The Winners: Seven News was the most watched program with 1.629 million people, followed by World’s Strictest Parents on Seven at 7.30pm with 1.595 million. Spicks and Specks leapt to 1.459 million people on the ABC at 8.30pm, with The Chaser‘s final War On Everything averaging 1.452 million people at 9pm. Today Tonight was 5th with 1.425 million and Home and Away won the 7pm slot for Seven with 1.329 million. The United States Of Tara debuted strongly at 9.30pm on the ABC with 1.276 million. Nine’s 7pm repeat of Two and a Half Men averaged 1.275 million at 7pm and was the network’s most watched program. Nine News was 9th with 1.166 million and A Current Affair was next with 1.143 million. The 7pm ABC News averaged 1.081 million and Seven’s 8.30pm repeat of Criminal Minds averaged 1.028 million in 12th. RPA averaged 1.014 million for Nine from 8.30pm and the new episode of The Simpsons on Ten at 7.30pm averaged 1.005 million and was that network’s most watched program, Cold Case at 9.30pm averaged 952,000 for Nine and The New Inventors at 8pm averaged 896,000. Ten’s Law and Order SVU averaged 827,000 people at 8.30pm. The Cook and The Chef on the ABC at 6.30pm averaged 621,000.

The Losers: Australia’s Perfect Couple: 762,000 at 7.30pm on Nine. After its 798,000 first up last week, there’s no saving this clunker; the curse of Jules Lunn strikes again.

The 7pm Project on Ten at 7pm, 701,000. Both programs finished behind the ABC in 4th spot. That’s terminal. Ten has to persist with it because it’s got nothing else at the moment. Hot Seat at 5.30pm with Eddie McGuire on Nine had 16,000 more viewers than The 7pm Project.

News & CA: Seven News again won nationally and in every market as did Today Tonight. Ten News averaged 922,000; the late News/Sports Tonight averaged 317,000. The 7.30 Report averaged 890,000. Lateline, 308,000, Lateline Business, 155,000. SBS News at 6.30pm 173,000, 181,000 for the 9.30pm edition. Nine’s late News, 221,000. 7am Sunrise on Seven, 391,000, 7am Today on Nine, 288,000.

The Stats: Seven won with a 6pm to midnight All People share of 28.6% (27.7% last week), from Nine with 24.4% (27.7%), the ABC on 22.4% (19.2%), Ten on 19.1% (22.8%) and SBS was on 5.5% (8.5%). Seven won Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Nine won Melbourne because Two and a Half Men and Cold Case did a lot better than Seven’s programs did and than they did in other markets. The ABC finished second in Sydney behind Seven. Seven won all the demos. Seven leads the week 29.7% to 23.9% for Ten and 23.0% for Nine. In regional areas a win to Prime/7Qld with 26.9% from WIN/NBN with 25.3%, the ABC on 21.4%, Southern Cross (Ten) with 18.7% and SBS with 7.8%.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: Seven won the night and has the week secured, Nine is positioned to grab second from Ten with the Footy Shows tonight, and NRL games tomorrow night helping it to move up the rankings.

The Chaser finished last night with the biggest audience in any market in Sydney with 510,000. And they finished on a high: 1.452 million nationally, but pipped by Spicks and Specks by 7000 viewers. The United States of Tara though was the class act at 9.30pm. A good drama that was well acted. Toni Collette has gone up in my estimation after just one episode. Now The United States of Tara stays at 9.30pm because of the content and next week the second series of The Librarians returns to ABC TV at 9pm. With Spicks and Specks at 8.30pm, 90 minutes to what could be the best viewing of the week. The ABC won the 8.30pm to 10pm timeslots last night.

TONIGHT: The Footy Shows for those so inclined on Nine from 9.30pm, especially if there’s a rain delay in the Third Ashes cricket Test on SBS from 7.30 pm. Seven has TV Burp and Double Take from 8.30pm: watch with continuing reservations. The ABC has an 8.30pm doco on Ida the fossil that seems to be worth a look. Rush on Ten also at 8.30pm.

Source: OzTAM, TV Networks reports