BBC One’s heavy cop show River suffers a -26% fall one week on
Last night saw haunted and unstable London bobby River (BBC One, 9pm) return to TV screens in order to brighten up the nation’s gloomy Tuesday evening with the continuing tale of dark streets, macabre crimes and sorrow-filled revenge.
The second episode of the Nordic-inspired police procedural saw’s John River (Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard) attend the wake of his former partner, Stevie (Nicola Walker), despite the fact he still sees and interacts with her (big gaping hole in her head and everything).
So not exactly Death in Paradise, then.
And as viewers discovered last week, the traumatised and bleak-as-fůk detective was actually proper crazy, with the second of six episodes seeing the amount of dead spectres he hangs out with mount up considerably.
Sprinkling all these unique but possibly jarring ingredients into the crime genre mightn’t be everyone’s cup of tea on a Tuesday night but the drama opened to a decidedly decent audience last week, with 3.9 million viewers tuning in to discover his partner Stevie was just an echo from his fractured psychosis.
Last night’s further adventures in trauma-triggered madness suffered a significant week on week fall of -26%, with just 2.9 million viewers and a 14% share tuning in to generally feel a bit numb for an hour.
In the exact opposite outcome of last week’s face off, yesterday saw Oxford’s comparatively charming detective Lewis (ITV, 9pm) secure the 9pm slot for ITV with a brand new tale of homicide fun.
After a college dean is found bludgeoned to death in the woods (what else?), DI Lewis and plucky young thing DI Hathaway are forced to uncover sordid secrets, visit fetish clubs and wonder how there are any academics still alive at this stage.
Increasing on last week’s 3.5 million viewers, yesterday’s new case attracted 3.8 million viewers and a victorious 18% share.
The penultimate episode of The Naked Choir with Gareth Malone (BBC Two, 9pm) saw the four remaining groups attempt to record a video with the specific aim of becoming a viral hit, with viewers setting their cringe control levels to high.
1.7 viewers tuned in to see Gareth and his troupe of emotional hopefuls battle it out for a place in the finale, resulting in an 8% share.
At the same time, Channel 4 launched a new series of real life horror edited into prime time entertainment, 24 Hours in A&E. 1.9 million viewers tuned in to catch the latest from the show that just keeps on giving, resulting in a 9% and Channel 4’s biggest hit of the day.
Over on Channel 5 was the second episode of the sensationalist look at ye olden day child murder, Witch Hunt: A Century of Murder (9pm), although at least there was no benefits angle for once. 627,000 viewers and a 3% share tuned in for some senseless 17th century slaying.
Earlier at 8pm, Holby City bagged 4.4 million viewers for BBC One, while the super fit master race on Eternal Glory attracted 1.4 million to ITV.
On Channel 4, Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners‘ questionable approach to mental health was watched by 1.3 million viewers while The Yorkshire Vet secured another 1.3 million viewers.
At 7pm, Emmerdale‘s latest dollop of heightened drama was watched by 5.7 million viewers and a 30% share while BBC One’s EastEnders secured the day’s top spot at 7:30pm with the Beale family’s latest bonding session.
6.4 million viewers tuned in to see Ian tell Cathy all about Bobby the Lucy-Slayer, resulting in a 33% share.
Overnight data is available each morning in mediatel.co.uk’s TV Database, with all BARB registered subscribers able to view reports for terrestrial networks and key multi-channel stations. Overnight data supplied by TRP are based on 15 minute slot averages. This may differ from tape checked figures, which are based on a programme’s actual start and end time.
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