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MINNEAPOLIS (AdAge.com) — The big top came to the small screen last night, as NBC’s “Celebrity Circus” became just the latest example of the networks working without a net as they try nearly every reality format to remain relevant during the summer. Indeed, the reality genre dominated, comprising 77% of prime-time programming. NBC, Fox and the CW ran all-reality slates; ABC ran two hours and CBS one.
While inexpensive, reality usually isn’t as rewarding, at least commercially, as it rarely repeats well, and a significant number of viewers reject the genre. The 8 p.m. ET hour, for instance, was all reality and earned only an 8.1/29 cumulative rating and share in the ad-centric 18-to-49 demographic among the five networks. It did begin the night’s highest-rated program, however, as a two-hour version of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance?” delivered a 3.4/11.
NBC ran the first hour of a 90-minute “Deal or No Deal,” which dealt the time slot — and the night overall — a 2.2/7. ABC, CBS and the CW also ran reality — but in repeat form — and had the expected results: ABC’s “Wife Swap” (1.4/5), CBS’s “Price Is Right Million Dollar Spectacular” (1.2/4) and the CW’s “America’s Next Top Model” (0.4/1) were all relatively uncompetitive.
The 9 p.m. ET hour was also replete with reality, as a rerun of “Supernanny” on ABC delivered a 1.5/4 and the CW’s “Farmer Wants a Wife” yielded a 0.8/2, as the network finished the night with a 0.6/2. The first half-hour of NBC’s “Circus” also ran within that time frame, delivering an overall 2.3/7, with the 10 p.m. portion winning its time slot. Overall, NBC was second with a 2.2/7.
One drama did run at 9 p.m., a rerun of CBS’s “Criminal Minds,” which delivered a 1.8/5, leading into a repeat of “CSI: NY” (2.1/6). CBS finished third, with a 1.7/5.

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