The X Files returns with 3m viewers on Channel 5
Two weeks after its US debut, Monday night saw Channel 5 launch a brand new miniseries of iconic 90s import The X Files (9pm), as the paranoid show about a secret alien invasion, mistrustful government types and lots of black goo was the latest property to get the relaunch/reboot/plain-old-continuation treatment.
14 years after Mulder and Scully hung up their oversized and overpowered novelty torches for good (no, that second film from 2008 starring Billy Connelly as a psychic child abusing priest really doesn’t count), yesterday saw the first of six instalments attempting to prove how relevant the pair still are.
Unfortunately, original creator and writer Chris Carter was also back and, instead of breathing a fresh lease of life into the franchise, like a middle-aged dad wasted the first episode by desperately trying to be modern and up-to-the-minute with conversations about social media, privacy rights and even bloody Uber getting a look in.
Despite this though, it appears that the truth is still indeed out there, with Mulder and Scully slipping back into their iconic partnership with ease and securing a decent enough début audience, a good sign for Channel 5 as the series is meant to hit its stride next week.
[advert position=”left”]A total of 3 million viewers tuned in live for the brand new show-all version of The X Files at 9pm, littered with more secrets in the first five minutes that fans preened from the entire original run. This all resulted in a relatively impressive 14% share and generated more Tweets than any other of Monday’s show.
The conspiracy show’s biggest rival came in the lotion-soaked form of Benidorm (8pm), as the eighth series of ITV’s broader-than-the-Grand Canyon comedy continued.
4.2 million viewers caught up with the latest hijinks from the Solana hotel, resulting in a 19% share and the biggest 9pm audience for the first time this series, thanks to the absence of BBC One’s Silent Witness.
In its stead were a few tales of real-life horror over on BBC One as a Kirsty Young-less Crimewatch (9pm) brought viewers up to date on all the current dangers outside their front door.
After replacing Anne Robinson on Watchdog last year, last night saw former newsreader Sophie Raworth take the reins of the reconstruction show and netted 3.1 million viewers and a 14% share in the process.
Following in the footsteps of actual recruitment documentary Royal Marines Commando School (a genre not to be confused with the recent and highly contrived reality competition SAS: Who Dares Wins) Channel 4 delivered another programme designed to make you feel very lazy on a Monday evening.
Royal Navy School (9pm) was exactly what it sounded like and documented two new classes of recruits as they struggled with the harsh training, bagging 1.8 million viewers and an 8% share.
Over on BBC Two, celebrity chef Rick Stein spent an hour stumbling about Shangai, eating everything on offer in Rick Stein’s Taste of Shangai, which secured 1.8 million viewers and an 8% share.
BBC Two’s 8pm line up looked a little better with University Challenge securing 2.8 million viewers, followed by Mary Berry’s Foolproof Cooking at 8:30pm which was watched by 2.7 million viewers.
There was more serious matter on offer elsewhere with How the Rich Avoid Tax: Channel 4 Dispatches bagging 1.4 million viewers at 8pm, followed by BBC One’s Gangs, guns and the Police – Panorama at 8:30pm which bagged 2.6 million viewers.
ITV’s soaps nailed the top three spots, with Emmerdale securing 6.6 million viewers and a 32% share at 7pm.
The first trip to Coronation Street took the top spot at 7:30pm with 7.6 million viewers and a 31% share while the 8:30pm visit took in 6.9 million viewers and a 31% share.
BBC One’s EastEnders was in fourth place, with the latest trip to always-sunny Albert Square netting 6.6 million viewers and a 29% 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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