CBC scored impressive numbers for fresh and returning fall series, but it was the new reality Battle of the Blades that eclipsed all debuts with an eye-popping 1.9 million viewers for its premiere on Oct. 4. The number is the second highest for a CBC series premiere since Little Mosque on the Prairie netted two million viewers back in 2007. Audiences for the 90-minute episode of Blades at 8 p.m. peaked at 2.4 million. (All numbers 2+.)

The show pairs former NHL players such as Tie Domi and Claude Lemieux with prominent female figure skaters as they perform routines for judges. Each week, one team is eliminated on a results show that airs Mondays at 8 p.m. The show had a solid lead-in from family drama Heartland, which premiered to a series-high one million viewers at 7 p.m.