Much of the programming that Spike has introduced since changing its name from TNN over the summer has fallen flat among its new target of 18-34s, from a cartoon starring “Baywatch” siren Pamela Anderson to a new hybrid sporting event called “Slamball.”

   Apparently what was missing from those efforts was the necessary element of meanness that keeps young men engaged. The faux reality show “Joe Schmo” may have had just enough.

   The finale of the first-year show, which wrapped last Tuesday, set Spike records for a non-wrestling event, attracting the network’s largest audience among adults 18-34 and 18-49 as well as total viewers.

   That helped Spike to major primetime audience gains in those categories both week to week and year to year.

“Joe,” which snookered an unknowing man into thinking he was on a reality show when in reality it was just an elaborate ruse, was the third-most watched show on basic cable last week among 18-34s with 1.6 million viewers.

   That boosted Spike’s average primetime 18-34 viewership by 48 percent week to week and 54 percent year to year. Among men 18-34 the jump was 58 percent year to year.

   Among 18-49s the show averaged 2.49 million viewers and boosted Spike’s primetime average week to week by 28 percent. Spike was up 42 percent year to year among men 18-49.

   The “Joe Schmo Aftermath” episode that followed the 9 p.m. finale also did well, placing eighth among 18-34s and No. 13 among 18-49s. But the bad news for Spike is that, like wrestling, “Joe” does not seem to be having a positive impact on ratings for the network’s other shows.

   “Joe” and “WWE Entertainment” were the only Spike programs to make the weekly cable top 50 among 18-34s and 18-49s.

   In other cable ratings news, basketball ratings were way up to start the season for ESPN and TNT, which both reported double-digit hikes in total viewers compared to last year for Tuesday’s NBA bow.

   ESPN had more good news with Sunday's Green Bay Packers-Minnesota Vikings game, which boasted the largest audience of the year on basic cable with more than 8 million homes.

   The debut of MTV’s “Rich Girls” on Tuesday attracted 1.12 million 18-34s, good for No. 47 for the week.