Summer TV used to be a barren wasteland. Those days are long gone, but the season is still trying to prove itself.
Fans have showed that they'll tune in to great content no matter what time of year it is. And in the face of declining ratings and more competition from online and streaming video providers, TV programmers are looking for viewers whenever and wherever they can find them.
From the resurgence of game shows to the return of last year's big drama hits, which shows stayed on top and which ones sunk?
Here's a look at what worked and what didn't from TV this summer:
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Best: 'OJ: Made in America' (ESPN)
Whether by luck or by genius planning, ESPN tapped into the renewed public interest in the OJ Simpson murders. While FX's "The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story" successfully stoked those fires, ESPN's series delved deeper into the flames. It satisfied the public's interest for more and delivered aspects of Simpson's alleged crimes and motivations beyond what we thought we wanted.
Worst: 'Wayward Pines' (Fox)
With M. Night Shyamalan attached to the series, we prepared ourselves for the unfounded twist he's so known for in his movies, which became increasingly clumsy after "Unbreakable." Instead, season one was an intricately woven and entertaining experience.
All that fell away with its second season. Story holes and expedient character demises littered the series. Gone was the careful elegance of it first season. In its place was a terrible 10-hour version of the third act from his later movies.
Best: 'The Night Of' (HBO)
Leave it to HBO to give us something to really sink our teeth into as TV hits its slower months. "The Night Of" has become an addictive part of the summer for many viewers, and its examination of the American criminal justice system couldn't be more timely.
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