Cosy murder show Lewis defeats bleak River for third week
Just three short weeks ago the debut episode of River, BBC One’s darker-than-the-Thames-on-a-winter’s-night London-based psychological cop drama, defeated ITV’s cosy long-running regional cop show Lewis, as audiences were won over by the unprecedented bleakness of Stellan Skarsgard’s performance.
Grim and moody police procedurals are no strangers to the nation’s TV schedules but plucking a Swedish lead actor form the big screen gave some indication of just how much of a Nordic noir sensibility the makers were aiming for.
Three weeks ago, 3.9 million viewers tuned in to be introduced to John River, a highly troubled London detective on the hunt for his partner Stevie’s (Nicola Walker) killer, even though she was still along for the ride via the shaky medium of psychotic hallucinations.
The set-up may have proved too much for some, with the second episode suffering a -26% share (2.9 million viewers), with the last week’s instalment episode bringing the second consecutive fall, all the way down to 2.5 million viewers.
Surprisingly, last night’s continued investigation saw the show rise slightly week on week, with an audience of 2.7 million viewers tuning in to see River make some discoveries about Stevie’s personal life, resulting in a 13% share.
But it was ITV’s comfortable Detective Morse spin-off Lewis that won over the biggest 9pm audience for the third week in a row.
After losing the initial battle to BBC One’s bleak-fest, the following weeks saw the prime time audience come to its senses and returned to the light-hearted brand of murder they knew and loved.
Yesterday’s slain professor came in the form of a geometric topology expert who was on the losing end of a letter bomb, with Lewis and Hathaway’s investigation securing 3.7 million viewers and a 17% share.
At the same time on BBC Two, neutered former ladette Sara Cox fronted a brand new reality competition, this time aiming to make clay molesting exciting.
The Great Pottery Throw Down (9pm) is just like that little Bake Off show that could and pitted 10 real life normal humans against each other in a battle to become Top Potter.
In fact, just like Bake Off, the opening episode of mud caressing was littered with numerous innuendos, as well as some actual comparisons to sex. 1.9 million viewers watched as the hopefuls were asked to make as many egg cups as they could in twenty minutes, resulting in a 9% share.
On Channel 5, charismatic professionals Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford gawped at people with waaay more money than you in the latest thrilling instalment of Eamonn & Ruth: How the Other Half Lives (9pm).
1.2 million viewers tuned in to see the dynamic resenting duo chat to some ‘new money’ at Henley, resulting in a 6% share.
Over on Channel 4, it was time for the show that was equal parts anxiety and tear fuel in 24 Hours in A&E (9pm). 2 million viewers watched the latest round of tiny tots and the elderly being rushed through the doors in a bloody panic, resulting in a 9% share.
A little later in Channel 4’s corner of wrong, Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney were back for the second episode of Catastrophe‘s (10pm) second series as the couple still struggled with the trials of parenthood while attempting to come across as actual grownups.
Last week’s episode, which saw the show time jump to the arrival of the dysfunctional couple’s second child, and was watched by 833,000 viewers. Yesterday’s trip into the transatlantic couple’s twisted worlds saw them deal with the fun topic of post-baby sex, with viewers falling to 791,000, resulting in a 9% share.
At 8pm Holby City netted 4.4 million viewers (a 21% share) for BBC One while the Autumnwatch 2015 team continued to perv on some innocent badgers over on BBC Two, with 2.4 million viewers (an 11% share) joining along for the ride.
[advert position=”left”]On ITV, the bizarre hilarity of lyrca-sponsored competitive fitness that was Eternal Glory (8pm) brought in 2.2 million viewers and a 10% share.
At the same time Channel 4 turned its inexhaustible fixed-rigged camera set up towards unaware tots in a new run of The Secret Life of (8pm). 2.2 million viewers tuned in to look at a flock of four year olds interact in their natural habitat, resulting in 10% share.
Meanwhile Channel 5 was taking a look at some Pets Who Hates Vets (8pm), which is fair enough really. 1.3 million viewers tuned in for an hour of growling moggies, resulting in a 6% share.
Earlier at 7pm, Debbie Dingle was being a well moody mare for a change, with a pedestrian trip to Emmerdale (no explosions, flash floods or well-based accidents) netting 6 million viewers and a 31% share for ITV.
BBC One’s long suffering running soap EastEnders (7:30pm) took Tuesday’s top spot with the latest Beale/Mitchell drama netting 6.4 million viewers and a 32% 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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