TV Overnights: Silent Witness brightens up 6m viewers’ lives
In an effort to brighten up your Thursday night, the BBC last night rolled out the 16th series of Silent Witness (BBC One, 9pm) specifically for those whose January blues were getting the better of them.
No matter how damp and murky your year has been so far, one visit to the fictional Thomas Lyell Centre of forensic sorcery would make your life seem like a weekend of CITV in comparison. Even the presence of cadaver inspector and perennial glamourpuss, Dr. Nikki, couldn’t brighten up BBC One’s Thursday night.
When she wasn’t investigating the suspicious death of a business man, she sat around in the gloomy shadows, mourning the loss of her former co-star Harry, looking all sad faced. In fairness to the writers, it wasn’t all doom – this week’s guest corpse was a confectionary tycoon, so there was something for all the family.
6 million viewers tuned in to see the arrival of Jack – the new bad boy in a lab coat, resulting in a 25% share. This is a 10% fall compared to the series 15 opening in April last year.
The forensics show didn’t have much in the way of competition – ITV1 offered up the second part of xenophobic documentary Trouble Abroad (9pm). For some reason, only known to the production company themselves, the programme told tales of people starting over again in other countries (how dare they) and smugly detailed how all their dreams came crashing down around them.
It felt as though the anti-emigration cautionary tale had been sanctioned by some political party with the underlying theme of keep calm, remain loyal and rebuild your broken country. Somehow 2.5 million people managed to stick with shots of depressed and broken ex-pats for an entire hour, resulting in a 10% share.
Over on Channel 4, architect George Clarke did his best not to come across as a poor man’s Kevin McCloud. But when The Restoration Man (9pm) almost follows the exact same format as Grand Designs, it was hard not to compare. Last night saw a couple face the usual issues of budget and planning permission and netted an audience of 1.6 million and a 7% share.
Earlier, Stargazing Live made Silent Witness look positively Pixar as Professor Cox stumbled around in night vision and wrapped up the three night event. No alien life forms were spotted but we all learned a lot about the cosmos around us.
Disappointingly, the biggest mystery in the universe remained unexplained – how exactly did co-presenter Liz Bonnin get the gig? 2 million viewers, representing a 9% share, tuned in for the final slice of Cox’s creepy yet soothing lullaby tones.
On the flagship channel, Waterloo Road‘s (BBC One, 9pm) new term continued. Last night saw two annoying children win the lottery, just to make you feel even worse about life. Only the second half hour of the school drama secured the highest audience share but it still managed to pull in 3.7 million viewers and an average audience share of 15%.
The picturesque little village of Emmerdale (ITV1) really hasn’t been treating the tart with a critical left hook (Chas Dingle) very well at all. In the last few months alone, the spray tanned ale dispenser was sexually attacked, convinced she murdered her ex-boyfriend in self-defence, put on trial for his murder and now the poor dear is being stalked in 90’s sub-standard Hollywood fashion.
A few days of prank calls from deceased Carl King, receiving pictures with her eyes scratched out and being followed around by a pervy camera man sent Chas over the edge. 7.3 million viewers watched the first of last night’s episodes as the troubled lady of the Dales was attacked by her stalker.
The second visit at 8pm was down slightly, with only 6.9 million viewers (a 33% share) tuning in to see the culprit finally unmasked as Carl’s son Thomas. Which is fair enough, really.
When Thursday’s numbers were finally tallied up, it was the simple tale of everyday east end folk that captured the nation’s heart. Last night the charming Branning clan had a little get family dinner to clear the air due to recent events. Just like The Waltons would have.
As is life in EastEnders (BBC One, 7:30pm), it only took a few minutes before there was a punch up, followed by yet another explosive family revelation – Tanya’s secret sister only has a grown son! Who, handily enough, happened to be in the room tucking into dinner at the time of the discovery. Because Max’s daughter is in love with him.
Doesn’t the soap already have a weird incestuous teenage relationship going on? 8 million viewers chose to wave goodbye to logic and realism, resulting in Thursday’s biggest audience across all channels. The hard hitting drama about London’s social deviants pulled in a 34% audience share.
Overnight data is available each morning in mediatel.co.uk’s TV Database, with all BARB registered subscribers able to view reports for terrestrial networks and key multi-channel stations.