Not sure, like A Mother's Son it is in a tough slot, with Who Do You Think You Are? and Dallas.

It is however 90 minutes tonight, which is odd for a weekday non-Bank Holiday drama, in turn that could help it. I can see Who Do You Think You Are? getting edged under 4 million because of Biggs and Dallas.

Did those who found Accused too much switch to ITV?

How many times do I need to tell you all. Light always wins over gritty which is why I think Mrs Biggs and The Bletchley Circle will do well. BBC1's dramas are good but dark, put a lighter drama on the other side and most viewers will go to that. I'll be amazed if Good Cop gets 4m this week and even more amazed if it beats Bletchley Circle.

Thanks Mike. Nice growth there - what I notice is that it averaged 4.12m on ITV1+HD, so it clearly had a massive +1 rating to get it to 4.7m, so the drama clash must have dented both again, as Accused must have dropped again if 4.1m won the 9pm slot.


I think Corrie will settle in fine back in that slot. Mr & Mrs should get 4m, potentially even slightly more which would be alright. In a tough slot I can see Mrs Biggs struggling though. The subject matter hardly screams huge hit anyway (although apparently it's a brilliant drama) but against the Dallas revival, the Paralympics and the reliable WDYTYA I think it might struggle to top 4m, which would be a pity.

+1 530k

510
537
542
533

Are we expecting Dallas to pull some mad rating out of the bag?

I was thinking 2-3m TOPS. As for WDYTYA, seems to be a litttle bit tired now, the sort of show you'll put on if there's nothing better on or you really like the celebrity.

I'm going to guess:

WDYTYA - 3.9m
Biggs - 5.6m
Dallas - 2.5m

I think ITV needs to bring back an hour long variety show a la Des O'Connor Tonight (sad that liked that, I know)

or start showing some two hour films

What a shame though that another 1.3m couldn't have found their way to their TV sets at that particular moment!


I hadn't particularly thought about that before, but by golly, you're not wrong! (you never are of course...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP_kY__KumE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7xOrzrbytw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1PGcNK-GLI

So whilst the Beeb had the likes of dear old Ronnie Hazlehurst painstakingly composing a bespoke tune for each and every show that perfectly captured the mood and character of each one, ITV just got Argent and Hook to knock out a slightly modified version of the same 1980s muzak theme. I suppose that shouldn't surprise us...

(I like how even The Two of Us opening titles were a rip off of OFAH's. And how IBAOTN had a video editor called "Hackman" and a production assistant called "Stamp". )


"Geometric frippery". A phrase I need to "bookmark" for future use! Thanks...

From Attentional:

EastEnders: 7.18m
Paralympic Games 2012: 2.45m
The Unforgettable: The Sweeney: 2.19m

A good 9pm rating still meant a crap 8pm rating for ITV1. So some things don't change!

Jake_Kanter
The Great British Bake Off rose to a series high of 4.33m (19.12%), as David Weir’s heroics drew a peak of 3m (12.83%) to C4. #tellyratings
9:49 AM - 5 Sep 12

For tonight, Dallas will follow the first show for a CBB eviction (which could get a lower rating being on the 8pm slot), but by the amount it's being advertised, I predict 2.7m for Dallas.

Should be a decent night for Ch5:
BB- 1.9m
Dallas- 2.7m
BB- 2.2m

As for the others:
WDYTYA- 3.7m
Biggs- 4.9m
Paralympics- 2.4m

Thanks Mike.

Dropped each week as the stories got grittier I'd say.

So in the 9pm "battle" (more of an half-arsed pillow fight really), it was Accused 3.35m vs A Mother's Son 4.13m?

Neither is much cop in autumn drama ratings terms, both significantly down on previous outing, and both clearly dented by the PGs on C4.


I actually watched The Sweeney programme (if you can call it that) last night. It was basically an extended promo for the new movie.

