Image Credit: Chris Haston/NBC; Jeff Samaripa/ABC; Brian Bowen Smith/Fox;Summer repeats are so over: TV fans had lots of original fare to choose from on the broadcast networks over the last three months. The Big Four networks programmed tons of fresh shows from June to August, some of which was burned off episodes from canceled shows (hi, ‘Til Death and Three Rivers!) but most of which was specially-produced fare for those hot, summer nights. NBC, no surprise, attracted the most viewers with the return of America’s Got Talent (11.82 million), but another edition of The Bachelorette (9.92 million) pulled in some respectable numbers for ABC.
It was some of the new scripted shows that did the most damage. Despite a fair amount of promotion, ABC struck out with new series like Scoundrels and The Gates – a shame since the former featured some pretty lovable TV stars like Carlos Bernard (24) and David James Elliott (JAG). Given how much money the alphabet probably sunk into these shows, they’re sure to go down as the biggest disappointments of Summer 2010. Ditto for The Bridge on CBS – an import from Canada that was lucky to attract a tick over 3 million.
So what did you like the best? Reality shows, of course. TV viewers seem to prefer mindless fare on their broadcast networks while relying on the cable networks to satiate their hunger for scripted shows over the summer (HBO’s True Blood and AMC’s Rubicon were on the top of my season pass list). Here’s what you watched the most (and the least) of this summer:
America’s Got Talent (NBC): 11.82 million
Bachelorette (ABC): 9.99 million
Wipeout (ABC): 8.89 million
Hell’s Kitchen (Tuesdays, Fox): 7.83 million
So You Think You Can Dance (Thursdays, Fox): 7.75 million
Wipeout (Thursdays, ABC): 7.74 million
Big Brother (Sundays, CBS): 7.70 million
Big Brother (Thursdays, CBS): 7.61 million
Hell’s Kitchen (Fox): 7.47 million
Big Brother (Wednesdays, CBS): 7.46 million
So You Think You Can Dance (Wednesdays, Fox): 7.38 million
Lie to Me (Fox): 7.33 million
Rookie Blue (ABC): 7.24 million
Flashpoint (CBS): 6.99 million
Minute to Win It (Wednesdays, NBC): 6.57 million
Miami Medical (CBS): 6.52 million
Bachelor Pad (ABC): 6.01 million
Masterchef (Fox): 5.67 million
Minute to Win It (Tuesdays, NBC): 5.42 million
True Beauty (ABC): 5.39 million
Boston Med (ABC): 5.38 million
Lie to Me (Mondays, Fox): 5.03 million
Last Comic Standing (NBC): 4.91 million
Losing it with Jillian (NBC): 4.80 million
The Good Guys (Fox): 4.61 million
Primetime: What Would You Do (ABC): 4.54 million
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC): 4.53 million
Shaq Vs. (ABC): 4.48 million
Primetime: What Would You Do (Tuesdays, ABC): 4.35 million
Downfall (ABC): 4.15 million
Friday Night Lights (NBC): 4.13 million
Dating in the Dark (ABC): 4.05 million
Primetime: Family Secrets (ABC): 3.92 million
Scoundrels (ABC): 3.82 million
Nightline Primetime: Secrets (ABC) 3.81 million
The Gates (ABC): 3.78 million
Primetime: Mind Games (ABC) 3.74 million
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC): 3.63 million
Wife Swap (ABC): 3.36 million
Breakthrough with Tony Robbins (NBC): 3.03 million
Persons Unknown (NBC): 2.79 million
Law & Order: CI (Saturdays, NBC): 2.57 million
100 Questions (NBC): 2.16 million
Til Death (Fox): 2.03 million
Sons of Tuscon (Fox): 1.85 million
Unfortunately, for the most part reality tv rules the summer; thou I will admit I watch WipeOut. Really enjoyed The Gates – Fri/Sat at 10pm would have been a great time slot for this type of show. Scoundrels was fun – too bad these shows were wasted in the summer.
I liked the Gates also. But just like Better Off Ted, ABC will probably cancel it.
ABC DID cancel Ted.
he said that, he’s saying ABC will probably cancel The Gates, just like ABC did with Ted
The Gates improved so much over the course of the season, to where it’s one of my favorites now. What a shame if it does not get renewed.
LOVED The Gates. I hope it gets renewed.
I liked “The Gates” too. How many episodes are left?
Why are only network shows listed? The scripted summer shows I enjoyed the most were Drop Dead Diva and Royal Pains.
