Delayed Sherlock season debut numbers halve on east coast for Nine
Nine’s decision to hold back and stagger the return of BBC drama Sherlock appears to have backfired with the show grabbing just 459,000 viewers and coming in 20th overall and fourth in its 8.30pm timeslot.
The network decided to hold back the show which stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman and aired in the UK over the first two weeks of the year, but show it first in the Perth market which last night had a new episode of Kalgoorlie Cops and film Meet the Fockers shown in place of the drama.
Its season premier in 2012 won 876,000 viewers across the country, according to OzTam preliminary overnight ratings.
The night once again was dominated by my Kitchen Rules for Seven, which grabbed 1.668m viewers between 7.30pm and 9pm, with the first 30 minutes of Seven News second with 1.02m, ahead of Nine News from 6pm with 1.012m. In the second half hour Nine edged the battle against the Seven News/Today Tonight combination by just 1,000 viewers.
Nine’s The Block: Fans v Faves was fourth for the night with 975,000 between 7.30pm and 8.30pm, holding off the first session of the in hit Big Bash League semi-final on ten, which got 697,000 for the first session between 7.30pm and 9pm, 666,000 for the rain delayed second innings of the Sydney Sixers’ loss to the Perth Scorchers, and performed best in the Post Game which had 761,000 viewers as the game ran over time.
Seven showed film Mr Deeds from 9pm, after My Kitchen Rules, and got 566,000 viewers beating Sherlock in Sydney and Melbourne, and finishing fifth in 18-49s behind MKR, The Block, Home and Away and the end of the cricket.
Seven dominated the night’s share taking 25.9 per cent, with Nine at 18.9 per cent and Ten on 14.7 per cent, ahead of ABC1 on 11.5 per cent.
Wednesday’s top 15 shows:
- My Kitchen Rules Seven 1,668,000
- Seven News Seven 1,020,000
- Nine News Nine 1,012,000
- The Block: Fans v Faves Nine 975,000
- Home and Away Seven 969,000
- Nine News 6:30 Nine 949,000
- Seven News/Today Tonight Seven 948,000
- ABC News ABC1 905,000
- A Current Affair Nine 873,000
- Cricket: T20 Big Bash League semi-final 2 – Post-game Ten 761,000
- Cricket: T20 Big Bash League semi-final 2 – Session 1 Ten 697,000
- 7.30 ABC1 680,000
- QI ABC1 669,000
- Cricket: T20 Big Bash League semi-final 2 – Session 2 Ten 666,000
- Spicks and Specks ABC1 598,000
Wednesday’s share:
- Seven 25.9%
- Nine 18.9%
- Ten 14.7%
- ABC1 11.5%
- SBS ONE 3.7%
- 7mate 3.2%
- Gem 3.2%
- ABC2 3.1%
- GO! 3.1%
- ONE 3.1%
- 7TWO 3.0%
- ELEVEN 3.0%
- ABC3 1.3%
- SBS 2 1.1%
- ABC News 24 1.0%
- NITV 0.2%
Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2013. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of OzTAM. Program performance and ranking information subject to change when not based on final program logs.
Were it not for a random spot of channel surfing last night, I never would have known this was on. Why no promotion?
User ID not verified.
How thoroughly deserved.
Channel Nine treated viewers with contempt and then they returned the favour? WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO.
User ID not verified.
The networks treat their viewers with disdain and then wonder why we don’t tune in. Channel 10 is doing the same with The Good Wife, Channel 7 with Downton Abbey, Grey’s Anatomy. Other than Sherlock it seems to be the shows targeted at an adult female audience that get delayed broadcast, holding them for months after their US or UK airdates for no apparent reason. I guess they will then cite the low ratings as justification for holding the series over, rather than acknowledge that by delaying they drive viewer to watching via torrent and other online avenues. I would prefer to watch the shows I like legitimately, but when the networks don’t bother showing them why wait?
User ID not verified.
When will networks learn? If you don’t fast track popular shows fan will just download them. Today’s audience is not going to wait and risk spoilers on social media just so that they can watch their favourite series LATE and punctuated by disruptive commercials.
User ID not verified.
8.30pm? It didn’t start until almost 9.00pm!
User ID not verified.
How stupid do 9 have to be? If you’re not going to rush this from the UK ASAP, then most will watch online. It’s on blimming YouTube for goodness sake…..
User ID not verified.
I am surprised the return of SpicksNSpecks made it to no. 15 –
Sorry, the new host, Josh something or other, doesn’t cut it. He has a whiny voice and speaks far too fast. Not only that, the cutaways to the guests telling us how wonderful they were went on far too long. The James Bond lookalike on the end contributed nothing and the new team captains were about as exciting as the pommy cricket captain.
Wouldn’t you have thought that the new crew would have spent at least some time watching the old gang to see what made it successful?
Hint: it’s on ABC2 every night!
User ID not verified.
I waited two years for Season 3 of Sherlock, then when every other country around the world had air dates announced Channel 9 didn’t. I didn’t wait around sorry.
User ID not verified.
Even as a mini-series with 3 eps per season, Sherlock seems to have gained quite a cult following across the world. After a two year wait between seasons 2 & 3, everyone was super anxious to watch the new episodes (especially after the major cliffhanger of season 2). As with many international shows, you need to watch the new episode quickly so that the internet doesn’t spoil it for you! So many people are turning to online to keep up to date with episodes and I honestly think that would have been a major factor with the low ratings.
There have been lots of ads, but as with most Nine Show trailers, all it said was “Coming in 2014”, and not giving a time slot until a week later (not enough warning guys!!)… Plus it started so late, not everyone is prepared to finish watching a show at 11pm.
Sorry Nine, but you dun goof’d.
User ID not verified.
Everybody I know, including myself, has already watched the whole season on iTunes. Might be something in that Channel 9. Final ep is epic btw.
User ID not verified.
Rebecca please…..language !!) :)lol
User ID not verified.
I agree. the new spicks and specks has lost its magic, “WHY DID THE NEW HOST HAVE TO TALK SO LOUD!!!!! “
User ID not verified.