USA Network Looking for More Blue-Sky ‘Satisfaction’ With Summer Shows

Whether or not any broadcast network will ever admit it, cable networks like USA figured out the power of summer programming long before anyone else did. Yes, the broadcasters hit upon some major successes during the summer, but it was the cable executives who decided to truly own the season and double-down on its potential for profitability.

After taking a look at how ABC (DIS), CBS ((CBS), Fox (FOXA), and NBC (CMCSA) are handling this summer, it's time to turn our attention to the cable networks and look at what advertisers, investors, and audiences need to know as the seasonal battleground heats up.

Blue-sky success
You can’t really have this conversation without starting with USA (a subsidiary of Comcast (CMCSA)). The network has always had a sustainable and successful model dubbed “blue sky.” Essentially, it’s taking a character that comes “this close” to their dream, and always reminding them it actually is a dream.

Whether it be Suits’ Mike Ross, pretending to be a lawyer and living the life that comes with it, or the Royal Pains crew living among the Hamptons elite but not quite being one of them, it’s a scenario that plays…and it plays best during the summer.

USA executives (specifically the incredibly talented Bonnie Hammer) have also mastered the art of finding talent that is one step away from breaking through and giving them their big shot. For example, did you know who Jeffrey Donavan or Matt Bomer were before Burn Notice and White Collar? You may have seen them pop up from time to time, but now they could step into their own show armed with just the pedigree of a successful USA series.

While Burn Notice and Psych have signed off (and White Collar expected to in the not-so-distant future), Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, Suits, and now Graceland carry on the tradition.

A positive split
Speaking of tradition, USA has also had a hand in a new programming tradition: the split-season approach. The network helped usher this tactic in, as for years it's been airing its dramas in two batches -- a longer run during the summer and a slightly shorter one in the winter.

The benefit of it is surprisingly simple in that the network gets to extend the life of its show’s seasons without having to produce more episodes. USA, like most cable networks, usually orders between 13 and 16 episodes per season and can then split them any number of ways with eight and six being one of the more popular (plus a skip week near the end to account for special events, holidays, or just to build suspense).

Both ABC and AMC (AMCX) have adopted the model to great success. ABC converted almost its entire network business model for dramas to the “batch” system, which produced a noticeable increase in viewership and demographic ratings. Meanwhile, AMC has used it for every season of The Walking Dead since the show’s sophomore year to similar results. Part of the success is that all three networks are upfront with viewers about it in the beginning; a lesson NBC learned when it tried the method with Revolution. It’s a mistake NBC won’t make again as it preps next fall’s split season of The Blacklist, which should see a more favorable result.

The next wave
Getting back to USA, though, this summer the network will bring its arsenal of “blue-sky” hits back into the fold and add two new ones to the mix: Rush and Satisfaction. Rush follows a discreet doctor to the rich and famous while Satisfaction looks at a crumbling marriage.

Of the two, Rush fits the mold better as it’s a mix of Royal Pains and Showtime’s fixer series Ray Donovan, while Satisfaction seems darker than most USA series, which usually have some sort of lighter comedic element. Rush will star Tom Ellis, who is better known to British audiences, and Satisfaction will feature Matt Passmore, who broke through with A&E’s The Glades.

While the blue-sky model looks intact, the network is still quietly making a big gamble this summer by pairing its two rookies back-to-back. This is a risky move as usually new shows are paired with an established hit to help lure more viewers. It’s a break from the traditional formula, but it speaks to the network’s faith in its programming and while on any other network it could be dangerous, here it seems like the next step in a blueprint for which the network helped write the rules. This could be the next chapter.