The Brioux Report: Big Bang's Easter Miracle

The Big Bang Theory is such a story in Canada. It tops the prime time ratings every week, Canada’s only show that consistently draws over three million viewers. It is stripped weekdays on CTV, pulling millions more. Comedy milked it again all Easter weekend, and got by far its best run of ratings of the year.

The Amazing Race also came back strong, and there were a few new premieres. CBC also said goodbye for the season to its regular lineup, which could look a lot different next fall after the impact of budget cuts are announced May 10.

Here’s how all it all played out across Canada in prime time among adults 2+ the week of April 2 to 8 according to overnight estimates:

MONDAY

A new Bones was a bonus for Global with an even two million viewers counted in the overnight estimates. A new House drew 1,762,000. Hawaii FIVE-0 reran to 794,000.

Dancing with the Stars on CTV Two (1,342,000) beat The Voice on CTV (1,296,000) although Voice won easily in the 25-54 demo. Castle followed on CTV with 1,896,000.

Smash is no smash on CTV Two (447,000).

City’s Canada’s Got Talent, bumped back to 8 with Alcatraz adios, was up to 690,000 overnight viewers. 2 Broke Girls (249,000) and Suburbatory (179,000) followed. Law & Order UK did its usual 77,000 at 10.

The season finale of Mr. D bowed to 732,000 at 8 p.m. Then Little Mosque on the Prairie went out for good after six seasons to 669,000. The Dragon’s Den spin-off The Big Decision managed 492,000 at 10.

History got some action from Cajun Pawn Stars (436,000, 431,000) and Canadian Pickers (305,000). The March Madness U.S. college basketball final managed just 205,000 on TSN, less than a Washington/Tampa game on TSN2 (299,000). Score pinned 279,000 with WWE Raw. Bering Sea Gold (272,000) was the big draw at Discovery. Midsomer Murders killed on TVO (332,000).

TUESDAY

Even in reruns, the NCIS tandem is a big plus for Global. NCIS drew 1,356,000 viewers Tuesday night. NCIS: Los Angeles did 1,285,000. Wipeout fell to 390,000 at 10.

CTV Two again topped the mother network (in 2+ viewers) with the Dancing with the Stars results show (1,256,000) although the 8 o’clock recap only pulled 389,000. CTV Two’s night ended with Fashion Star (325,000).

CTV found 1,761,000 viewers with Missing. A results episode of The Voice did 1,138,000. Unforgettable ended CTV’s night with 1,181,000.

CBC had two more season finales. Ever consistent, the Rick Mercer Report exited for another year with 1,099,000 viewers. 22 Minutes followed with 951,000, driving their season average up over the year before. The SCTV reunion special I, Martin Short, Goes Home drew a disappointing crowd I must say, pulling 378,000.

A Tuesday, 30-minute episode of Canada’s Got Talent drew 451,000 on City. A repeat of 30 Rock followed (184,000), then New Girl (583,000). Raising Hope (250,000) and Body of Proof (762,000).

TSN scored with Anaheim/Vancouver (799,000). Toronto/Buffalo drew 629,000 hockey fans to Sportsnet Ontario. New episodes of Pawn Stars fetched 571,000 and 521,000 on History.

WEDNESDAY

                                                  

Survivor One World stayed on top of the overnights with 2,486,000 viewers. Rookie Blue, which returns with new episodes in late May, was rerun to 431,000. Part 3 of Global’s new Titanic miniseries sunk to 312,000 viewers.

A two hour American Idol drew 1,893,000 CTV viewers. A new CSI followed with a remarkable 2,345,000 tuning in at 10. Kudos Ted Danson.

For the second week in a row, Republic of Doyle failed to crack the million-a-week-plus mark, drawing 968,000 in the overnight estimates. This time Dragons’ Den was back as the lead-in, but was at half speed in a largely recapped season finale (1,269,000).

CTV Two got a boost from Betty White’s Off Their Rockers (560,000). The debut of the terrible new NBC comedy Best Friends Forever managed 250,000. CTV Two took a big jump with Criminal Minds (1,236,000) and tumbled back down with a repeat of The Mentalist (331,000).

City had reruns of The Middle (208,000), Suburgatory (215,000), Modern Family (382,000) and Happy Endings (277,000). An umpteenth Murdoch Mysteries rerun was slotted in at 10 (133,000).

