Reality shows, game shows dominate summer TV
By Michelle Davey, Staff Writer
May 30, 2008 | 11 a.m.
Summer brings many things: humidity, sunburns and borderline awful TV. Somewhere between the migraine-like ache of this winter’s writers’ strike replacements and fantastic fall programs is summer TV – a cornucopia of reality train wrecks, cheesy game shows and subpar dramas and comedies.
But some of it can be pretty watchable. HBO shows, like “Entourage” and “Flight of the Conchords,” are like a comedy oasis in a hot, summer sea of rancid reality programming. Like many TV watchers, you might be planning to tune into HBO for these two shows. Unfortunately, your TIVO won’t be able to find them. That’s right! The pesky writers' strike has pushed HBO programming back, most likely until this fall. So “Entourage,” “Conchords” and the polygamy-centered “Big Love” will all be missing from this summer’s lineup.
What will be airing? NBC's summer lineup is being heavily advertised as the “All-American Summer,” including the second season of the new and improved “American Gladiators” at 8 p.m. Mondays and “America’s Got Talent,” which premieres at 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 17. Other summer staples will remain, including “Last Comic Standing” at 8:30 p.m. Thursdays and a revamped “Nashville Star,” premiering at 9:30 p.m. Monday, June 9 with new host Billy Ray Cyrus.
The peacock also added some new shows to the lineup. This summer, horror flicks will hit the small screen starting at 10 p.m. Thursday, May 29 in “Fear Itself” with writers from the likes of “30 Days of Night,” “Masters of Horror” and “Jeepers Creepers” pumping up the audience’s adrenaline. Another newbie, “The Baby Borrowers,” features young couples who think they are ready to have kids attempting to care for infants, toddlers and eventually teenagers. That show premieres at 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 25.
Thankfully, NBC has one trick up its sleeve to top off its summer list: the Olympics! The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, begin with the opening ceremonies Aug. 8 and continue through all the running, jumping, leaping and swimming until the closing ceremonies Aug. 24. If the U.S. can take gold in a bunch of events, then NBC might live up to its “All-American Summer” lineup.
ABC is looking to Asia for inspiration this summer, adding two new Japanese-themed game shows to its programming. The first, “Wipeout,” will be familiar to any “MXC” fan. The show challenges contestants to maneuver through extreme obstacle courses to compete for a $50,000 prize. The show premieres at 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 24 and will be followed by “I Survived a Japanese Game Show” at 9 p.m., which sends Americans abroad to compete in a tough Japanese competition series.
ABC is keeping up with NBC on the reality show front, including familiar summer fare in its programming list. “The Bachelorette” airs at 9 p.m. Mondays followed by a resurrected “The Mole” at 10 p.m.
Other new ABC shows include “Dance Machine,” which premieres at 8 p.m. Friday, June 27 and “High School Musical: Summer Session,” premiering at 8 p.m. Sunday, July 20. “Dance Machine” will feature six dancers who must compete in series of one-on-one dance-offs. “High School Musical” will be a reality competition based on the hit Disney movies.
Two new scripted shows will grace the CBS lineup this summer: “Swingtown,” premiering at 10 p.m. Thursday, June 5, and “Flashpoint,” premiering at 10 p.m. Friday, July 11. From the director of HBO’s “Big Love” and “Rome,” the new drama “Swingtown” is set in the tumultuous 1970s and follows Susan and Bruce Miller as they navigate the decade’s changing social climate. “Flashpoint” is inspired by Toronto’s Emergency Task Force and centers on a group of cops who rescue hostages, defuse bombs and talk down suicidal teens for a living.
CBS summer programming also includes some oldies like “Big Brother,” premiering at 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, and a recharged version of an old game in “Million Dollar Password,” hosted by Regis Philbin and premiering at 8 p.m. Sunday, June 1.
Other new shows include “Greatest American Dog,” premiering at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 10 and featuring pets from across the nation competing for a $250,000 prize, and “Jingles,” which premieres at 9 p.m. Sunday, July 27 and centers on contestants who must write and perform new TV jingles each week.
FOX will keep some of its regular programming on the slate for the summer, including new episodes of “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” at 8 p.m. Thursdays and repeats of “Bones” and “House” respectively at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Mondays.
The network is also continuing its summer stalwarts like “So You Think You Can Dance,” the dance competition inspired by “American Idol,” which airs at 8 p.m. Wednesdays with results following at 9 p.m. Thursdays. New episodes of the startling new game show, “The Moment of Truth,” will air at 8 p.m. Tuesdays, followed at 9 p.m. by “Hell’s Kitchen,” starring the lovably hateful chef Gordon Ramsay.
USA's two comedy-dramas “Monk” and “Psych” will return respectively at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday, July 18. USA also has a new show, “In Plain Sight,” premiering at 10 p.m. June 1. The show will follow Mary Shannon, who works for the Witness Protection Program.
And that is what is on the boob tube this summer! Some of it could be entertaining and laughable, but if you are going to miss your regular programming too much, this writer suggests checking out NBC.com for the Webisodes promised this summer for “The Office,” “Chuck” and “Heroes.” NBC produced several short, online episodes of “The Office” in 2006, which won a daytime Emmy. With the new writers contract, the scribes of these hit shows will be compensated fairly for their online content, and this year’s Webisodes should prove to be even better.
Or you could just watch a lot of baseball.
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