CBC’s The Border sank to its lowest audience level ever Thursday night, attracting just 410,000 viewers. The Toronto-lensed series, starring James McGowan (left), got bloodied opposite Grey’s Anatomy on CTV, which drew 3.1 million viewers (all figures BBM Canada overnight commercial estimates).
McGowan’s character, Maj. Mike Kessler, takes his beating next week in an episode set in Afghanistan (but shot up in the dune-like Caledon sand pits).
Not helping the Border cause was incompatible and low watt lead in Doc Zone, which drew 365,000. It all added up to no boost for the new news, watched by 664,000 at 10 and slipping to 495,000 at 10:25. Meanwhile, rival newscasts continue to grow: CTV National News Thursday 1,360,000, Global National at 5:30 1,121,000.
OTHER THURSDAY NUMBERS: Global’s Survivor Samoa was right behind Grey‘s overall with 3,076,000 viewers and ranked first on the night in the 25-54-year-old demo, scoring 1,600,000. CTV’s The Mentalist–which airs opposite CBC’s The National at 10–did 2,383,000 Thursday night. Old reliable CSI pulled 2,188,000 on CTV at 8. CTV’s local Evening newscast drew an incredible 1,843,000 swine flu followers.
Sportsnet tagged 810,000 for their World Series baseball coverage at 7:30. Global’s The Office did 802,000, with 800,000 sinking their fangs into CTV’s Vampire Diaries Halloween treat at 7.
A channel’s highest on the night was Private Practice with 600,000; they found another 459,000 with rookie ABC drama Flash Forward. YTV’s SpongeBob soaked up 480,000 (a second Sponge episode did 411,000–just ahead of the Border count), Family’s Suite Life wooed 459,000. Another 436,000 tuned in for a 7 p.m. Ottawa/Tampa Bay NHL tilt on TSN. 30 Rock on City was way down to 371,000 viewers. The Hour had its best night in ages (with Anne Murray, Blade skater Craig Simpson and Peter Mansbridge all stopping by), with 200,000 tuning in at 11.
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Too bad, as the Border’s a great show! I too watch Grey’s Anatomy, however I tend to tape it and watch The Border live instead. It’s so refreshing to watch a show that doesn’t hide the fact that they’re in Toronto, that deals with Canadian issues and has great actors on it. Here’s hoping next week’s ratings come up!
Don’t you mean Thursday numbers, not Wednesday? And what’s the significance of posting what the National gets at 10:25?
My mistake on the day flip, Matt, it is Thursday. BBM Canada delivers the ratings for CBC’s The National at 10 and 10:25, spliting the newscast into two separate parts. They’ve done this for years, dating back to when the front end was ad-free. It is a useful seond peek in any event and always seems to show that a chunk of viewers bolt at the half way mark.