The 1m drop happened straight after episode 1 when it was up against relatively tough competition. It's the sort of drop that most new drama series on ITV experience for episode 2 anyway. Once a brand new 6-part drama series has lost a chunk of its audience for episode 2, it's usually difficult to get those viewers back for the remaining episodes as they've effectively "given up" straight after the first episode. But episodes 2 to 4 of Monroe have rated broadly in line with each other: 5.0m, 4.9m, 4.9m (inc +1) in tersm of their full slot averages. The fact is, when compared to how other new 6-part drama series have done on ITV and BBC over the last few years, Monroe is indeed one of the higher rated dramas.

Here's how brand new 6+ episode dramas since 2008 have rated for their first series in the overnights:

8.7m - Downton Abbey (ITV1)
6.2m - Lark Rise to Candleford (BBC1)
5.9m - Law & Order: UK (ITV1)
5.8m - Merlin (BBC1)
5.1m - Survivors (BBC1)
5.1m - Monroe (ITV1) exc. +1... (likely to drop to ~4.9m by ep 6)
5.0m - Silk (BBC1)
4.8m - Mistresses (BBC1)
4.8m - Bonekickers (BBC1)
4.5m - The Fixer (ITV1)
4.4m - Luther (BBC1)
4.3m - Married Single Other (ITV1)
4.2m - Honest (ITV1)
4.2m - Demons (ITV1)
4.2m - All The Small Things (BBC1)
4.1m - Identity (ITV1)
3.9m - Little Dorrit (BBC1)
3.8m - Hope Springs (BBC1)
3.7m - Accused (BBC1)
3.7m - Mutual Friends (BBC1)
3.3m - The Palace (ITV1)
3.2m - Apparitions (BBC1)
3.2m - The Invisibles (BBC1)
3.2m - Casualty 1909 (BBC1)
3.0m - Harley Street (ITV1)
2.9m - Monday Monday (ITV1)
2.6m - Echo Beach (ITV1)
2.6m - Rock Rivals (ITV1)
2.6m - Outcasts (BBC1)
2.5m - Material Girl (BBC1)
2.4m - Britannia High (ITV1)
1.8m - The Prisoner (ITV1)

From looking at that list, you can tell why the BBC recommissioned Silk so quickly. And likewise, Monroe is one of the top rated new drama series from that list to have launched in the last few years and has been "moderately successful" IMO when you do a relative comparison to all those other drama series. Sure, you can say 4.5-5.0m ratings isn't good when you compare them to shows like Waking The Dead, Midsomer Murders, Silent Witness etc or compared to the "5m benchmark" (which was probably the benchmark set 5 years ago before timeshifting took off). But the way I suspect broadcasters look at the success of a new drama series, in terms of possible recommissions, is by comparing how it's done to other new drama series that have begun in recent years and then recommissioning the programmes which have the higher averages. That's why I think if the next two episodes hold up at 4.5m+, Monroe will almost certainly be recommissioned, especially with the relatively high timeshift these days which will send its official average to 5.5-6m and the fact that it's a non-crime, medical series which ITV haven't had for a while.

I see Glory Daze continues to flop, would someone like to tell me E4 did the right thing now?

I doubt BBC1 would commission such tripe.

But yeah, seems like Monroe will be recommissioned.

Jeez, I'd forgotten about The Prisoner when I reminisced about Britannia High the other week.

Mind you, it was eminently forgettable as the ratings proved. It does put Outcasts in context really.

Monday Monday doesn't ring the remotest of bells, but it sounds dire from the title alone. What day was it on?


Over what period - 8am-6pm? That might be right for ITV, but I can't see BBC1 averaging 10m over 10 hours.

I was thinking in terms of peaks, as that's what you said all anybody would be interested in. Does 15m BBC1 to 8m ITV1 during the ceremony itself sound fair - or am I being too kind on ITV there?


But Simon Cowell isn't.

Michael Macintyre - whoopee!

Hang on, Monday Monday was on ITV!

Just googled it. Sneaky rzt, passing off ITV's flops as the Beeb's!

Don't forget the far superior Upstairs Downstairs Abbey - which really does deserve a full series - got over 11m for its first episode on BBC1 recently...

That share for Exit Wounds doesn't look accurate.

Poor night for Channel 4.

It had this really tall, gauche woman called Miranda Hart in it.

I dont even know what time the cermony thing is on therefore its difficult to estimate the number of sad saps with no life who will be watching. I'd say the old folks homes will have BBC on (the richer ones anyway). ITV was always more working class and I'm not sure how royalist they are anymore. Although they might enjoy the celeb fest element.

I'd expect big regional variations in the viewing figures (lowest in Scotland & Wales; very high in midlands & southern rural england but lower in London)

Who then moved to the BBC and became a household name?

Robbie puts his hand up...

10.30 for the procession, 11.30 church, 12.30 parade back. Make a note in your diary.

If it out-peaks the X Factor, which it clearly will, I'm not sure where that leaves us in the "sad saps with no life" stakes...

