We're not quite half-way through the broadcast summer, but it's time for an initial "Summer Of Serious" scorecard. So called, because of the silly TV meme floating around at the end of May was that ABC and Fox were getting "serious" with scripted shows this summer, while I doubted that the mostly cheap scripted shows would do better than their unscripted reality.
Most of our surveyed readers figured that only a couple, if that many of the new scripted shows this summer would top their own networks' unscripted shows, and they seem to so far be proven correct. (scripted shows in bold)
ABC (most "serious")
| Shows | Net | 18-49 rating Avg. (Most Current) |
| WIPEOUT-TUES | ABC | 3.2 |
| BACHELORETTE, THE | ABC | 3.1 |
| WIPEOUT-THURS | ABC | 3.0 |
| Rookie Blue | ABC | 2.0 |
| TRUE BEAUTY | ABC | 2.0 |
| DOWNFALL | ABC | 1.7 |
| THE GATES | ABC | 1.6 |
| BOSTON MED | ABC | 1.4 |
| SCOUNDRELS | ABC | 1.3 |
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Fox (less "serious")
| Shows | Net | 18-49 Rating Avg. (Most Current) |
| HELL'S KITCHEN | FOX | 3.2 |
| SO YOU THINK CN DANCE-WED | FOX | 2.2* |
| SO YOU THINK CN DANCE-THU | FOX | 2.1* |
| Lie To Me | FOX | 1.9* |
| Good Guys | FOX | 1.5 |
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*Unfortunately, the Most Current ratings averages from Nielsen for Lie To Me and So You Think You Can Dance include their regular season airdates so are not comparable. Instead I have posted the Live+Same Day ratings for their latest week's airings. Their Most Current ratings averages would likely be 10-20% higher than their Live+Same Day averages.
NBC (not "serious")
| Shows | Net | 18-49 Rating Avg. (Most Current) |
| AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-TUE | NBC | 3.7 |
| AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-WED | NBC | 3.5 |
| LAST COMIC STANDING 7 | NBC | 2.0 |
| LOSING IT WITH JILLIAN | NBC | 1.9 |
| PERSONS UNKNOWN | NBC | 1.3 |
| 100 QUESTIONS | NBC | 0.8 |
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CBS (not "serious")
| Shows | Net | 18-49 Rating Avg. (Most Current) |
| FLASHPOINT | CBS | 1.4 |
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Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2010 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
All ratings averages are "Most Current" which are a combination of Live+7 day DVR viewing when available and Live+Same Day DVR viewing. If they seem noticeably greater than the overnight Live+Same Day ratings reported for the same shows, that's why. Ratings through Sunday, July 4.
The graphic doesn't really have anything to do with television, it's from the Cohen brothers film 'A Serious Man', but I think it works for the topic.
