It’s been a tough fall so far for one of CBC’s longest-running shows–This Hour Has 22 Minutes. The topical comedy showcase, now in its 17th season, drew just 468,000 viewers Tuesday night. That’s a double digit drop from last season’s average (in a season where a lot of shows are getting a lift from the new PPM numbers). More worrisome for the network is how far it falls from the series it follows, the Rick Mercer Report. That show is off to its best start ever, drawing 1,096,000 Tuesday according to BBM Canada overnight estimates.
Granted, 22 Minutes hasn’t had the two election comedy gift it enjoyed last fall. The Halifax-based series also took a hit in the writer’s room with long time showrunner Mark Farrell now ramping up Corner Gas alumni Fred Ewanuick’s new Kitchener-based comedy Dan For Mayor. Writers Gary Pearson and Jennifer Whalen also moved on, both landing in Toronto at The Ron James Show. Loopy Nathan Fielder also bolted for a writing gig on Demetri Martin’s Comedy Central series Important Things with Dimetri Martin. Another 22 Minutes scribe was lured away to New York to join the Late Show with Jimmy Fallon staff.
Viewers may also have seen the last of Shaun Majumder (above right), a 22 Minutes favourite who has opted to stick close to his Hollywood home this season. At this rate they’re going to have to call it This Hour Has Two-and-a-Half Minutes.
Other ratings from Tuesday: So You Think You Can Dance Canada drew 1,251,000. Being Erica rebounded to 586,000.
Global’s NCIS was Tuesday’s No. 1 show overall with 2,120,000 viewers. Rookie spin off NCIS: Los Angeles was next with 1,872,000, followed by CTV’s Law & Order: SVU (1,423,000) and Global’s other strong Tuesday night rookie, The Good Wife (1,407,000).
A channel cracked the Top 12 with the awkwardly relocated (from CTV) Dancing with the Stars results show (883,000). Citytv’s Biggest Loser scored 685,000.
House Huge Monday: It was another staggering win for Global Monday as House pulled 3,591,000 viewers. That whomped the night’s powerful runner-up, CSI: Miami (2,432,000). Next was CTV’s Dancing with the Stars performance hour (2,090,000) and Global’s ever growing Lie To Me (2,059,000).
CBC pulled 1,140,000 for their Monday night Battle of the Blades skate off. A channel got 952,000 to watch Two and a Half Men and City drew 695,000 for that rather lame cross border episode of How I Met Your Mother.
Even Heroes did well Monday on Global, soaring to 916,000 viewers.
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1 Comment
Nathan Fielder’s better off as part of Important Things with Demetri Martin‘s writing staff. He just didn’t fit This Hour Has 22 Minutes despite having his own segment. Important Things is just an all-around better show.
I wouldn’t mind if CBC cleaned house, but what type of comedy would CBC replace Little Mosque on the Prairie and 22 Minutes with? I know the Kids in the Hall miniseries is upcoming, but CBC needs a gameplan geared towards the future. You can’t keep relying on Mary Walsh or Rick Mercer forever.