Is it just me, or was The Sweeney a load of old rubbish? Whenever I've seen it, it looked like it was all hammed up with a lot of running about, comedy punch ups, and corny dialogue. Although Life on Mars was a pastiche/homage, I thought it was far better executed than The Sweeney ever was.

I agree, I don't think they should bother again. There clearly isn't the appetite for it. It doesn't help that it really isn't very good. McGovern is one of the most overrated writers on TV - just because it's 'gritty' and miserable it doesn't mean it's good.


I wouldn't exactly say that Mrs Biggs is a 'light' drama though. If anything I guess it's quite far from it. Bletchley Circle is obviously going to be lighter than Good Cop and I do think it'll beat Good Cop though. Predictions for tonight:

WDYTYA?: 4.2m
Mrs Biggs: 3.9m (4.3m inc +1)
Dallas: 3.4m (3.7m inc +1)

The Accused is excellent, in my opinion. This series was vintage McGovern.

Well shot, acted, scripted and produced. If anything, it's underrated, not the other way round.

They're lighter than BBC dramas and they certainly will imply stuff rather than graphically show it. BBC drama shows warts and all while ITV drama implies warts and all. This is why BBC1 dramas win awards not viewers and ITV dramas win viewers not awards. Generally speaking of course.

I haven't seen last night's Accused yet, and I can see how the gritty and dark tone can put viewers off, but I have to disagree with you. I often find the standalone stories are quite thought provoking. And the acting is superb. I still can't get the final scene out of my head from the second episode, where Olivia Coleman and Ann Marie Duff had their confrontation on the doorstep. Amazing.

That is a massive generalisation and I would argue against it having any basis in fact.

The Street was excellent, to be fair. Accused is just relentlessly and pointlessly miserable and grim.

People seem to be predicting a bit low for Dallas. ITS DALLAS!

I think it could be close to or just above Mrs Biggs in the 4/5m range, WDYTYA dropping to around 3.5m.
Biggs could take a bigger hit ofc, but even if it does that Wednesday slot could be a grower so am not sure how big a deal that would be for the 5 weeks run.


Certainly a very very competitive night. Hard to call, but I do think Dallas will be up there.

Last night's was by far the most uncomfortable to watch but such excellent, thought provoking telly. iPlayer it!

Perhaps they could repeat the Des O'Connor Tonight in which Stan Boardman told his joke about Fokker aircraft and nearly got them taken off the air

Holby City - 4.58m (20.2%)

Gap down just to 250k now, very close indeed. Bit of a rough night for Holby.
(and remember, no comparing officials as Holby doesn't have Scottish viewers included)

If it's Annie Lennox tonight on WDYTYA that's the old fogeys and Radio 2 listeners tucked up on BBC1?

Ronnie Biggs is known across the generations who's life is attractive to the younger demographic?

Dallas, if you are not over 45 won't JR, Bobby etc mean nothing ?

Can we expect ITV to go out all day promoting Mrs Biggs, I saw the male lead was on the Lorraine show this morning.

The Street was hardly sunshine and rainbows, though. Accused is essentially The Street with an ever so slightly different premise.

I would argue against the show being "pointlessly miserable" - yes, it is miserable, but there are clear messages and ideas being evoked and the moralistic side of it is fascinating. It's a show which provides few, if any, easy answers and I for one am grateful for this.

Drama with a bit of depth and grey areas surpasses drama by numbers in my opinion, and The Accused is a prime example of excellent realistic storytelling, "warts and all". Life isn't always lovely and easy, or neatly packaged. Sometimes it's unfair, open to interpretation and yes, grim.

Powerful depictions as such are commendable.

The good thing about Dallas is that it will interest all demographics. My parents will be watching (and my Mum hardly understands English, but Dallas was one of the only things she watched in the 80s when she moved here), older people who are beyond 60 will also watch. And teens up until the 30s will also watch because even though they may have not been born to see the original series, but everyone knows what Dallas is and the mix of younger and older cast will appeal to most. Also being on Ch5 and following CBB, that will attract a big % of younger audiences.