The second series of the American version of Danish drama hit The Killing began with fewer viewers on Channel 4 than the original series had on BBC4.
The Killing US – which features Mireille Enos as detective Sarah Linden – launched with just over 700,000 viewers, a 3.9% share, between 10pm and 10.55pm on Wednesday.
BBC4's second series of The Killing – starring Sofie Gråbøl as detective Sarah Lund – began with 815,000 viewers in November last year.
The US version of the show took the lead when Channel 4+1 is included – but only just – with a total audience of 817,000.
On Channel 4 the second season returned with a fraction of the total audience of 2.4 million who watched the double episode opener of the first series of The Killing US in July last year.
The Killing lost out to Channel 5's repeat which had 1 million viewers (5.5%) between 10pm and 10.55pm, and BBC2's The Apprentice: You're Fired, watched by 2.3 million viewers (11.6%) between 10pm and 10.30pm.
The Apprentice spin-off show beat ITV1's News at Ten, which had 2.1 million viewers (10.4%) between 10pm and 10.35pm.
The slot was won as usual by BBC1's BBC News bulletin, with 4.2 million viewers (20.6%) between 10pm and 10.35pm.
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BBC2's new antiques series, Lucy Worsley: Antiques Uncovered began with 1.1 million viewers, a 5.2% share, between 8pm and 9pm.
It was neck and neck with rival antiques format Four Rooms on Channel 4, which also had 1.1 million viewers, rising to 1.2 million (5.8%) when Channel 4+1 is included.
The slot was won by ITV1's The British Soap Awards, with 5.2 million (22.8%) between 8pm and 10pm, which washed away BBC1's Traffic Cops, watched by 4.1 million (19.1%) between 8pm and 9pm.
But not even the pull of the combined cast of Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale could see off Lord Sugar.
BBC1's The Apprentice took the 9pm ratings honours with 6.1 million viewers (25.2%) between 9pm and 10pm.
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Elsewhere at 9pm, Channel 4 documentary The Tallest Tower: Building the Shard was the network's most watched programme of the day with 1.96 million viewers, an 8% share, between 9pm and 10pm.
The Channel 4 documentary had the better of BBC2's This World: The Shame of the Catholic Church, with 1 million viewers (4.3%) also between 9pm and 10pm.
All ratings are Barb overnight figures, including live, +1 (except for BBC and some other channels including Sky1) and same day timeshifted (recorded) viewing, but excluding on demand, or other – unless otherwise stated. Figures for BBC1, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 generally include ratings for their HD simulcast services, unless otherwise stated
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