Time to salute USA -- network, that is

We're all familiar with the concept of beach reads: books that are perfect for the hot, hazy season, tomes that are catchy and clever without being very demanding, paperbacks that end up dog-eared and redolent of tanning oil from banging around in the beach tote.

Cable, it is becoming clear, has its own equivalent: summer series that trade on light comedy and quirky characters, with just enough mystery or action to keep you from flipping over to "The Real Housewives of [Your City Here]."

Call it sweet-tea TV. It is the peculiar, and notably successful, provenance of basic cable's USA Network.

Consider a recent week in July. Seven USA shows -- virtually its entire slate of original prime-time programming -- were bunched together in Nielsen's Top 10 scripted cable series.

Only one show on cable, TNT's Steven Spielberg-produced "Falling Skies," outranked any of USA's magnificent seven.

In order of popularity, they are "Royal Pains," "Burn Notice," "Covert Affairs," "Suits," "Necessary Roughness," "White Collar" and "In Plain Sight."

"What's remarkable is the consistency of their originals," says Sam Armando, director of strategic intelligence at SMGx, the research arm of the multipronged Starcom MediaVest Group.

"It's historic to have seven original shows on the air performing at these levels," crows Ted Linhart, USA's research chief. "No one has ever seen this level of dominance."

USA is the cable mouse that roared.

A decade ago, it was just another channel trolling for an audience with stale bait -- network reruns and marginal sports.

In the summer of 2002, it stumbled upon the eccentric template that has propelled it to the top: "Monk."

Actor Tony Shalhoub was wonderfully endearing as the title character, a brilliant detective with (comically) crippling OCD. Somehow this neurotic germaphobe always got his man.

Other channels have noticed, of course. TNT series like "Franklin & Bash" and "Leverage" are so quintessentially USA, they should wear flag lapels.

Because of TNT's slogan -- "We know drama" -- cast members on these Turner laugh-alikes are contractually forbidden to refer to their shows as comedies. But they sure walk like ruptured ducks.

TNT and the suddenly ascendant History Channel are the only basic cable outlets within hailing distance of USA this summer.

USA's breezy approach has won the channel viewers, but not prestige. Last week, HBO received 104 Emmy nominations. USA got one, for Outstanding Sound Mixing on "Burn Notice."

But it's ratings, not awards, that drive TV's bus. And this summer, USA is making like Ralph Kramden.