If you thought the Golden Globe Awards would be the No. 1 show of the week in Canada, guess again. Believe it or not, they were topped by a fresh episode of The Big Bang Theory.
Hockey and football were also big draws this week, as were several new and returning shows on CBC. While less competition helped (many American shows were still in reruns), the public broadcaster enjoyed an impressive launch to its winter 2012 season. Arctic Air and Mr. D launched to more than a million and a star-studded Republic of Doyle soared even higher.
Here’s how they all played out across Canada in prime time among adults 2+ the week of Jan. 9 to 15 according to overnight estimates:
MONDAY
No big sporting event and plenty of import reruns created a perfect opening for CBC’s winter season launch. As a result, Gerry Dee’s new school sitcom Mr. D got CBC’s week off to a great start with 1,230,000 viewers. That was followed by a strong return for Little Mosque (622,000) already announced as in its sixth and final season. Kevin O’Leary’s new prison reality show Redemption, Inc premiered next with 789,000 viewers.
It helped CBC at 8 that CTV ran a rerun of Flashpoint (985,000). A repeat of Two and a Half Men still drew 1,373,000 at 9. Mike & Molly weighed in at 9:30 with 1,198,000. A new Castle drew 1,860,000 at 10.
With no new House, Global was also less competitive on this Monday night, opening with a relocated The Good Wife (815,000) leading into Fear Factor (867,000) and then a repeat of Hawaii FIVE-0 (978,000).
City got a two-hour boost from The Bachelor (666,000) but lost viewers at 10 with reruns of How I Met Your Mother (193,000) and 2 Broke Girls (195,000).
CTV Two went with another spoonful of Mary Poppins (174,000).
A Canucks game scored 405,000 on Sportsnet Pacific. The big LSU vs. Alabama college bowl tilt scored 369,000 on TSN. Pretty Little Liars at MuchMusic drew 208,000. Score pinned 321,000 with WWE Raw. Midsomer Murders killed on TVO with 226,000 viewers.
TUESDAY
Global had its strongest night of the week with a new NCIS (2,206,000) followed by NCIS: Los Angeles (1,932,000). Parenthood at 10 drew 684,000.
The Sabres/Leafs game was a big part of the hockey draw at Sportsnet, netting 1,631,000 viewers across the country.
Night 2 of CBC’s winter launch saw ratings spike at 9 p.m. for the premiere of Adam Beach’s new drama Arctic Air (1,055,000). The Rick Mercer Report (837,000) and 22 Minutes (666,000) aired at 8 and 8:30.
CTV jammed a couple of comedies in at 8, drawing 908,000 with Whitney and 679,000 with Hot in Cleveland. The new Canadian drama The L.A. Complex — a recent pickup by The CW — was sampled by 351,000 at 9 on CTV and another 60,000 on MuchMusic. Unforgettable jumped back up to 1,410,000 viewers on CTV at 10.
City aired Last Man Standing (323,000), the second — and, as it turned out, final — episode of Work It (326,000) and then stuck with New Girl (437,000), Raising Hope (383,000) and Body of Proof (633,000).
Discovery had another bonanza with Gold Rush Alaska (538,000). Canada’s Handyman Challenge opened to 211,000 on HGTV.
WEDNESDAY
Dragons’ Den roared back with 1,496,000 CBC viewers. That was followed by Russell Crowe guest starring in the third season return of Republic of Doyle, boosting the St. John’s series to 1,361,000 viewers.
Again, CBC caught a break as CTV didn’t have its full competitive face on. Borrowed CTV Two drama Criminal Minds drew 1,364,000 at 8 followed by an old Sandra Bullock movie (615,000).
Global, however, was making no such concession, getting 1,116,000 for the second episode of its made-in-Canada miniseries Bomb Girls, down from 1.4 million the week before. The two-hour People’s Choice Awards at 9 drew 1,640,000 viewers.
