There Must Be SOME Explantion?!? (Ratings Analysis)

...for the outrageous ratings that Redneck Reality show, "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" is receiving! I imagined after watching the first episode that people of such a naturally repulsive nature would turn away viewers, but isn't this always how Reality TV works? High-hitting reality shows typically do involve high conflict, extreme behaviors, and bizarre personalities. Now we begin to see how Here Comes Honey Boo Boo delivers when it comes to ratings, and its ability to bring in an audience. Character's bobbing for pig feet, diving in waters inhabited by flesh-eating bacteria, making trashy fart jokes, and having just general stupidity it seems, comprise just the 1st episode of this show. While these are not high class members of society, they definitely do plenty of things we don't see everyday, which can be entertaining to many people.

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The numbers speak for themselves, and it is undeniable that Here Comes Honey Boo Boo is a major success. It was the #1 program in delivery among all ad-supported cable for three consecutive episodes as well. A large portion of its viewers are young to middle-aged women as well (my theory is watching this show makes them feel hotter? I know I would...). It's highest episode yet yielded a 1.8 HH rating, 2.6 W18-34 rating, and a 2.1 W18-49 rating. It's also been very successful in capturing the online audience, taking the number one spot on Trendrr.tv's top social cable chart for the fourth consecutive week! Not only is the online audience watching the show though, but Twitter has been Tweeting hard on this one. There have been at least 20 trending topics with over 1.5 billion impressions since the premiere of the show.

The shows closest competitor is Royal Pains (USA), coming in with very similar ratings consistently. Other shows of similar ranking for Wednesday's include Family Guy (Adult Swim), The Big Bang Theory (TBSC), Robot Chicken (Adult Swim), and American Dad (Adult Swim). The only shows to overtake Here Comes Honey Boo Boo since its premiere have been The Big Bang Theory, Family Guy, and Royal Pains.

It definitely says something about our society when we see Reality shows such as this highlighting the ratings. We complain that the people may be dumb, spoiled, obnoxious, annoying, or any number of things, but maybe this is the reason we are so entertained. Entertainment has no standards, and as long as the TV is on for shows like Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, we only prove that this is material we consider worth watching. While we justify our reasons for being oddly compelled to watch fat rednecks, TLC will continue reaping the benefits by exploiting a disgusting southern family, but a family nonetheless, for a quick buck.