from the hollywood re****ter
Another 'Brother' set for summer
By James Hibberd
"Big Brother" is going back-to-back.
CBS is gearing up for a summer edition of its competition reality
series to follow the winter run that's still on the air.
The network has aired "Brother" the past three summers. Once the WGA
strike kicked in, CBS opted for the show's first in-season edition,
which premiered in February.
Although a summer season of "Brother" always has been likely, the
prospect of the series' first back-to-back run has been tempered by
the current edition's modest ratings.
For summer 2005, "Brother" averaged a 2.9 rating among adults 18-49,
while 2006 and 2007 held a steady 2.8. Season-to-date, the winter run
has averaged a less impressive 2.1 despite some video outtakes of
lurid bedroom (and bathroom) coupling that have made entertainment
blog headlines.
Given the numbers, it was unclear whether CBS might opt to give the
show a breather before bringing it back. But some "Brother" episodes
have gone up against Fox's "American Idol," which offsets the larger
audience benefits of airing in-season. And fans contend that the
sun-drenched summer atmosphere is ideal for the show.
CBS has not announced a premiere date for the summer edition.
Reality fans also could face another unprecedented back-to-back series
run because of the strike: With Fox's "Hell's Kitchen" to premiere
in-season for the first time next month, the show also might have its
regular summer version. The network has a second run on tap, having
ordered two editions shot during the show's recent production cycle.
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