There were three questions heading into the week of March 21-27 in terms of the Numeris’s tally of the Canadian Top-30 total results: how would the Oscars do? Where would the debut of Canada’s Got Talent land? Will Big Brother Canada chart?
The answers are all positive for the 94th Annual Academy Awards. The three-hour, forty-one minute broadcast drew well over three million viewers on CTV, with nothing else in Canada cracking two million.
Last year’s pandemic-challenged Oscar-lite show, held in semi-isolation at LA’s historic Central train station, drew a record low 2,258,000 in Canada. I don’t have the minute-by-minute data, but I’m guessing Will Smith helped slap this year’s statue-fest over the three-million mark. Several Canadian winners didn’t hurt either.
In February of 2020 — pre-pandemic in terms of social isolation — the Oscar broadcast pulled 4.81 million viewers on CTV in English Canada.
Otherwise it was business as usual. In terms of average-minute audience, total 2+ data, the ten most-watched shows March 21-27 in English Canada are as follows:
- The Academy Awards (CTV) Sun 3,269,000
- The Good Doctor (CTV) Mon 1,704,000
- Survivor (Global) Wed 1,643,000
- FBI (Global) Tues 1,607,000
- 9-1-1 (Global) Mon 1,528,000
- 9-1-1: Lone Star (CTV) Mon 1,502,000
- FBI: International (Global) Tues 1,496,000
- CTV Evening News (CTV) MTWTF 1,413,000
- Grey’s Anatomy (CTV) Thurs 1,360,000
- NCIS (Global) Mon 1,226,000
Canada’s Got Talent, with Howie Mandel, Lilly Singh, Trish Stratus and Kardinal Offishall as the judges, opened to 850,000 Citytv viewers and finished in 28th spot nationally. Not bad considering the competition Tuesdays at 8 p.m., including No. 4 FBI on Global (1,607,000). Canada’s Got Talent ranked 18th the same week in Toronto-Hamilton.
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Global’s Big Brother Canada placed two of their three nights in the English Canada Top-30; with Monday’s episode in 26th place with 878,000 viewers and Thursday right behind in 27th spot with 873,000. Big Brother Canada, however, was shut out in Toronto-Hamilton.
Other significant finishes that same week: No. 13 Transplant again led all Canadian scripted originals with 1,179,000 CTV viewers. Murdoch Mysteries just made the list in 30th spot with 796,000 tuning in nationally. Hudson & Rex did not fetch a national spot but ranked 29th in Toronto-Hamilton. Tops in sports in English Canada was a Leafs game Wednesday night on Sportsnet National, No. 18 overall with 1,053,000 viewers. Tops in specialty was Island of Bryan on HGTV, No. 29 with 848,000 viewers.
No surprises in francaphone Quebec with District 31 (1,697,000 on SRC) and Star académie 2022 (1,417,000 on TVA) leading the way.
