• by Wayne Friedman , August 6, 2007

Reality shows typically have a lull before the end-of-the-season growing storm. Fox seems to be on that track with hopes to carry that trend into the fall.

Its steady summer-leading show "So You Think You Can Dance" had drifted lower in the past few weeks--only just above a 3.0 rating. But last Thursday, as the show tightened to just a handful of dancers, the 9 p.m. dance competition program perked up by almost 10%--versus the week before to a preliminary Nielsen Media Research 3.5 rating among 18-49 viewers.

At 8 p.m., Fox's new summer reality show "Don't Forget the Lyrics" had another solid 2.9 rating outing, which won the time period--besting CBS' "Big Brother" reality effort, which garnered a 2.6.

Overall, Fox won the night with 3.2 rating/10 share, moving it to a new record, setting 11 straight wins on Thursday night. CBS was second at 2.5/8, NBC third at 1.5/5, Univision fourth at 1.4/4, ABC fifth at 1.1/4 and CW sixth at 0.8/3.

Fox hopes that viewers' summer habits will continue on the night.

Fox is shaking up its fall schedule, building an all-game show Thursday night with its solid performer "Don't Forget the Lyrics" at 9 p.m., to be paired with "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" at 8 p.m.

Fox will move "Kitchen Nightmares," originally destined for the 9 p.m. Thursday slot, to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays--which was occupied by "Bones." "Bones" will now shift to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

Fox has been looking to protect "Bones," its growing but still fragile drama, from that highly competitive Wednesday time slot. At present, it carries a number of new dramas and one returning one: ABC's "Private Practice," CBS' "Criminal Minds," NBC's "Bionic Woman" and the CW's "Gossip Girl."

On the outs is rookie cop/sci-fi drama "New Amsterdam," originally slotted for 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Instead, it will air mid-season.

Fox is now on a 25-week winning streak in the 18-49 demo since the beginning of the year. It's not only winning the summer among those viewers--it also grabbed the regular season in 18-49 viewers for the third year in a row.

Not to be outdone, NBC stated earlier that it was putting "The Singing Bee," its karaoke-style show, on the fall schedule--running it at 9 p.m. on Tuesdays after "The Biggest Loser."