TNT’s "Rizzoli & Isles" has generally received lukewarm reviews, but it’s still no surprise why this female buddy show is considered one of the summer’s breakout hits, reports Brian Steinberg in Advertising Age

Its ratings have been robust for a summer scripted show, drawing between 6.5 million to 7.5 million viewers for its five episodes, the story says. That represents a larger audience than those drawn by other summer programs, including MTV’s "Jersey Shore" and USA’s "Covert Affairs," the article points out.

Shows like "Rizzoli & Isles," which don’t have the flash of a "Mad Men," are a network’s meat and potatoes, and that’s incredibly important, the story says. As Steinberg points out, "as more broadcast-network programs see viewership fall in the 6 million to 10 million viewer-range (ABC’s "Modern Family," widely considered a hit, has notched only an average of 8.5 million viewers for the season through Aug. 8, Nielsen said), a by-the-numbers drama on the order of "Rizzoli & Isles" could spell the difference between success and failure for TV outlets hoping to delve more seriously into scripted fare. TNT has already renewed the program for a second season."

To read all of Steinberg’s article, please click here.