City stuck with The Middle (406,000), Suburgatory (455,000), Modern Family (808,000), Happy Endings (406,000) and Revenge (481,000).
CTV Two had back-to-back America’s Next Top Model (91,000 and 87,000) followed by Law & Order: SVU (660,000).
Ice Pilots: NWT soared to 327,000 for its third season finale on History. IRT: Deadliest Roads drove off with 349,000. Another 247,000 watched Boston Rob’s Around the World in 80 Ways. A New Jersey/Edmonton game drew 385,000 on TSN.
THURSDAY
A new Big Bang Theory exploded to 3,566,000 CTV viewers. Up All Night tumbled back down to 1,153,000 at 8:30. Grey’s Anatomy did 2,035,000 at 9 followed by The Mentalist (2,069,000).
Global got a jump from a new Bones (1,663,000). The Finder at 9 found 1,385,000 viewers. The second episode of the new drama The Firm drew 835,000 Global viewers in its regular time slot.
TSN had the top hockey score of the night, with 731,000 tuning in for a Habs/Bruins tilt.
The Nature of Things drew 518,000 CBC viewers with Programmed to Be Fat. Doc Zone did 276,000.
City aired 30 Rock (332,000), Parks & Recreation (337,000), Person of Interest. The Vampire Diaries was the big draw at CTV Two (412,000).
A Sportsnet Pacific Canucks game drew 438,000. Family scored at 6 with The Suite Life on Deck (342,000).
FRIDAY
CTV’s usual strong Friday went CSI: New York (1,386,000), Grimm (996,000), Blue Bloods (1,843,000).
TSN stickhandled their way near the top with 1,321,000 catching another Leafs/Sabres game.
For the second week in a row, Marketplace was over the million mark, drawing 1,014,000. A half-hour Mercer repeat was next (553,000) followed by the fifth estate’s "Diagnosis Murder" (646,000).
A Gifted Man (853,000) works for Global Friday nights, but King (260,000) may be better left on Showcase. Harry’s Law drew 511,000 at 10.
The movie Frenemies did 500,000 on Family. WWE Smackdown drew 355,000 on Score.
Fringe found 328,000 followers at City where Extreme Makeover could only muster 166,000 and 210,000 for a two-part finale. CTV Two went Nikita (173,000), Criminal Minds (306,000), Dateline (362,000).
SATURDAY
Both hockey and football battled for viewers Saturday night. Hockey Night in Canada drew 1,841,000 with Leafs/Rangers in the mix. The late game featuring Calgary drew 719,000. CBC’s afternoon Jets game scored 434,000.
CTV’s two NFC playoff matches rambled for 1,559,000 in the late afternoon game and 1,172,000 in the evening.
Saturday Night Live had a big night with 608,000 11:30 p.m. viewers on Global. Curling drew 448,000 to an afternoon Skins competition on TSN. Merlin did 272,000 on Space.
SUNDAY
The 69th annual Golden Globes were the big draw Sunday on CTV with an overnight, estimated 3,158,000 viewers. The red carpet show at 6, on fewer CTV stations, drew 413,000, with less than a hundred thousand in the 25-54 demo.
CTV did 1,508,000 in between with Once Upon a Time. Another NFC Divisional Game in the afternoon scored 1,118,000 football fans.
TSN scored 1,244,000 at 4:30 with that upset of Green Bay at the hands of the Giants. Another curling Skins game drew 475,000.
Global weathered the Globes and the games with The Simpsons (845,000), the debut of Napoleon Dynamite (658,000), Family Guy (621,000), another Napoleon (534,000) and The Good Wife (639,000).
Heartland stayed even on CBC at 7 with 836,000 viewers. The movie WALL-E salvaged 587,000.
City’s big Sunday draw was again America’s Funniest Home Videos (650,000). The season premiere of Undercover Boss drew 947,000 on CTV Two. Desperate Housewives (574,000) and CSI: Miami (578,000) followed. A Golden Globes arrival special did 406,000 at 7 p.m.
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