The Week The CBC Went

THAT TITLE DOESN'T necessarily track for the content of this post, but the hell with it. I'm jet lagged and pun-dry.

In the battle of the CBC newbies, it's status quo.

Being Erica on Monday did 632 000 viewers, down a little from the week before but still up from the premiere. What's more promising is that just under half of those viewers are in the magic 18-49 demo. Sophie had a better-than-season average night at 385 000 just before it, which means that Erica builds substantially on its lead in. Sophie also lost a big chunk of viewers from its lead in, Little Mosque. The aging sitcom posted 717 000 viewers Monday -- and 18-49's were less than 30% of that audience.

It will be interesting to see what happens when Mosque returns in the fall. For the third straight year, they've chucked their creative team and will be returning with all new writers -- and if the rumors hold true -- shy a couple of cast members. Hope they don't lose the few who can sell a joke. Although selling the joke doesn't seem to be Mosque's focus anymore.

Moving to Tuesday, Wild Roses is mired in the mud at 467 000 viewers. But the really dismal thing is that fewer than 75 000 of those viewers were 18-49. Maybe grey hairs are the only one who get all the "Shakesperean themes." Mercer posted 877 000, and 22 Minutes did 580 000 just before Roses.

But let's keep this in perspective. The Week The Women Went grabbed 819 000 (a little over 25% 18-49) and Fifth Estate drew 699 000. (less than 15% were 18-49; Michel Arpin is 102.)