6.1% compared with Charlie’s Angels’ 4.9%.

In this morning’s Dominion Post, critic Jane Clifton said “this series doesn’t disappoint in terms of vividness and punch”.

She also singled out the elements that made it a must to watch in HD: “The gorgeousness of renaissance Rome is rendered with a painterly eye here — sumptuous reds, fathomless blues, jewels you could knock people’s teeth out with, gold around almost everything and everyone, a burnished bronze glaze over every scene, and, oh, the embroidery.”

On Tuesday, TV2’s Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice won their slots: the former was about three ratings points ahead of TV3’s NCIS but the gap was narrower between its sister show and NCIS: Los Angeles.

On Monday, The Mentalist rated 11% of 25-54s, 11.5% of 18-49s, 10.4% of 18-39s and 14.9% of household shoppers with kids to easily win its slot.