Hits of summers past

0 Comments | USA TODAY, July, 2007 | by Gary Levin

These past hot-weather successes were quickly dispatched to duty in the September-to-May TV season:

Show, network, time frame Premiere audience (millions) Peak audience (millions)

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (ABC, 1999-2002, but continues in syndication) A two-week late-August stunt turned into a phenomenon, aided by Regis Philbin's skill as an ominous quizmaster. 10 36

Survivor (CBS, 2000-) Ushered in era of reality-competition series, prompting a wave of tribal-council imitators. 15.5 51.7

Fear Factor (NBC, 2001-06) Gross-out game had contestants eat buffalo testicles and sheep eyes. 11.9 18.8

American Idol (Fox, 2002-) Singing competition started modestly but changed the music business -- and television -- as the...