Fry’s Depressive episode down -27% 10 Years On
One whole day after upsetting those ever-so-sensitive souls on social media, Stephen Fry and his precarious national treasure status was back for a perfectly timed exercise in damage control as he returned to The Not So Secret Life of the Manic Depressive: 10 Years On (BBC One, 9pm).
While it may have sounded like extremely brave viewing for a wet and cold night in February, the honest catch-up about the nation’s perceptions about mental illness was at times frightening, but was surprisingly warm and open viewing.
Like its decade-old predecessor, Fry’s aim was to shine a light on people’s misconceptions and fears while attempting to document some kind of social progress in the time that has past.
Way back in September 2006 on BBC Two, the first episode brought in 3 million live viewers, falling to 2.8 million in the second half a week later.
Perhaps #bagladygate may have something to do with last night’s results, but the follow up documentary failed to match either of the original episodes.
Just 2.2 million viewers tuned in last night to meet up with some people who were part of the original documentary, resulting in a 10% share for BBC One.
It was actually ITV’s sunshine-filled Valium pill Benidorm that bagged Monday’s 9pm slot, with the penultimate episode of the eighth series delivering plenty of colourful comedy. 4.1 million viewers and a 19% share tuned in for the latest trip to the Solana.
Over on BBC Two, viewers were finally given the chance to see Ross from Friends play Robert Kardashian while John Travolta showed up and frightened everyone as Robert Shapiro in yet another dramatic retelling of the pantomime trial of OJ Simpson.
From the makers of American Horror Story (and Glee, but they don’t tell you that) American Crime Story (9pm) is a new 10 part series that promises to be pure car crash TV. 1.7 million viewers tuned in to see Cuba Gooding Jr take on the mantle of The Juice, resulting in a 8% share.
Over on Channel 4, the young recruits of Royal Navy School (9pm) had a naked shower party and then got shouted at a lot, resulting in 1.8 million viewers and an 8% share.
On Channel 5 was the second episode of The X Files (9pm), as the revived series saw Mulder and Scully investigate a dodgy corporation messing about with foetuses.
Down from last week’s series opener, which secured 3 million viewers, last night’s adventure in finally dealing with that baby the two investigators had together bagged 2 million viewers and a 9% share.
Over on FOX, the torturous but highly addictive The Walking Dead returned from its Christmas break, upping the WTF ante to unprecedented levels, which says a lot for the grim but gripping show.
803,000 viewers tuned in to no doubt say they are done with the show once again, with last night’s return to the surely-doomed-town of Alexandria dialling up the cruelty notch.
The latest hour of adventure and sadness resulted in a 4% share and topped the Twitter TV Chart.
Meanwhile, in the netherworld of digital TV, youth channel BBC Three (or BBC II!, or whatever) came to a close in an extravagant explosion of fairly ‘meh’ ratings.
Top Gear kicked things off at 7pm with 310,000 viewers, followed by Don’t Tell the Bride at 8pm, which was watched by 265,000 viewers.
Gavin & Stacey secured 354,000 viewers at 9pm, followed by Little Britain (9:30pm) which pulled in 410,000 viewers. A repeat of EastEnders at 10pm was watched by 376,000 viewers while Bad Education at 10pm netted 244,000 viewers.
Rather tellingly the biggest two shows of the final night were American imports (and soon to be seen on ITV2) Family Guy and American Dad netting 480,000 and 421,000 viewers, respectively.
Earlier in the day there was some more Griff’s Great Britain (8pm) on ITV as the presenter once again wondered about some fields and traditional villages, smiling like a goon all the time and adequately filling some schedule time. 3.2 million viewers joined in for the undemanding journey, resulting in a 15% share.
There was some worrying news on 999: Where’s My ambulance? – Channel 4 Dispatches at 8pm, with 708,000 and a 3.2% share tuning in for some scary facts.
[advert position=”left”]BBC One got all saucy at 8:30pm with the revelation that was Panorama: The Secret Letters of Pope John Paul II. 2 million viewers and a 9% share tuned in to be outraged/not that bothered by his ‘close’ friendship with a married woman.
As usual, Monday night was ruled by the soaps with a double dollop of Coronation Street bagging the top two places with 7.4 million and 6.9 million viewers at 7:30pm and 8:30pm, respectively.
Emmerdale (ITV) got the ball rolling at 7pm with 6.5 million viewers and a 31% share but BBC One’s EastEnders took third place with 6.7 million viewers and a 31% 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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