HDTV Ratings: The Mentalist vs Street Kings

TV2’s HD premiere of season two of The Mentalist last night scorched the competition.

With the top-rating, movie-length episode of Shortland Street as a lead-in, it drew 19.1% of TV2’s target audience, 18-39 year-olds, and 20.8% of TV3’s key demo, 18-49 year-olds, whereas TV3’s free-to-air HD premiere of Street Kings could only rate 6.1% of each.

The Mentalist’s popularity was in sharp contrast to last week’s re-run, when it fared dreadfully opposite TV3’s Outrageous Fortune.

Can tonight’s season-one repeat do better on the back of last night’s crowdpleaser?

Meanwhile, Friday’s season finale of Glee proved underwhelming, pulling only 8.7% of 18-49 year-olds, probably due to Sky Sports 1 screening live ITM Cup rugby.