The Week the Women Went – the reality series that examines how the men and children in a small Alberta town cope when their wives, girlfriends and mothers temporarily leave home – is based on the BBC series of the same name. It has grown its audience in the Monday 8 pm time slot from 548,000 for episode three to 929,000 for episode five, which aired opposite the winter finale of Global’s Prison Break (1.3 million) on Feb. 18.

‘Both men and women are tuning in because it’s that identifying way of thinking ‘How would I respond in that situation,” says producer Sally Aitken, of Vancouver’s Paperny Films. ‘For many women right across the country, they are the primary caregivers, so they’re looking at this thinking it’s a dream come true.’

CBC’s The Border has placed around the 700s, followed by Sophie in the 600s. (All numbers 2+.)

Meanwhile, CTV is sneak-peeking two new episodes from Robson Arms‘ upcoming third season this week. The comedy will air new eps on tonight and Wednesday at 9:30 pm following American Idol. Dave Foley (News Radio) joins the cast as a neighbourly yet manipulative new landlord.

In other scheduling news, CTV says it has no plans as of yet to move Lost, which ABC is bumping back to 10 pm on Thursdays to make way for Grey’s Anatomy. Grey’s returns on April 24 with new episodes. Lost will air out of simulcast on CTV.

Coming up, CBC will roll out the special Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister on Sunday, March 23 at 7 pm. Hosted by Rick Mercer, the show will put four ambitious young candidates in the hot seat to be grilled by a panel comprised of former PMs Paul Martin, John Turner and Kim Campbell and Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams. The series has aired twice before, first on CTV before moving to the Ceeb, where it played to a solid 865,000 viewers in early 2007.

From Playback Daily