"Jon & Kate" Ratings Record: 9.8 Million For Season Five Premiere

The tabloid attention to Jon and Kate Gosselin's troubled marriage drove a record audience Monday night to the season five premiere of TLC's "Jon & Kate Plus 8."

Broadcasting & Cable's Alex Weprin reports that the show drew its best ratings ever, averaging 9.8 million total viewers and 4.3 million viewers in the Women 18-49 demographic, and beating everything else on television Monday night. Further, the premiere delivered the highest ratings in TLC history in three demos (Women 18-34, Men 18-34, and Persons 18-34).

Read a summary of the premiere episode here.

Kate's sister-in-law Julie had urged viewers not to watch the show Monday night, suggesting that TLC would be stringing along the Gosselins' marriage drama in an effort to boost ratings:

They will only show what they think people want to see and it isn't real anyway. They will probably drag this out (J&K's 'relationship') for the entire season. They just string the viewers along hoping that they will come back for more."

Comments

[jackjack]

Well I'll admit that I watched it. Im a fan of the older rerun episodes-i never knew Jon got hairplugs or that Kate had a tummy tuck. I watched because I was hopeful that the hype about their marriage being in trouble was just for ratings and they would really NOT be considering divorcing but I was wrong. It was so sad to watch these two people giving up on their marriage.

[avshanbh]

The whole situation is like a bad wreck...you can't help but watch. I feel really bad for those children. Shame on John and Kate for exploiting them.

[fdrdemo]

I think the average couple in this country who find themselves with too many children find themselves in a catch-22: either "exploit" your children in order to get the cash required to raise them or forgo media attention and struggle your whole life to keep them clothed and fed, let alone healthy and college educated.

I think the real controversy here should be the high cost of health care, skyrocketing tuition rates and the overuse of fertility drugs for couples who could otherwise adopt.

[RepundantPundit]

I do not think it is fair to suggest that these people deserve the events that have taken place. They did agree to let cameras into thier home which carries inherent risk. If anything the show has been the best and longest abstainence advert I have aver seen. funny how Those kids are remarkably well developed and normal considering their lack of privacy. However, The problem is not the Goslins. They have been swept up in the tide of a wave they never saw coming. Maybe they should have pulled the plug on the show and dropped off the map, but they do not deserve the rack for trying to take advantage of a unique situation. I dont think anyone will really know if Jon was unfaithful or not. Like every other issue, reporting has relied on unfounded juicy tidbits of information and destroyed an otherwise good thing. God bless the Goslins, and may they make something good out of this mess.

[fdrdemo]

Maybe they should consider an open marriage. That way they could seek out emotional and sexual satisfaction elsewhere while also staying together to raise and support their kids. Unfortunately, America would never accept such an arrangement, even (or maybe especially) if they were happy with it.

[RepundantPundit]

The more I hear, the more I lean toward them getting out of the show altogether. They can ignore the media if they choose to. Jon has a job, the kid's college is paid for. That would at least help.

[meede]

May be big numbers for the Network but they shouldn't be banking on a Season 6. People will quickly tire of the whining and neglect of the children. Kate is self-absorbed. Jon is hen-pecked. They've had 4 going on 5 years. She's bought her designed duds, 24 acre mega house after starting in an overcrowded house. This is their 3rd house in 4 yrs. They live nothing like 'real' people as she tries so hard to make it sound like they are. Free trips. Free products. They're in overtime of their 15 minutes.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Nothing to show that the kids are neglected. They seem well loved and cared for.

Kate is hard working and has a bit of OCD, but Jon is an uninvolved, immature husband and father. I hate that he has to be reminded to do basic things for his own children, including watching out for their safety.

I wish them well. I am glad they found a vehicle to live their lives. I do not begrudge them anything they have earned. I know that while many of us can go home after our jobs, their jobs continue and even as celebrities they have no privacy.

I wish them all success.

[meede]

In an interview Kate said at one time cameras were only 3 days a week. If she's up it it's for more money.

Neglect -- yea. She's spends more time on speaking engangements adding to the bank account. Constant yelling at kids - okay not neglect -- it's abuse

[PoliticalAmazon]

You don't know really anything about them. They are people on a TV show. You see of them what they want you to see.

It always amazes me that people think they know actors on TV or in the movies.

[Sweetie4Obama]

Didn't the CHOOSE to make their story a tv show and become celebrities? No one forced them to give up their privacy.

[progressivelady]

big pay day, for jon & kate plus hate

[meede]

For the network - not for them. They have set contract.

The only reason so many watched -- It's that train wreck happening

[progressivelady]

have'nt you heard they get paid 50-75k per show plus, dvds, book's appearance's, and charge for autographs ,like I said big payday

[OhComeOnNow]

Why is it ok to glorify having too many kids and then pimping themselves on national TV to get the things they want? That is pathetic and I feel for the kids.

[MissMisk]

Anyone who watches this show and yet says gay couples spoil the sanctity of marriage and family is a complete idiot or a complete hypocrite.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

In this situation, it is not glorifying having too many kids, but is glorifying how you deal with a situation you did not plan for. How you love for, care for, and manage 8 small little beings.

If the vehicle is TV to make money, good for them.

[OhComeOnNow]

WOW - you must be paid by TLC.

[forpeace]

Apparently they are on National TV all the time ........... I was wondering when do they have time to take care of 8 kids?! Seriously ..........

[MissMisk]

They don't. We are all witnesses to the emotional neglect of 8 children. Congratulations to us.

[inorbit]

Ugh...I didn't watch it.

[tlgeiger62]

Well of course the ratings were high. People get their kicks out of watching train wrecks! And this one is a doozy! Guess we know what will happen next!

[We-Are-The-Ones]

The show was popular way before this last media scrum.

[kappa08]

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED....predictable American followed the shiny object. Once again....

[montecarlo408]

Ain't that the truth. I didn't even know who these people were until my 15 year old told me. After finding out a little about them, now I know for sure I will never watch. Let both of them go and get real jobs to pay to raise the multiples they decided to bring here, like the rest of us have to.

[BannedFromCommenting]

Bingo! Same here... I just noticed I started seeing this nightmarish hairdo everywhere then wondered as I learned how these people can be out and about so often (Mom, especially) but always without the kids?
I will not watch for the same reason I did before I knew them... because I did not know them and do not want to know them any further.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

This show has been on for many years. It was popular and interesting before the last media scrum.

People liked it. Now many many more will.

I wish them every success.