A case for detective dramas

In 1841, Edgar Allan Poe started something that endures to this day: he created the first fictional detective. Monsieur C August Dupin was that man and this week, four followed in his footsteps. Banks, Barnaby, Brooks and Pullman, along with their various sidekicks, continued the tradition, although none of them had to deal with a homicidal orangutan as Dupin did in the Rue Morgue. Mind you, if Midsomer gets any more eccentric, expect something primate and sinister lolloping around the countryside with murderous intent soon.

Alongside the eternal detectives were more shiny entrepreneurs, intrigue down Downton way, a new BBC1 tearjerker and a Saturday evening taken over by dancing, and, encouraged by an incongruous immigration debate, singing.

On Monday, DCI Banks, who looks as if he could do with a joke book for Christmas, closed his case with 5.7 million/23% (5.8 incl HD), increasing last week’s opening lead over Spooks’ spies, who chalked up 5 million/20%. The ABC1 content for Spooks was better (3 million/28%) than Banks’ 2.1 million/19%, but ITV1 will be happy to have a new returnable franchise with a sellable profile.

On Wednesday, Lord Sugar introduced 16 more brash wannabes who make people talking about doing their own conveyancing at parties appear interesting. This week’s autumn launch of The Apprentice - postponed from its spring home due to complications over the lord’s affiliations during the election - brought slightly lower figures compared with 2009, with a stronger showing from ITV1. But its 6.6 million/26% remained too powerful for Midsomer Murders.

Law & Order: UK got that rare thing on Thursday: some air. After the pummelling from New Tricks last week, ITV1 won the 9pm slot with 4.3 million/19% (4.4 incl HD) against BBC1’s Traffic Cops’ 4.2 million/18%.

After its Thursday sojourn, New Tricks returned to Friday with 6.9 million/30% to continue clouting Paul O’Grady Live. Nevertheless, with 3.9 million/17% (4 million incl HD), this was O’Grady’s highest number so far.

On Saturday, if you’d sat down at 5.45pm with a love for live entertainment shows, you’d still be there at 10.15pm. Four and a half hours watching singing and dancing - enough to reduce the most nimble of athletes to a lardy lump. Thus far, Strictly and The X Factor have steadfastly avoided each other and each have benefited; Strictly’s 8.6 million/40% is up on the equivalent show last year and peaked at 10 million/42% against Harry Hill’s TV Burp’s 5.5 million/23% (5.7 incl HD). The X Factor clatters on; this week’s 11.6 million/46% (12.2 incl HD) is also up, with ABC1s prominent (up 20% incl HD). Saturday’s peak share for ITV1 HD was 2.5%. Outside the World Cup, this is by far the best of the HD channel’s life.

Strictly Results at 7.30pm returned to Sunday with 8.9 million/35%, but it must be annoying to see The X Factor results’ 12.3 million/43% (13.1 incl HD) in the slot where so much dancing hay was made two years ago. Single Father, BBC1’s new David Tennant drama, achieved 4.8 million/18% on Sunday at 9pm; not a bad performance and clinging on to much of Antiques Roadshow’s 6 million/21%. But Downton Abbey now has the wind under its voluminous Edwardian gowns and 7.8 million/30% (8.1 incl HD) rounded off a big Sunday night for ITV1, with a swift recommission the cherry on top.