ITV1's Rock Rivals fails to rock viewers

by Darren Davidson, Brand Republic 06-Mar-08, 11:15

LONDON - 'Rock Rivals', ITV1's heavily hyped new drama based on a TV reality show, opened with a disappointing 3.9m viewers last night, the lowest audience for the launch episode of an ITV1 drama this year.

The first episode of the series, which stars Michelle Collins and Sean Gallagher as a warring husband and wife judging team on a fictional X-Factor style show, was watched by a 16.9% share of the audience.

The audience was down 17% on ITV1's 9pm slot average of 4.9m and well below the launch episode audiences for ITV's worst performers from its slate of new dramas for 2008.

The satirical drama 'Moving Wallpaper' launched with 5m viewers earlier this year, while its sister show 'Echo Beach' also debuted with 5m viewers.

Even Monday night drama 'The Palace', considered to be the biggest flop of ITV's new dramas this year, launched with more viewers than 'Rock Rivals', with 4.3m viewers.

'Rock Rivals', which is sponsored by Nivea, was also beaten by BBC One's documentary 'Traffic Cops', which won the 9pm slot with 4.1m viewers and an 18% share.

Channel 4 had a strong night, starting with 'Relocation, Relocation' at 8pm, with 3m viewers and a 13.2% share. Including Channel 4+1, the audience rose to 3.2m viewers and a 13.6% share.

It was followed by 'Grand Designs Revisited', with 3.4m viewers and a 14.9% share at 9pm, almost enough to beat 'Rock Rivals'. Including Channel 4+1, the property show pulled in 3.5m viewers and a 15.4% share.

'Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA' drew 3.1m viewers and an 18.9% share on Channel 4 at 10pm, while the Channel 4+1 audience made the total 3.2m viewers and a 19.7% share.

'Doctor Who' spin off 'Torchwood' continues to perform well in the 9pm slot on BBC Two. Last night's episode brought in 2.7m viewers and an 11.6% share.

Comments

- 06/03/2008

Isn't this confirmation that viewers aren't turned on by "television about television"? It's bad enough having chat shows on which the guests are the stars of a new show being launched on the same channel. Or 'blueprint TV' - one format spawning a seemingly endless parade of twists of the same two or three forumlae. Now broadcasters are making dramas based on their own programmes - Echo Beach and Rock Rivals being the two most recent and prominent examples. It's like the party bore who does nothing except talk about himself for the entire evening. Guess what, ITV? Viewers won't just suck up this second rate television-by-numbers. The actually want some original, imaginative and well made programmes. How irritating for you.