Old Hollywood paid off for CBC, which saw sound numbers for its miniseries The Englishman’s Boy, despite a strong rival in Oprah’s Big Give, which premiered on CTV on the same night.

Based on the Governor General’s Award-winning novel by Guy Vanderhaeghe, Englishman aired Sunday, March 2 to a strong 805,000 viewers at 8 p.m., dipping to 562,000 the following week for an average audience of 684,000. Englishman bested audiences for other recent homegrown CBC minis, including St. Urbain’s Horseman (306,000) and Above and Beyond (464,000), as well as CTV’s Would Be Kings (445,000). (All ratings 2+.)

The period mini, produced by Regina-based Minds Eye Entertainment, follows a young writer who is sent to track down and gain the trust of an elusive old-time cowboy toiling for early Hollywood. It stars Michael Therriault (Prairie Giant), Nicholas Campbell (Da Vinci’s Inquest) and Bob Hoskins (Enemy at the Gates).

Englishman aired in part opposite CTV’s new one-hour reality series Oprah’s Big Give, which scored 1.7 million viewers for its first ep, down to 1.2 million the following week. Big Give, on which people are given cash and compete to give it away, was also down 25% from its premiere in the U.S., where it airs on ABC.

Meanwhile, CBC’s Little Mosque on the Prairie saw its second season come to an end on March 5, with the season finale generating 881,000 viewers. The comedy, recently renewed by the pubcaster, averaged a slightly lower 822,000 this season, compared to last year when more than one million viewers tuned in for its inaugural run.

Back on CTV, the return of the quirky Vancouver-set comedy Robson Arms got a big boost when the caster scheduled episodes one and two of its third season at 9:30 p.m., following reality powerhouse American Idol. Robson Arms debuted Tuesday, Feb. 26 with 706,000 viewers, down to 510,000 the following night. In comparison, the show drew 333,000 viewers for its second season premiere on a Saturday last year. Robson Arms settled into its regular 8:30 p.m. timeslot on Monday after Corner Gas.

CanWest’s E! network debuted its own homegrown sitcom About a Girl on Sunday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m. to 26,000 viewers in Ontario and 4,000 in B.C. Those numbers dropped significantly the following week to 19,000 and 400, respectively. About a Girl follows a college sophomore who decides to move in with four male roommates. It is produced by Vancouver’s Brightlight Pictures.