Creator and judge Simon Cowell

X Factor has averaged 12.3 million viewers, cheap moncler jackets with both Wednesday's and Thursday's shows ranking in the top 25 — a good showing but far short of American Idol's 20-million-plus. The show has performed better among young adults prized by advertisers, ranking in the top 15.
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Creator and judge Simon Cowell, whose U.K. version is a top-rated hit, acknowledges overstating early expectations. Before the premiere, the former Idol judge had said he'd be disappointed with less than 20 million.
"It didn't get the numbers I predicted," he says now. "I'm not going to lie and say I'm thrilled. But I've also learned a lesson that you can't be too cocky, and it may take a few years. You've got to earn the right to those numbers."
But he's now generally satisfied with the audience, considering X Factor is a first-year show in a genre crowded with Idol, The Voice and Cowell's own America's Got Talent. In the U.K., X Factor faces less competition.
David Scardino, entertainment specialist at ad agency RPA, says he was surprised at the lack of skepticism, especially among ad buyers, about the show's chances before it premiered. Nonetheless, "hype and all that aside, I think the show is a major factor in sending Fox into the second half of the season in extremely good shape." he says. "Probably a little of the responsibility for setting the bar a bit too high has to go to the network."
Fox, helped also by New Girl and a strong World Series, is up about 15% in viewers and young adults compared with last year. X Factor will return for a second season next fall.
Creatively, Cowell says he's pleased, especially with the level of talent and type of contestants. Three finalists — Melanie Amaro, Josh Krajcik and Chris Rene — are competing for a $5 million recording contract. The winner will be revealed Thursday.
"I think it's been really, really, really good," he says. "Compared to the first season we made in England, which was horrific … the first American show was a million times better."
MJ Santilli, whose MJ's Big Blog (mjsbigblog.com) follows X Factor, white jackets for men Idol and other shows in the genre, offers a harsher assessment. "I'm not feeling a whole lot of buzz for the show at all," she says. "I think they made it too much about the judges and took the focus off contestants."
The show also focused too much on the prize, rather than the "aspirational" aspect, which she says is part of Idol's appeal. "I think Simon is going to have to do some major retooling," she says.
Cowell does promise changes, and he hopes, over time, to hit the elusive 20-million mark. For one, he wants to work on the groups category, whose competitors were quickly eliminated.