BBC1’s The Responder no match for ITV1’s Red Eye

The second series of BBC1’s The Responder, avaliable in its entirety as a box set on iPlayer, kicked off in May some way behind the first run. Meanwhile, ITV1 seems to have found a hit in Red Eye, thanks to a lot of binge watching.

Written by Tony Schumacher and starring Martin Freeman and Adelayo Adedayo, The Responder started its five-part run on BBC1 at 9pm on 5 May with an overnight rating of 1.8 million/14%. After seven days’ catch-up, that rose to 3.1 million, including 3 million/18% on TV and 85,000 on devices.

In terms of 9pm BBC1 drama launches in 2024, The Responder was only bigger than the launch of The Way on 19 February (2.61 million, including 2.56 million/14% on TV and 46,000 on devices), and just behind This Town (3.2 million, including 3.1 million/19% on TV and 61,000 on devices).

The Responder’s second series launch was considerably behind the opener of the first five-part run in the winter of 2022, which played in a Monday/Tuesday pattern over two weeks and one day. The series debut drew 4.3 million/27% in overnights on Monday 24 January, rising to 7.4 million after seven days, including 7.2 million/34% on TV and 230,000 on devices.

BBC1’s best 9pm drama launch in 2024 so far remains Death In Paradise on 4 February (7.6 million, including 7.5 million/36% on TV and 128,000 on devices).

The third episode of ITV1’s six-part action drama Red Eye – available on ITVX as a box set – drew 2 million/15% on Sunday 5 May, 160,000 more than The Responder’s launch opposite.

Starring Richard Armitage and Jing Lusi, the episode grew to 6.2 million after seven days, including 3 million/18% on TV, 3.2 million pre-TX and 45,000 on devices. Half way through, Red Eye is averaging a very decent 6.1 million, including 4.3 million/26% on TV, 2.6 million pre-TX and 87,000 on devices.

Red Eye is vying with Trigger Point to become ITV1’s second biggest drama of 2024 (behind the epic Mr Bates vs The Post Office). Launching on Sunday 28 January at 9pm, Trigger Point was ahead by 239,000 after three episodes, averaging 6.3 million, including 4.6 million/23% on TV, 2.4 million pre-TX and 98,000 on devices. With three episodes left, it’s all to play for.

The best of Channel 4’s three-part doc Miriam: Death Of A Reality Star was the opener on Monday 29 April at 9pm (1.1 million/7%). That rose to 1.2 million after seven days, including 403,000 from catch-up and 71,000 on devices. Tuesday’s episode amassed 958,000 after seven days, including 833,000/6% on TV, 53,000 pre-TX and 72,000 on devices.

The final episode on Wednesday at 10pm totalled 841,000, including 649,000/8% on TV, 133,000 pre-TX and 59,000 on devices.