No one can deny the power of Channel 9’s The Block series.  After the All Stars series brought strong ratings earlier this year for the network, 9 were quick to follow up with the latest series The Block Sky High which premiered last night to strong ratings.

1.31 million viewers nationally tuned in to the new series which has upped the challenge on your bog-standard home/apartment renovating show and has now moved into an old apartment block Melbourne, where each couple have an entire floor to complete over an 11 week period.

How will Channel 7’s version titled House Rules stack up?  The two shows have very similar formats. House Rules, hosted by Johanna Griggs and from the makers of My Kitchen Rules, gets six state-based teams to renovate each other’s homes.The Block Sky High, hosted by Scott Cam and Shelley Craft, features five state-based teams that turn a five-storey South Melbourne hotel into luxury apartments.

Apparently Channel 7 are so confident in their own show, Rules has been scheduled up against Sky High three nights a week and are hoping to nab upwards of 500,000 viewers from 9.  That said, The Block, an established series, has it’s dedicated fans and is bringing in new viewers on a series basis.  Sevens Rules is a new show that isn’t starting until Tuesday night.

My call: Viewers are going to stick with The Block.  Seven will try and keep beating the dead donkey but before series end, Rules will be relegated to either 7Mate or will run back-to-back episodes on a weekend.

The Block Sky High airs Sundays through Thursdays at 7pm on 9

House Rules premiere’s Tuesday May 14th at 7.30pm on 7

Related articles

• TV war fires up with Block premiere (dailytelegraph.com.au)
• House Rules to take on The Block (dailytelegraph.com.au)