• by Wayne Friedman , July 8, 2005

The summer has been hot for ABC--the network stepped up with the biggest summer series since "Survivor" in 2000.

Last night's season finale of the big summer hit, "Dancing with the Stars," quick-stepped its way to an eye-popping Nielsen Media Research 6.7 rating/19 share in the adults 18-49 demo, and 21.5 million viewers.

Those kinds of numbers are rare for a summer series--more like how regular-season finales of shows perform. The six-episode series averaged a 5.1 rating/15 share and 16.8 million viewers. That makes it the biggest series in the summer since "Survivor" in 2000, when the show averaged a 12.1 rating/37 share and 28.3 million viewers. All the more remarkable is that "Dancing" even bested the summer debut in 2002 of the now reigning top network show in the land--"American Idol." In 2002, "Idol'"s Tuesday airing of the show averaged 12.5 million viewers; the Wednesday results telecast pulled in 13.5 million.

This has analysts talking up "Dancing" as well as other shows.

"'Dancing with the Stars' and WB's 'Beauty and the Geek' will be regular season shows," said Brad Adgate, senior vp and corporate research director for Horizon Media, New York.

So far this summer, "Beauty and the Geek" has been a more modest performer, earning a 1.9 rating/6 share. But those numbers are good for WB, says Adgate.

The summer has been a natural place for reality shows to get their start. Modest reality shows come in six-episode series. That means very little cost for networks, and greater flexibility to take a chance on offbeat theme shows--like ballroom dancing.

"That's the beauty of running something in the summer," said Adgate. "There is not a lot to lose if it bombs."

Other more modest reality shows--CBS' "Big Brother," NBC's "Fear Factor," and "Meet My Folks," which all got their start in the summer--have gone on to find prime-time time period slots.