Being Erica is being stubborn about building an audience. The fourth week is usually when you settle into your season average and Erica sank to her lowest outing yet, 564,000 viewers.
So far, the CBC fantasy/drama, starring Erin Karpluk, is averaging 607,000 viewers across Canada (all figures BBM/NMR overnight estimates).
I’m finding that the show, at an hour, is a half hour too long. There are moments that sparkle and then moments that run out of gas. The new characters, including the dude from Wonderfalls (playing essentially the same character he played in that series), are slowing the show down. Erica needs to pick up the pace, a spark that Michael Riley as Dr. Tom provides.
Then again, maybe a stronger lead in would make all the difference on such a competitive night. Sophie at 8:30 drew just 270,000 last night, with a paltry 101,000 within the 25-54-year-old demo. That hurts Erica‘s demo numbers, which stood at 277,000 last night. If CBC figured Erica would grab all the young women at 9 vs. Charlie Sheen and Jack Bauer, they aren’t; In the mix, too, is still The Bachelor on City.
Little Mosque, at 637,000/265,000, was competitive at 8.
CBC, which launched Erica against Canada’s gold medal-winning hockey chanpionships, hasn’t made it easy for fans to discover this show. Mondays at 9, the mid-season rookie has to battle CTV’s Can-Am one-two of Two and a Half Men (1,594,000) and Corner Gas (1,117,000). Global had an even bigger Monday this week with new episodes of House (2,417,000) and 24 (1,314,000). Look for House to pull even bigger numbers next week when the 100th episode airs on Global/Fox.