I think BBC1 will have between 3 to 4 times more viewers than ITV1 for their royal wedding coverage. Here's the margins of victory for BBC1 over ITV1 for simulcasted events in recent years:

Election Night 2005... x2.0
Prince Charles' Wedding 2005... x5.6
World Cup Final 2006... x4.8
Election Night 2010... x3.2
World Cup Final 2010... x4.5

I don't expect the margin to be as high as what the football has been in the last few years. There was a massive gap between the BBC and ITV for Prince Charles' wedding but that's probably because ITV started a couple of hours after the BBC. I can't see the margin being as big as that because ITV will be beginning their coverage on time but I also just can't see it being as low as 2 to 1. Yes, ITV have started to promote it but it's just a few 10-second trailers here and there, which will probably pale in comparison once the BBC starts promoting it in a week or two's time across TV, radio, Internet.

Edit: wonder why the margin was so low on 2005 Election Night?


It was a typo, Robbie !

Hereditary X Factor - I'm copyrighting the rights in case you try toi poach it

deleted

Has the new series of Doctor Who: Confidential been confirmed?

Diana's Funeral 1997... x2.0 (21m BBC1 vs 10m ITV)

That was my basis for saying a 15m BBC1 peak against an 8m ITV1 peak. Perhaps I'm being over optimistic in thinking 23m will tune in (peak) for the ceremony itself, in this day and age and when it's tagged on to a holiday weekend when millions will be off and away for nearly a fortnight anyway, and when there will be public showings too (I don't imagine crowds gathered to watch Diana's funeral on big screens or in pubs).

But it is massive, despite what GeorgeS hopes, and we haven't started on the real build-up yet. Even if 40m people decide not to bother at all, that leaves 22m of us.

Early Digiguide update suggests the following, which will all change no doubt, although ITV1 probably about right given the football in the schedule :

Saturday 16th April

BBC One

19:00 So You Think You Can Dance
20:00 National Lottery Secret Fortune
20:50 Casualty

ITV1

16:40 FA Cup Semi Final
19:20 Sing If You Can
20:20 Britains Got Talent
21:50 Piers Morgans Life Stories

Not much else from the update apart from TBA.

Looks like a 'Farewell Liz' Corrie Special scheduled for 9pm Thursday 21st April on ITV1.

I take your point, but ...

Monroe wasn't spectacularly beaten when it lost its slot - actually only marginally - so it wasn't like viewers all switched to BBC One automatically ... more like they just gave up altogether.

In the context of your list (more of which in a moment), I can see why you argue that Monroe should be recommissioned - but, next to ITV's successful dramas (Downtown Abbey, Wild At Heart, Lewis, Midsomer Murders - have I forgotten any? ), its viewing figures are pretty feeble. Marchlands held up far better over its five-week run (and was a genuine success). Bear in mind also that The Fixer, which was initially held up at ITV as the best thing since sliced bread, was recommissioned then never recovered from weak ratings for its first series; and that L&O:UK hasn't had ratings like 5.9m for quite some time ... so I don't think the case for recommissioning Monroe is actually that strong.

Back to your list, however - which is a truly shocking indictment of drama executives' lack of talent across both BBC and (especially) ITV. A pretty diablolical strike rate they should all be ashamed of ...

I suppose Jeremy Kyle does well so a man from a dysfunctional family marrying has a certain freak show value!

Yeah the wedding will undoubtedly be massive. However, I wouldn't use the x2 margin for Diana's funeral as an indicator of what the margin will be for the Royal Wedding. That was in a different TV landscape when ITV often were behind 2:1 during simulcasted events (for football matches too for e.g.) and ITV were a stronger broadcaster back then. As we've seen in recent years, generally the gap is more than 3 to 1 between the two channels. The 2005 Election Night was down to 2:1 but that's the only exception to the usual trend of >3:1, which I reckon will happen again too.

Channel 5 Week 16 (16th April-22nd April)

The ever popular Hotel Inspector returns for a 7th eight part series on Monday 18th April at 9pm.

Essex Jungle, which explores the rising trend of exotic animals being kept as domestic pets in the hotspot of Essex, begins a 4 part run on Wednesday 20th April at 8pm.

The second season of Justified begins on 5USA. Date and time TBC closer to transmission.

no sign of The Mentalist in that week, on both the PI and Digiguide, wonder what is going on there.

It looks like Channel 5's regular Friday schedule will be rested on Good Friday. Movies look likely to play out in primetime, with Ice Road Truckers and The Mentalist taking a break. Regular live dailies OK! TV and The Vanessa Show are also off air. The Wright Stuff will broadcast as normal.

I always forget about Good Friday.

Then again Digiguide isnt helping matters, 3 weeks now its made a mistake with Channel 5 listings.

Unfortunate for ITV that they have the football on that week which means a later than planned start for the 3 big primetime shows. Also it could cause problems if it goes into extra time.

Really surprised to see Corrie giving Bev Callard an hour long farewell special..much bigger legends including Liz Dawn and Bill Tarmey were only given a half hour pre watershed filler slot!