Arrogance doesn't usually go over very well, except on FOX. We're used to Simon Cowell on American Idol being a part of this list in his role as a judge, but I'm not convinced that Gordon Ramsay isn't even more arrogant. I don't watch American Idol, but I do love Hell's Kitchen. Ramsay carries the whole show by himself really.
He's likely providing a valuable service to millions of workers who hate their bosses. They watch the show and then when they get to work the next day, no matter how bad their boss is - it just can't seem as bad as Ramsay screaming "@%# you're a donkey!"
He may become insufferable if his performance in the 18-49 demographic continues though. Fortunately there is more LOST, Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives coming up to keep him humble, but last week HK beat out everything in the demo besides Idol and the first new episode of CSI in months.
That puts Ramsay ahead of Charlie Sheen and Two and a Half Men, ahead of the NCAA semifinals last Saturday, ahead of all the other CSIs, Survivor, and even Oprah. HK did 70% better in the 18-49 demographic than Oprah. Yeah, yeah, I know - Oprah doesn't have American Idol as a lead-in, and this past Sunday it didn't even have a new episode of Extreme Makeover. But she's Oprah!
Over 60% of HK's total viewership is in the 18-49 demographic, for Oprah's Big Give that falls to 45%. HK had more total viewership as well, by about 2.43 million.
Although we lovingly mock CBS as the rocking chair network sometimes, CBS with many new scripted shows back in the lineup dominated the number of shows in the 18-49 top twenty with twelve. FOX had four, ABC had three and NBC had but one, ironically it was The Biggest Loser.
Full 18-49 demographic top 20 for the week ending April 6, 2008:
| Rank | Show | Net | 18-49 RATING (LIVE+SD) | 18-49 Viewers (LIVE+SD) (000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Idol-TUESDAY | FOX | 9.6 | 12604 |
| 2 | American Idol-WEDNESDAY | FOX | 9.4 | 12317 |
| 3 | CSI | CBS | 5.9 | 7760 |
| 4 | HELLS KITCHEN | FOX | 5.5 | 7158 |
| 5 | Two and a Half Men | CBS | 5.4 | 7052 |
| 6 | CBS NCAA BSKBL CHAMP SA-2(S) | CBS | 5.2 | 6758 |
| 7 | Dancing with the Stars | ABC | 5.1 | 6705 |
| 8 | CSI: MIAMI | CBS | 4.9 | 6386 |
| 9 | OLD CHRISTINE | CBS | 4.5 | 5837 |
| 10 | MOMENT OF TRUTH | FOX | 4.1 | 5422 |
| 11 | CSI: MIAMI - TUESDAY SP(S) | CBS | 4.1 | 5313 |
| 12 | DANCING W/STARS RESULTS | ABC | 4.0 | 5270 |
| 13 | SURVIVOR: MICRONESIA | CBS | 4.0 | 5256 |
| 14 | How I Met Your Mother | CBS | 4.0 | 5254 |
| 15 | CBS NCAA BSKBL-BRIDGE(S) | CBS | 3.9 | 5151 |
| 16 | WITHOUT A TRACE | CBS | 3.9 | 5131 |
| 17 | CSI: NY | CBS | 3.6 | 4724 |
| 18 | Criminal Minds | CBS | 3.4 | 4462 |
| 19 | Biggest Loser 5 | NBC | 3.3 | 4293 |
| 20 | OPRAHS BIG GIVE | ABC | 3.2 | 4209 |
Nielsen Ratings Data: ©2008 Nielsen Media Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