I agree about why only network shows. The summer is about TBS and TNT: Covert affairs, White Collar, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, The Closer…this is what i watch during the summer, along with HBO
I agree, lets see:
White Collar
Covert Affairs
Warehouse 13
Hawthorne
The Closer
Rizzoli and Isles
Royal Pains
Army Wives
Rescue Me
I did watch Flashpoint on CBS (I love that show) but that was the only one on network tv.
Exactly! As far as I’m concerned, the list is not accurate. The best shows of the Summer are mostly on Cable TV. Aside from the shows mentioned above, you can’t ignore Psych, Army Wives, and Warehouse 13, all of which have loyal followings. Get on the ball, EW!
I know that EW has a s****y attitude toward USA, but come on. Psych, White Collar, Royal Pains etc. are all in my top 10. Why does EW continuously shortchange USA?
what about Burn Notice and Memphis Beat?? I also liked Flashpoint, really the only thing on the Big 3 I watched.
I completely agree. All the great scripted shows during the summer are on cable. I watch The Closer, Rizzoli & Isles, White Collar, Covert Affairs, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Eureka, Have, and Warehouse 13. The only show I watch during the summer not on cable is the repeats of Castle on ABC so I can keep what happened fresh in my head for the new season. I like Flashpoint and Rookie Blue, but they fell victim to being on the same time as other shows I watch and/or DVR.
Agreed. I haven’t watched the networks since May. The only shows I watched/DVR’d this summer were on TNT and USA.
I almost forgot another great show, Leverage!
…and also AMC (Mad Men)
I admit to watching SYTYCD as my #1 diversion and catching AGT on my DVR, but forget the reality shows and most of the rest of the Big Network offerings. Give me (in no particular order)…
Memphis Beat
Glades
Burn Notice
White Collar
Covert Affairs
The Closer
Rizzoli and Isles
Royal Pains
Rescue Me
Not only did I not watch a single minute of reality TV, I didn’t watch a single show on “the big four”. I had already watched “Friday Night Lights” last fall on DirecTV, so I stuck with the cable networks for the good stuff. My must-see shows were:
Covert Affairs
The Glades
Burn Notice
Royal Pains
Same here. USA’s works were my main course all summer and I loved it. Lie to Me was great too.
Must see for me for the summer were only cable shows.
Futurama
Covert Affairs (the best of the new shows, imo)
Burn Notice
Warehouse 13
Eureka
Rescue Me
The Closer
Leverage
True Blood
Rizzoli & Isles, Hot In Cleveland, Royal Pains and Memphis Beat were enjoyable if not must see.
Did not get around to White Collar, Haven or any of the network shows. I was bored after the first two episodes of Rubicon though everyone keeps saying it is great. Hated the Glades and don’t really care for Psych.
Other than reruns of Big Bang Theory, I did not watch any network shows.
I watched Pretty Little Liars and True Blood. Otherwise I’ve spent a lot of time watching Buffy on Netflix and wondering why I didn’t ever watch it when it was still on the air.
@katy – Pretty much what I did. Except I know why I didn’t watch Buffy when it was on. I was only 5 when it started.
I agree, too. Memphis Beat didn’t make the list in the article/ blog, but since it’s been renewed for season 2, I’m glad I’m not the only one who enjoyed it.
Because Nielsen splits the ratings into two different lists, Broadcast and Cable?
EW didn’t compile this list, Nielsen did.
no, EW has a thing against USA Network. USA has tons of very popular shows, but doesn’t recap any of them. They did a recap of Covert Affairs for two weeks with a recapper who professed to loving the show (and got quoted in an ad for the show) and then the recaps disappeared (and so did reference to the quote… coincidence?).
In the meantime, they recap junk like Melissa and Joey and other garbage. EW has it out for USA Network, plain and simple.
Sounds like a serious conspiracy!
They recap Melissa and Joey?? Wow.
I don’t think cable and network ratings are measured together and this is a discussion of network ratings, which are usually much higher than cable ratings anyway.
Yeah, but network shows are garbage. Besides, a lot of the people who would actually visit an entertainment website are geeks who watch cable shows. EW’s really missing the mark by giving a much loved network like USA so little attention.
Ew even shortchanges USA in their magazine. In their must watch section, USA is almost never featured, even if it’s the best thing on that night. FAIL
I really love The Gates – fresh, intriguing. It’ll probably get cancelled even though bs shows like two and a half men are still on the air. gross.
The Gates has promise. I gave up on Master Chef, it was too many sob stories and “I really want this” crap. Plus, Ramsay as the ‘good guy” just doesn’t ring true. The Gates could be a good series if given time, it has a lot of stories that it could tell.