Back-to-back episodes of American Restoration drew 447,000 and 498,000 on History, where Swamp People added another 481,000. Tampa/Montreal drew 398,000 on TSN. Slice premiered the Real Housewives of Vancouver and 175,000 and 157,000 showed up for the first two episodes. A Raptors game scored 106,000 on Sportsnet National. King crowned 80,000 on Showcase.

                                                                                 

THURSDAY

                                                                                 

The Big Bang Theory once again topped the week in Canada with 3,181,000 overnight viewers. Two and a Half Men followed with 1,036,000. Grey’s Anatomy was next with 1,692,000, then, a robust outing for The Mentalist (2,128,000).

American Idol (966,000) was down a bit on CTV Two. Hot in Cleveland (374,000) and Up All Night (216,000) followed. Criminal Minds did 227,000 at 10.

The Office reran to 162,000 on Global, where Kiefer Sutherland’s new series Touch reached out to 959,000. Awake woke up 471,000.

A two-hour Doc Zone providing a Canadian angle on The Titanic was floated to 618,000 CBC viewers.

City saw 147,000 tune in to Community. 30 Rock rolled to 224,000. Person of Interest interested 834,000. The premiere of the new drama Scandal did 429,000.

On Sportsnet National, 646,000 came out for the Blue Jays season opener vs. Cleveland. Another 517,000 were watching the Canucks on Sportsnet Pacific.

Philly/Toronto scored 702,000 viewers for TSN. Undercover Boss Canada hired another 396,000 at 9 p.m. on W. Swamp People scared 328,000 on History. Dance Moms scared 227,000 on Slice.

FRIDAY

Marketplace ended a winning season with 1,114,000 tuning in for “The Busted Edition.” CBC drew another 775,000 with the season finale of the fifth estate.

CTV led with Undercover Boss at 8 (1,058,000) followed by Grimm at 9 (1,015,000) and Blue Bloods (1,752,000).

Global went with The Finder (981,000), Harry’s Law (802,000) and Ringer (246,000).

CTV Two stuck with Nikita (113,000), CSI: NY (765,000) and Dateline (350,000).

City was back with Who Do You Think You Are (411,000) and Fringe (331,000) and the Mantracker (196,000).

The second round at The Masters shot 951,000 on TSN. The Nick Choice Awards did 361,000 on YTV. WWE Smackdown drew 247,000 on Score. A Pawn Stars marathon peaked at 312,000 on History. Frozen Planet thawed out 230,000 on Discovery.

SATURDAY          

The Leafs ended another horrible season against the Canadiens. Both out of it, they drew 1,716,000 on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, well off the 2.5 million they drew earlier in the season. The late game between Edmonton and Vancouver scored 1,455,000 overnight, estimated viewers. An afternoon tilt featuring Ottawa drew 449,000.

Round Three of The Masters on Global fired 915,000. Buried Saturday at 8 and airing six days after its NBC broadcast, a two hour Celebrity Apprentice was found by 320,000 Global viewers.

Blue Jays batted another 843,000 for an afternoon game on Sportsnet National. A new Saturday Night Live, featuring Modern Family stunner Sophia Vergara, soared to 582,000 at 11:30 p.m. A Big Bang Easter marathon on Comedy peaked at 469,000 and boasted nine half hours over 400,000!

SUNDAY            

Once Upon a Time reran to 589,000 at 7 on CTV. The Amazing Race roared back at 8 with 2,358,000 overnight, estimated viewers. Back-to-back episodes of GCB followed with 1,060,000 and 954,000 viewers.

Global got the afternoon Green Jacket with the final round of The Masters holing out to 1,802,000. Their prime time lineup featured mainly reruns of The Simpsons (637,000) followed by Bob’s Burgers (425,000), Family Guy (550,000) and American Dad (458,000). The Good Wife was back and did 442,000. The West Block managed 122,000.

CTV Two’s top show was CSI: Miami (816,000).

That recent hockey movie Breakaway premiered to 459,000 on CBC. A Nature of Things look at Polar Bears topped it at 7 with 622,000.

Canada’s Got Talent pulled 559,000 on City. Analyze That was City’s latest Sunday night movie bomb (127,000).

Comedy continued with their Big Bang Easter marathon, which peaked at 611,000 and topped 400,000 over 27 half hours!

The Men’s World Curling final drew 885,000 on TSN. Blue Jays batted 706,000 on Sportsnet National. An American Pickers marathon peaked at 407,000 on History. Frozen Planet peaked at 291,000 on Discovery. Justified drew 127,000 on Showcase.
Finally, the season premiere of The Borgias drew 132,000 at 10 p.m. on Bravo.

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