The Brioux Report: Stanley Cup fever

The puck dropped on the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs and once again hockey dominated the Canadian TV Top-10. Vancouver’s poor start, however, has to be a concern for CBC, which will miss those west coast ratings should Canucks do the unthinkable and bow out early. 

The Amazing Race and Survivor were one-two for the week despite all that hockey competition. The Toronto Blue Jays were back, too, and proved to be a big draw all week on Sportnet

Here’s how all it all played out across Canada in prime time among adults 2+ the week of April 9 to 15 according to overnight estimates:

A new Bones was a bonus for Global with 1,774,000 counted in the overnight estimates. A new House drew 1,728,000. Hawaii FIVE-0 beat them both at 10, hitting 1,821,000.

Dancing with the Starson CTV Two (1,311,000) beat The Voiceon CTV (1,097,000) although Voice won again in the 25-54 demo. A rerun of Castlefollowed on CTV with 1,262,000 viewers.

Smash is no smash on CTV Two (438,000).

Canada’s Got Talentbut City is not getting viewers. Moved again this week to 9 p.m., the talent search series drew 271,000 for a 30-minute Semi-Final. How I met Your Mother opened City’s night at 8 (753,000) followed by 2 Broke Girls (857,000). Rules of Engagement did 94,000 and the premiere of the Showtime drama Shameless did 159,000 at 10.

Between hockey games it is wall-to-wall reruns on CBC this spring. This week, reheated Little Mosquedid 286,000 and 311,000 back-to-back. Love Lies Bleeding kicked in another 236,000.

The Blue Jays batted clean up for Sportsnet in their home opener, drawing a hefty 1,325,000. 923,000 of those came from Sportsnet Ontario.

History got a lift from an American Restoration marathon (peaking at 441,000) and Cajun Pawn Stars (357,000, 411,000). Top Chef Canada rose to 374,000 on Food. Bering Sea Gold (318,000) was the big draw at Discovery. Score pinned 316,000 with WWE Raw. Midsomer Murders killed on TVO (305,000).

Glee was back at Global with 1,793,000 returning for the Fox song party. NCIS: Los Angeles topped the night with 2,004,000 viewers. NCIS reran to 1075,000 at 10.

CTV found 1,804,000 viewers with Missing. A results episode of The Voice did 1,049,000. Unforgettableended CTV’s night with 1,383,000.

CTV Two went with a rerun of Flashpoint (155,000) followed by a Dancing with the Stars results show (1,309,000). Goodbye Sherri Shepherd. CTV Two’s night ended with Fashion Star (299,000).

‘Twas the night before the hockey playoffs, so CBC threw together a HNiC “Stanley Cup Countdown” special (245,000). At 9 they aired a Just Four Laughs comedy special featuring Russell peters (738,000).

City had its normal Tuesday night schedule of Last Man Standing (327,000) followed by Cougar Town (354,000), New Girl (which soared to 720,000). Raising Hope (also way up at 542,000) and Body of Proof (684,000).

The Blue Jays continue to swing a big bat at Sportsnet, pulling 959,000 against the Red Sox. The NHL Draft Lottery drew 602,000 desperate Leafs fans on TSN. Pawn Starsfetched 318,000 and 363,000 on History.

Survivor One World stayed on top of the overnights with 2,274,000 viewers. Rookie Blue, which returns with new episodes in late May, was rerun to 467,000. Part 4 of Global’s new Titanicminiseries sunk to 344,000 viewers.

CBC had two NHL playoff games. Detroit/Nashville drew 993,000 and then Canucks/LA soared to 2,041,000.

A two hour American Idol drew 1,791,000 CTV viewers. A new CSI followed with a remarkable 1,992,000 tuning in at 10.

CTV Two started their night off with Betty White’s Off Their Rockers(309,000). The terrible new NBC comedy Best Friends Forever managed 196,000. CTV Two took a big jump with Criminal Minds (1,268,000) followed by Law & Order SVU (536,000).

City stuck with The Middle (281,000), Suburgatory (304,000) and Modern Family (728,000). At 9:30 came the premiere of ABC’s cheeky new comedy Don’t Trust the B—in Apartment 23 (461,000), followed Revenge at 10 (304,000).

TSN had a big hockey score with their Philly/Pittsburgh tilt (1,490,000). A Jays game drew 430,000 on Sportsnet. New to History was Full Metal Jousting, which poked 169,000. The Real Housewives of Vancouverentertained 163,000 on Slice.

King crowned 80,000 on Showcase.

                                                                                 

An NHL playoff Round One game featuring Ottawa and NYR drew 1,565,000 on CBC.

CBC got two more hockey wins from Detroit/Nashville (692,000) and especially LA/Vancouver (2,048,000).

CTV stuck with Undercover Boss at 8 (1,188,000) followed by Grimm at 9 (949,000) and then switched to CSI: Miami (1,070,000).

Global get an early start with the Aboriginal Achievement Awards at 7:30(147,000) followed by Harry’s Law(820,000) and Ringer (378,000).

CTV Two welcomed back Shark Tank (490,000) followed by a two hour Lionel Ritchie music special (453,000).

City had another Gord Martineau news special (50,000) followed by Fringe(295,000) and Mantracker (123,000).

Philly/Pittsburgh drew 1,442,000 to TSN. Jays batted 665,000 on Sportsnet.

Moving to Fridays did nothing for King (49,000).

Two NHL playoff games on CBC saw Washington/Boston net 1,038,000 and Senators/Rangers score 2,146,000.

Buried Saturday at 8 and airing six days after its NBC broadcast, a two hour Celebrity Apprentice was found by 272,000 Global viewers.

Blue Jays batted another 796,000 for an afternoon game on Sportsnet National. A new Saturday Night Live did 546,000 at 11:30 p.m.

Once Upon a Time reran to 711,000 at 7 on CTV. The Amazing Race roared back at 8 with 2,296,000 overnight, estimated viewers. CSI: Miami did 1,001,000, with GCB managing 901,000.

Vancouver/LA was a late draw on CBC, scoring 2,199,000.

Global started with The Simpsons (690,000) followed by Bob’s Burgers (445,000) then took off with The Good Wife (1,067,000), which must be getting a boost from Matthew Perry. The premiere of the new Rookie Blue clone NYC 22 did surprisingly well at 10, arresting 1,427,000.

TSN scored again with Philly/Pitts (1,299,000) and Jersey/Florida (1,137,000).

Canada’s Got Talent was up to 612,000 on City. CTV Two had nothing.

Jays batted 611,000 on Sportsnet. Titanic at 100 floated to 436,000 on History. Justifieddrew 124,000 on Showcase.