Fox had several highly touted new scripted shows premiering this fall, including the Kelsey Grammer-Patricia Heaton sitcom “Back to You” and the high-concept New Orleans cop drama “K-Ville.”
But the network’s most successful fall show may end up being a fairly low-concept reality program from Fox summer MVP Gordon Ramsay. His “Kitchen Nightmares” has been one of broadcast's few new shows to see a week-to-week ratings increase during the first few weeks of the season. "You" and "K-Ville," meanwhile, have seen weekly declines.
“Kitchen” airs in a rather nightmarish timeslot, Wednesday at 9 p.m., opposite two of the new season’s top new shows, ABC’s “Private Practice” and NBC’s “Bionic Woman,” as well as CBS stalwart “Criminal Minds.” That prompted Fox to premiere the new show one week early, giving it some sampling before the other heavyweights debuted.
That strategy looks pretty smart.
During premiere week, in “Kitchen’s” second outing, it slipped among all the major demographics versus its premiere. But last week, in its third outing, “Kitchen” became one of just a handful of new shows on any network to see a week-to-week rise, with viewers apparently done sampling “Private” and “Woman,” which both fell.
“Nightmares” rose 16 percent week to week in adults 18-49, to a 2.9, while hitting a season high among adults 18-34 with a 3.0. It also jumped 15 percent in total viewers. If “Kitchen” can maintain those numbers in this timeslot, Fox will be pleased.
The show follows chef Ramsay, star of the summer hit “Hell’s Kitchen,” as he helps turn around restaurant disasters like a New York eating place whose kitchen was infested with rats.
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A look at this week’s top TV draws
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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7 a.m.
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NBC
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"Today" (N)
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Country singer LeAnn Rimes performs.
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8 p.m.
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ABC
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"Pushing Daisies" (D)
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Chuck tries to get Ned to tell her how he was able to revive her.
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8 p.m.
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Fox
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"Back to You" (C)
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Chuck tries to steal the top story from Kelly so he can impress some big shots.
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9 p.m.
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NBC
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"Bionic Woman" (D)
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Jaime has to protect the daughter of a defense contractor.
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9 p.m.
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ABC
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"Private Practice" (D)
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Addison needs help in treating a couple that can't seem to consummate their marriage.
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10 p.m.
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CBS
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"CSI: NY" (D)
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Mac and Stella look into a string of robberies involving some of New York's wealthiest.
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10:30 p.m.
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Comedy Central
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"The Sarah Silverman Program" (C)
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Sarah gets a little too curious about why dogs lick their own rear ends.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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8 p.m.
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NBC
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"My Name is Earl" (C)
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Michael Rapaport plays an old friend of Earl’s, who happens to be in jail with him.
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8 p.m.
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CW
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"Smallville" (D)
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Clark wants Kara to keep her powers a secret, but it may already be too late.
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9 p.m.
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CBS
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"CSI" (D)
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The team looks into a case in which nearly a whole family, except the daughter, is murdered.
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9 p.m.
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ABC
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"Grey's Anatomy" (D)
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Meredith helps Lexie with her first emergency patient.
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9 p.m.
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NBC
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"The Office" (C)
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Michael travels to New York to celebrate the launch of the company's web site.
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10 p.m.
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CBS
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"Without a Trace" (D)
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A mother disappears and may be in Guatemala, where she thinks her son is being held captive.
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10 p.m.
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AMC
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"Mad Men" (D)
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The office stays up all night watching Nixon-Kennedy election returns.
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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7 a.m.
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NBC
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"Today" (N)
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Cate Blanchett guests and Colbie Caillat performs.
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8 p.m.
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Fox
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"Major League Baseball" (S)
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Game one of the American League Championship Series.
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8 p.m.
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CBS
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"Ghost Whisperer" (D)
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Melinda tries to help a veteran of the Iraq War who's haunted by spirits.
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9 p.m.
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ABC
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"Women's Murder Club" (D)
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Series premiere. Based on the James Patterson novels, four women in San Francisco solve murders.
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9 p.m.
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CBS
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"Moonlight" (D)
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Beth and Mick look for a vampire who can't overcome his urge to kill.
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10 p.m.
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NBC
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"Las Vegas" (D)
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A model search contest held at the casino is sabotaged.
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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3:30 p.m.
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NBC
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"College Football" (S)
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Notre Dame tries to forget what's been a horrible season against Boston College.
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3:30 p.m.
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CBS
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"College Football"
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LSU takes on Kentucky in an SEC matchup.
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7:30 p.m.
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ABC
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"NASCAR Racing" (S)
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The Bank of America 500 from Lowe's Motor Speedway in North Carolina.
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8 p.m.
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Fox
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"Major League Baseball" (S)
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Game two of the ALCS.
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10 p.m.
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HBO
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"Boxing" (S)
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Two title holders, Juan Diaz and Julio Diaz, battle in Illinois.
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11:30 p.m.
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NBC
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"Saturday Night Live" (C)
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Jon Bon Jovi hosts, with music from the Foo Fighters.
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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8 p.m.
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Fox
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"The Simpsons" (C)
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Marge is held hostage during a bank robbery.
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8:15 p.m.
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NBC
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"NFL Football" (S)
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The struggling Saints take on the Seahawks in Seattle.
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9 p.m.
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ABC
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"Desperate Housewives" (D)
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Bree gossips about something she overheard, and Susan hosts a charades party.
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9 p.m.
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HBO
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"Tell Me You Love Me" (D)
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Dave and Katie remain skeptical about Dr. Foster's suggestions but happy that they’ve earned a season two renewal despite averaging less than 1 million viewers.
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10 p.m.
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ABC
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"Brothers & Sisters" (D)
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Kevin has dinner with an ex and Julia tells Tommy she wants time alone with the baby.
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10 p.m.
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HBO
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"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (C)
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Larry attends a middle school production of "Grease" with Jeff's exterminator.
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10:30 p.m.
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E!
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"Keeping Up with the Kardashians" (R)
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Series premiere. Following the exploits of Kim Kardashian. In the first episode, she guests on "The Tyra Banks Show."
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A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.
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