MUMBAI: Fox's music based reality show American Idol is in its third season. The first aired Monday night and attracted 28.2 million viewers.
 

An AP report indicates that the show did especially well in the 18-49 age group. The ratings bonanza couldn't have come at a better time for the Murdoch broadcaster. Its latest shows have not been doing too well. This season only sports broadcasts have managed to draw in more viewers on American television. Around 80,000 people applied to be on the show. As in the past the contestants will be judged by Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell. The show is hosted by Ryan Seacrest.

Another report in BBC News stated that the show is to Fox what Friends is to NBC and Survivor is to CBS. The final episode of the second season attracted over 38 million viewers. American Idol boosted another of Fox's reality shows on Monday night. My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance averaged nearly 21.4 million viewers.

The show sees a woman trying to convince her family that she is serious about a questionable man in order to win the prize of a million dollars. She is however in the dark about the fact that her "fiance" is an actor who is trying to make the task as difficult as possible.