Ratings: ‘Mistresses’ season 4, ‘American Ninja Warrior,’ ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ all improve

Do you see what happens when shows don’t have to compete against the Olympics? Things get better! As for whether or not they’re in good enough shape to avoid potential cancellation, that’s an entirely different story…

Let’s start this ratings report with the show in the most danger in “Mistresses,” which managed to improve up to a 0.6 rating in the 18-49 demographic without the Games to worry about. While we don’t exactly think that is enough to ensure a season 5 renewal, it’s a step in the right direction. More than just improve its ratings, this is a series that really just needs to worry about improving itself given that it has drifted rather far from its soapy, silly premise that it had during its early days on the air.

As for shows that were never in danger of going anywhere, “Bachelor in Paradise” brought in a 1.6 rating that really is not far off of ratings for “The Bachelorette,” which continues to surprise us given the later weeks of this show every season end up becoming a complete mosh pit of people we barely remember from other seasons. This all but guarantees a season 4 next summer featuring a combination of old and new cast members.

Finally, “American Ninja Warrior” (1.9) clearly is riding high following NBC’s Olympics coverage, as it beat ABC and drew one of its best ratings of the season. The great thing about this show in particular is that you can miss a few weeks, and then come back and still figure out rather quickly what’s going on.