When Merlin debuted, it did indeed play against TXF - but both shows started at the same time. Rather different from giving TXF a 25-minute head start ...

The iPlayer stats will only come out around this time next month (they haven't released the August ones yet, AFAIK). Barb are planning to include PC-based ratings soon, at the moment, only "watched via TV" get included (e.g Virgin/Sky catchup).

K

Not just Sundays, BBC1 couldn't come up with good popular drama on any night of the week for toffee. It was almost seismic when BBC1 managed to get a drama series (other than Casualty) or a one off drama (eg, the odd Screen One for example) rating over about 6m (a mediocre number in those days).

Meanwhile, ITV could spew out any number of formulaic run of the mill light and soapy dramas-by-numbers in a weeknight 9pm slot and get 12-16m - stuff like Taggart, Soldier Soldier or London's Burning, very mundane and routine stuff, and getting 16m+. What totally different times to what we have now.

Lest we forget, Heartbeat was some guff Yorkshire came up with which ITV Network Centre decided to burn off in a Friday 9pm summer slot - and that went and got 13-14m a week and a Sunday night promotion.

They could do no wrong.


Of course, it could get 3m next week.

It would be great if it did hold firm or even uplift, but let's not count our chickens. It would be a disaster for BBC1 if it sinks to 2.5m or so within 3 weeks, gifting Downton a couple more million viewers it wouldn't have had.


I don't feel the trailers have won me over for this. Why do we assume that those who watched Merlin will automatically watch this too?

It looks a clunker of a historical drama with a not very interesting premise, and it's being sent out to die against TXF, which starts just as SCD begins its "five minutes to go" wind-down.

Pardon the pun, but I think it could sink without trace.

(It also smacks of an ITV Tuesday night flopzone naming policy. Even ITV hasn't risked anything on Tuesdays with Atlantis in the title.... )


Didn't hear any "bakery" complaints when ITV aired their heavily-trailed but mega-flop Simon Cowell Bake-Off rip-off earlier in the year?

They didn't. ITV moved XF at the last minute. Besides, those who want to watch Atlantis will do! It probably will appeal to the slightly older audience who don't normally watch XF. There are a few million who don't!

Though I suppose in fairness they did come up with, finance and then air, the heavily promoted Titanic by Julian Fellowes, which quickly plummeted beneath the waves.

How could I forget that aptly named turkey?!

Because BARB are useless, and have silly rules.

Moved it to when?

Er - no, it's not. Or do you believe everything you read in the tabloids?

They moved it from 8pm to 8.20pm. This means strictly would have clashed for 25 minutes and Atlantis starting immediately afterwards. Would have been good for Atlantis but ITV bottled it!

He's referring to a fantasy schedule and assuming it's fact!

BBC drama seemed to wilt in the nineties and a lot of it was plain terrible, Trainer, A Year in Provence, Rhodes, Strathblair, come to mind. They did score the occasional period drama hit like Pride and Prejudice, but only EE and Casualty consistently delivered huge audiences. ITV had a stable ofsuccessful dramas and apart from the family friendly shows like Heartbeat, there were edgy dramas like Band Of Gold and Prime Suspect that could attract 15 million viewers.
Yet in the noughties the BBC seemed to rediscover its skill at making drama and series like Blackpool and Doctor Who were light years ahead of The Royal and The Palace.

Monarch of the Glen was Ok. Rockface was dire. Crocodile Shoes and Spender were Ok but I remember enjoying Between The Lines. They also did a big budget of Ivanhoe but that looked cheap! There was a lot of reliance on things like Dangerfield and Love Hurts. But as you say, nothing big like what ITV were offering.

Early data points towards the most watched Emmys since 2006. We still await the full numbers.

Remember you can see all the best bits tonight at 10pm in a special programme on 5USA.

I'll give it a miss thanks. I have virtually no interest in British award shows let alone American ones!

They did that with Bake-Off too when it returned.

X Factor's audition ratings, then:

Auditions 1: 8.78m (40%) / 9.20m (41.9%)
Auditions 2: 9.21m (36.2%) / 9.94m (39.1%)
Auditions 3: 7.94m (36.3%) / 8.30m (37.9%)
Auditions 4: 9.11m (35.5%) / 9.64m (37.6%)
Auditions 5: 8.65m (40%) / 9.06m (41.9%)
Auditions 6: 9.08m (34.7%) / 9.64m (36.8%)
Auditions 7: 8.46m (38.2%) / 8.83m (39.9%)
Auditions 8: 9.42m (37.3%) / 9.83m (38.9%).

