“American Idol” is back.

Its ratings are like Jack Nicholson slapping Faye Dunaway in “Chinatown.” The ratings are huge! The ratings are disappointing! The ratings are huge AND disappointing!

They are bigger, bigger than anything else this season. Bigger by a mile. So tall you can’t see the top.

Yet they are also down. Tuesday night’s premiere down 13%. Wednesday’s second episode down 19%. Lowest premiere numbers in four years.

Whatever does this mean?

“Idol” is getting old. Reality shows are like dog years. Seven seasons is old for a reality show.

Fox is defensive about this. Its the fading quarterback who’s still on top, but his bum knee is catching up with him and he no longer gets carded at the bar and he rather just sit around and grill a steak than play in the game against Denver on Saturday. He’s denying he’s losing his touch, convinced he’ll play forever.

His fall may take a long time. Got many more seasons left in him. But fans know he’s past his prime and the standings prove it.

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Fox’s glorified karaoke show returns tonight with producers promising fewer annoying mentors and more annoying contestants.

Once again, “Idol” is expected to decimate all competition. But by how much? Reality shows tend to have a ratings pattern that goes – in professional network executive lingo-speak — up, up, up and then down, down, down.

“Idol” went up, up, up and then last year went down for the first time. So will this year the decline continue?

It doesn’t even come close to mattering.

Some ratings softening for “Idol” is like Bill Gates getting a parking ticket. “Idol” has enough ratings to spare, enough to throw a party for its friends and to pass out Nielsen points in a big bowl on the coffee table.

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