From a media release:
- Highly anticipated Series Premiere wins time-slot, night and all key demos
CTV’s “reverse†simulcast of its original series Flashpoint debuted #1 in both Canada and the U.S. on Friday night. Across Canada, the series delivered 1.11 million total viewers, 140% more than the next closest 10 p.m. competitor, winning both its time-slot and the night. The series premiere also finished #1 in Adults 18-34, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54 demos. The episode was #1 in each of Canada’s three metered markets; Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. In all cases, the audience grew in its second half-hour, peaking at 1.26 million viewers.
In the U.S. Flashpoint finished #1 for CBS – #1 in its time-slot, #1 in every adult demographic and was the most-watched program of the night. It also grew audiences in its second half hour and in all, counted 8.13 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.
“Bullseye!” said Susanne Boyce, President of Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc. “To be #1 in North America underscores, yet again, the talent in this country. Congratulations to the creators, cast and creative team of Flashpoint.â€
Flashpoint Episode 2 premieres this Friday, July 18 at 10 pm on CTV/CBS. In “First in Line†Jack Swanson’s (Henry Czerny; Mayerthorpe, The Tudors) teenaged daughter desperately needs a heart transplant to survive. When he is told that a heart is finally available, he races his girl to the hospital, only to find the heart’s been allocated to someone else – a bureaucratic screw-up that could cost his daughter her life. Distraught, Jack turns a policeman’s gun on a surgical team, forcing Ed and Jules to face the chilling possibility of a lethal solution.
Set proudly in Toronto, the 13-part series is the first Canadian series since CTV’s Due South to air in network primetime in both Canada and the U.S. Flashpoint continues production in Toronto until August 25, 2008.
Flashpoint is produced by Pink Sky Entertainment (Anne Marie La Traverse) and Avamar Entertainment (Bill Mustos) in association with CTV and CBS Paramount Network Television. Louise Clark and Virginia Rankin are the CTV production executives working with the series. Louise Clark is Vice-President, Program Development for CTV. Susanne Boyce is President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc.
Source:
Canada – BBM Nielsen Media Research, preliminary overnight data, CTV Total.
U.S. – Nielsen Media Research, preliminary overnight data.
I can honestly say I enjoyed Flashpoint, and look forward to the next episode. Wow… saying that about a Canadian prime time drama…
One thing I was watching for were blatent references to Toronto. While no one ever mentioned the name of the city, there was a reference to Jamestown, images of the subway (Osgoode station) and other quasi-recognizable landmarks from the start.
But I had pretty much given up hope on a direct, absolute confession that this was not just any generic North American city, but Toronto specifically, until the skyline shot. There’s no denying that was THE CN Tower, located in THE centre of the universe. Now THAT I was impressed by.
A #1 police drama in the States, that is, without a doubt, Canadian. Bravo.
“There’s no denying that was THE CN Tower, located in THE centre of the universe.”
I remember back when “Forever Knight” aired on CBS late night, and there were people (Americans) thinking that the show was set in Seattle, and that the CN Tower in the skyline shots was actually Seattle’s Space Needle.
Yes, at least a couple of prominent American critics weren’t aware that Toronto is the centre of the universe and didn’t recognize it. I wouldn’t necessarily recognize most US cities by the skyline either, so I’m not judging.
Yeah, this is a great move forward for Canadian media! Congratulations to CTV and congratulations to Shaftesbury Films
This one isn’t Shaftesbury, though they have The Listener coming up on CTV and NBC (except I don’t think it’ll be simulcast – I believe CTV is airing it in the fall and NBC in 2009).