Last night's TV ratings

The Winners: The Chaser was tops for the ABC with 1.423 million, just in front of House with 1.399 million and Spicks and Specks with 1.315 million. Seven News was next with 1.300 million and the ABC debuted The Librarians at 9.30pm with a strong 1.292 million. Home And Away won 7pm with 1.281 million; Today Tonight averaged 1.280 million and Medical Emergency had 1.271 million. Nine’s Cold Case was next with a solid 1.210 million, followed by Nine News (1.128 million), The Farmer Wants A Wife (1.121 million), the 7pm ABC News (1.058 million), Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? (1.044 million), A Current Affair (1.039 million), Temptation (1.031 million) and Child In A Million (1.014 million).

The Losers: A few. Seven’s Las Vegas had just 547,000. If Seven pulled Prison Break last week because it fell to an unacceptable level, what about Las Vegas? I know the ABC is tough competition, but this is a joke: 547,000 for the leading network in a major prime time slot? It dropped Criminal Minds, which gets 1.1 to 1.2 million on Monday nights, to 731,000 at 9.30pm last night (replacing Prison Break). Life on Ten at 9.30pm, 759,000. It shed nearly half the average audience of House from the previous hour. Now that’s a big thumbs down. Without A Trace continues to sink for Nine, 862,000 at 9.30pm. The loss was almost 350,000 viewers from Cold Case. Damages at 10.30pm on Nine only had 368,000, but it beat Seven’s The Unit with 366,000. Ten’s Late News beat them both for the first half hour with 457,000 people!

News & CA: Seven News again won nationally and in every market but Brisbane. Today Tonight won everywhere. In Melbourne the 7pm ABC News (362,000), topped Seven (342,000) and Nine News (334,000). It was equal 8th in market. Ten News averaged 745,000; the Late News/Sports Tonight, 457,000. The 7.30 Report, 874,000; Lateline, 363,000; Lateline Business, 150,000. Nightline, 227,000. SBS News, 160,000 at 6.30pm; 201,000 at 9.30pm; Dateline, 212,000. 7am Sunrise up to 406,000; 7am Today down to 258,000.

The Stats: A win to Nine with 26.1% (24.8%), from Seven with 24.4% (23.9%), Ten with 23.8% (24.7%), the ABC with 21.2% (22.2%) and SBS 4.5% (4.3%). Nine won Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, drew Adelaide with Ten and Ten won Perth. Seven didn’t deserve a thing last night. Seven leads the week 30.1% to 25.3%. In regional areas a win to WIN/NBN for Nine with 29.2% from Prime/7Qld with 23.3%, Southern Cross (Ten) with 22.4%, the ABC with 20.6% and SBS with 4.5%.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: The Librarians didn’t lose any ground from Summer Heights High. It is worth staying with, despite some “expert” criticism from TV reviewers at the weekend. Newstopia was a bit rough and ready with some full frontal language (The Chaser also had naughty bits an hour earlier!) but averaged 254,000 and pushing higher. Shaun Micallef is a class act. The spoof sponsors ad for the 1938 People’s Car and the promo for Tyrants’ Pets, were both well aimed barbs at the host network. The body language expert was foul-mouthed but again accurate. It was charming to read in today’s papers about the late Stan Zemanek bagging Mike Carlton, Steve Price and others in his autobiography, which has been finished by his wife. His comments fully justified Carlton’s attack on him and The Chaser‘s eulogy song. That book is being launched in Sydney on November 12. Tonight it’s Nine with Missing Persons Unit, The Gift and RPA: Where Are They Now? Will Seven’s Bionic Woman and Heroes sag further? Ten goes dancing for two hours at 7.30pm