Average of 8.83m (37.3%) / 9.31m (39.3%).

For the record, the 2008 auditions averaged 9.3m (44%) so number wise, it's level with that. Not a bad set of figures - now they've just got to hold onto them.

Surprise, Surprise holding onto it's audience from last week even though it dropped a little.

Impressive launch for Downton too. For the record, it peaked with 10.5m (40.4%) in the first five minutes, and still had 9.3m (43.7%) at 22:25. Clearly people stuck with it.

The big three (drama series, comedy series and mini-series/movie) all went more or less where expected although in the case of drama series there was lots of base covering when it came to projecting winners. Lots of predictions for House of Cards although I have sneaking feeling that Kevin Spacey killed its chances by spending months basically slagging off everyone in American television. He certainly made sure they weren't going to vote for him for lead actor which as it turns out was Jeff Daniels gain. It was a massively surprising night though.

No Modern Family wins in either supporting categories in comedy and the winners in both those categories were surprising regardless of the Modern Family consideration.
Lead actor in a drama was a huge surprise
Supporting actor in a drama was a big surprise
Lead actress in a mini-series or movie was something of a surprise
Writing for a mini-series or movie was a big surprise

And while I know they're not the most high profile of awards its worth mentioning that last night was only the second time The Amazing Race hasn't won Outstanding Reality Competition Series and last night was also the first time since 2003 that The Daily Show didn't win Variety Series.


Somewhat missing the overarching point I was making namely that the BBC have long established the post-Strictly slot as one for this kind of drama. Its not like this is some bold new experiment. We know full well that a drama like Atlantis can absolutely succeed in this slot and that it plays rather well as a strong alternative to The X Factor.

No thanks. I really don't see the point in broadcasting awards shows 24 hours after everyone finds out the results. ITV used to do that with the BRIT Awards until they got over themselves, and sure enough public interest in the Brits has picked up massively since they started airing them live again. I realise this was an American ceremony and thus one not suited to British viewing times, which probably made a live broadcast inappropriate, but still.

Surprised The Hour won over Behind the Candelabra which wins were justified, great film and it was a shame it wasn't able to secure a distributor which is why it ended up on HBO.

ITV Press Centre has Surprise Surprise down as 6.10pm - 7.10pm on Sunday 5th October.

That suggests either an awfully long Judges House episode for XF at 7.10pm - 9pm, with a 5 minute head start on SCD or something else will clash against SCD.

Downton won't attract anymore casual viewers. It has a massive fanbase and a big viewership, but people know by now if the show is for them or not. So I can't really see the show getting any new extra viewers. I would say the show is at its peak now. Last night's rating is fantastic. I had a feeling it would launch higher than last year though, as I understand there was a big death in the Christmas special and ITV promoted the hell out of it.

By Any Means did well to hold up against it. I hope it manages to hold onto that 4m audience as I think it was a really good show, which would have loads of potential to increase its audience away from Downton.

Crumbs ITV are really scared of SCD this year aren't they!?

I'm sure the last series premiere viewers drifted of after 10pm, so clearly last nights episode was compelling nough to stay with it throughout.

And to all those who still don't know why its so popular, firstly its escapism drama, secondly its set in the country (popular with UK viewers ala Coutryfile), thirdly good stories, and fourth viewers love period dramas (Call The Midwife)

That particular Sunday is the show where they reveal the top 12. I would hope it's just a mistake, or it's just been placed somewhere as it hasn't been confirmed yet. I hardly think it'll be 110 minutes long on the Sunday. I can't think of a 50 minute (or longer) show that could be put there instead). We could assume ITV are completely scared of Strictly this year.

BBC1 will just start SCD at 7pm. They could be putting an extra Corrie episode but stretching it out to fit the slot!

Well it's fair to say last nights ratings didn't go according to plan for some people on here. Some very bitter posts for the first few hours this morning, with people unable to accept that Downton Abbey actually did well and grew year on year, and therefore just resorted to slagging off Downton Abbey for being soapy and overhyped. Unable to give credit where it is due as per usual.