Sadly, what’s not true is that ‘raging jerk’ is his default state. Having met and worked around him I’ll say my experience was that he’s more like Masterchef than Hell’s Kitchen. YMMV.
I am so sad to hear about The Gates and Scoundrels. All my family and friends loved those shows. Especially The Gates!!
Summer tv = cable tv. Who watches broadcast tv (regularly) in summer?
Viva “The Closer” and “Rizzoli”!
I really like The Glades. I guess I am the only one watching. It is perfect summer fun.
I love The Glades also
Me three!
count me in this group as well!
Me five.
I love this show!!! Favorite new show of the summer!!
I love it too. I watch it right after Leverage on Sundays
The Glades it the best new show out there.I just figured I was the only one watching it. That’s normally what happens when I really love a show from the start.
I watched Huge on ABC family. Not sure how the ratings were, but it was a fun, family-oriented show.
One more for ‘The Glades’. I think it’s awesome and it doesn’t hurt that Matt Passmore is so cute.
I love The Glades too. Refreshing.
SYTYCD
Big Brother
The Gates
I love —> Flashpoint!!!!
AGT is just OK this year
I wanted to like Persons Unknown
Hated Scoundrels
Scoundrals was just getting good when it finished it’s run. What a shame the networks will not stick by a show and let it grow it’s audience. Classic hit shows, that took more than one season to catch on like Cheers, Dallas, Cagney and Lacey, and Designing Women, would never have made it in today’s impatient TV landscape. This is why viewers get fed up with the broadcast networks and flock to cable. Cable gives it’s programs a chance to build an audience and the viewers reward that with loyal watching. Think about how many shows the networks have tossed over the last few years and pissed off their viewers, just because they didn’t get high ratings fast enough. This year I watched Flash Forward and Better Off Ted get the boot. How do they expect viewers to stick by their shows if they don’t? Scoundrals was fun and had potential. Too bad ABC didn’t see that.
I just love Lie to Me. I know it was a toss up on whether it was coming back for another season or not, but I still think the premise is intriguing and Tim Roth is terrific!
Another great show. Those who haven’t seen it can catch up on Netflix. It’s well worth your time. Tim Roth is brilliant.
‘Lie to Me’ does have a fun premise and the actors are great. The last few episodes, to me, weren’t all that, but the first season and beginning of season two are excellent.
I don’t see The Closer & Rizzoli & Isles on this list. They both are doing well this summer.
I watch exactly one of the shows on that list: “Lie to Me” (yay Tim Roth!). Where are “The Closer” & “Royal Pains”? And is no one else watching “Rizzoli & Isles” and “Covert Affairs”?
rizzoli and isles sucks.to middle aged women trying to be edgy.cant wait for BONES.
I agree R & I sucks, but for different reasons. The production and continuity values are practically nonexistent and Sasha can’t pull off Maura’s character. The scripts take liberties with police procedure that would guarantee no convictions in court. The whole show is a joke.
Sasha Alexander is a whopping three years older than Emily Deschanel.
Just sayin’…
I love Rizzoli and Isles! I’ve read the books for years and I think the show is really fun. My favorite summer show is Eureka.
I watched Persons Unknown and found it to be an intriguing idea, but hard to watch and stay with even for its short run. I love Drop Dead Diva, My Boys, and Rizzoli and Isles! I also watched Army Wives and fell in love with Legend of the Seeker via Netflix streaming!
I watched Persons Unknown and after the finale was mad I wasted my time all summer.
I also watched it.I for 1 enjoyed the end can you say live video game. I wish there was a second season
I wish we could know how our Favorite Shows on USA & TNT did compared to the “Big” Networks this summer. My Fav’s have been Leverage & Royal Pains.
Agreed. My FAVORITES this summer were “White Collar” and “Covert Affairs”, hands down….
I loved “The Good Guys” and I am glad it will be back on this fall. It’s just a fun show. Besides Wipeout, I don’t want any of those silly “reality” shows.
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who loves The Good Guys. I realize it’s not the most high brow show, but it just cracks me up.
Totally agree.
Good guys rules Bradley and Hanks are great.
LOVE The Good Guys! Can’t wait for it to come back this Fall.
Hurrah! I’m so sick of trying to convince people that I’m not crazy fro liking “The Good Guys.”
What a dumb list. All the excellent scripted fair was on CABLE. HBO, Showtime, TNT, USA, SyFy, hell even Starz with its awesome sweeping mini-series “Pillars of Earth”.
I agree about Pillars of the Earth – I fell in the love with the character Jack. Looking for anything else I can watch with Eddie Redmayne.