X Factor USA Starts Slowly
After the months of speculation, drama, and stories relating to Simon Cowell’s American X Factor project, the show has finally arrived, though the ratings for a well-publicised premiere have not gone according to plan for a brand that has long-lasting popularity in its original guise in the British Isles.
With the first episode of the new singing-based reality show being split into two two-hour segments (on Wednesday and Thursday at 8pm), executives at host network Fox had to wait until the Thursday morning to see how their first effort fared in the ratings, but the results may not have been so pleasing.
With an average of 12.2 million viewers on Wednesday evening, the show picked up figures that could be considered solid progress for many shows, but given the headlines, hype, and promotion surrounding the new big-money X Factor, the numbers may not be happy reading for those involved, especially compared to ABC sitcom Modern Family airing a new episode that night to 14.3 million.
Modern Family co-creator Steve Levitan was quick to revel in his series’ success, writing on Twitter: “It’s extremely gratifying that a scripted comedy finally beat an over-hyped karaoke contest. Thank you #modernfamily.”
This will be news that requires a bit of a rethink for show boss (and judge) Simon Cowell, who had previously predicted that the show would break the 20m mark on its premiere, adding that he intends to ‘take down’ fellow Fox singing contest American Idol, (which got 21.6m on its tenth season premiere earlier in the year).
Fox head of reality TV Mike Darnell was looking on the positive side, though, claiming to be ’relieved’ at the ratings that they took for the first episode, adding Cowell’s comments on their rival show as ‘lovable showmanship’.
Darnell said of the show needing to live up to its hype: “We lived with the reality that there is an enormous interest in every show during premiere week, and honestly, we’re just relieved this morning. Other than crazy expectations, this is a very good premiere. Hopefully, like many reality shows do during their run, I think X Factor has a real shot at building [in the ratings]“.
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[...] be pleased at winning the competition, he believes that much is to be desired when it comes to the show’s ratings, as the first series of the Fox reality show clocked in at an average of 12.3m viewers (average [...]