summer shows-related stories
I hope Defying Gravity is more Apollo 13 and less Grey's Anatomy
Summer used to be a wasteland for TV, but now we see more and more shows debuting during the summer or having summer-only runs. Sometimes they're great, usually they're just reality shows. I haven't heard much about ABC's Defying Gravity (premiering August 2), other than it's about astronauts and from the producers of Grey's Anatomy. I hope it's more space/action-oriented than soap-oriented. I don't want to see a character named "McSpacey." It's stars Ron Livingston, Malik Yoba, and Laura Harris.
Here's a preview of The Philanthropist
When I first heard that there was a show coming up called The Philanthropist (which isn't an easy word to type out, by the way), I thought it was another reality show. Maybe something where a contestants compete to see who wins more money for charity or something. But it actually stars James Purefoy as a rich guy who goes around the world helping people. It also stars Jesse L. Martin and Neve Campbell. Here's a scene from the pilot. It starts June 24.
Which summer show are you most looking forward to?
It's amazing how many new shows are on during the summer now. Who needs the outdoors? Let us know which show you're most looking forward to watching this summer (I didn't include shows that have already premiered, such as Burn Notice, So You Think You Can Dance, and The Listener). A poll can only be so long, so if you're show isn't listed let us know in the comments.
Continue reading Which summer show are you most looking forward to?
X-Files fans might like Warehouse 13
We first told you about this new Sci-Fi (damnit, SYFY!) show a couple of years ago, and here's a clip from Warehouse 13, which premieres in July. It shows one of the agents as he's notified of his new assignment. Here's an even more extensive trailer for the show that gives a better feel for what the show is all about.
It looks a lot like The X-Files (man and woman team, mysterious happenings, mysterious boss), only with more humor. I sense some Bones and Eureka in it too.
It looks a lot like The X-Files (man and woman team, mysterious happenings, mysterious boss), only with more humor. I sense some Bones and Eureka in it too.
Hey, TNT and TBS have new shows coming too
With all this news from ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and The CW about their new fall schedules, we can't forget what's happening on cable. TNT and TBS have announced some new shows of their own. Some might say that these shows are even more promising than what the other networks have to offer this fall. In fact, one of them has me more excited than Richard Simmons in a tank top factory.Besides returning shows like The Closer (June 8), Raising The Bar (June 8), Saving Grace (June 16), and Leverage (July 15), TNT also has the following new shows.
Continue reading Hey, TNT and TBS have new shows coming too
Swingtown has nothing to fear in Fear Itself
Two new summer shows debuted at 10pm last night, one on CBS and one on NBC (ABC had the first game of the Celtics/Lakers battle). And it turns out that more viewers wanted to see people swing than see people scream.
The first episode of the CBS series Swingtown, which depicts various neighbors in the 70s drinking, smoking, exchanging partners, and wearing bad clothes, beat the first episode of the new NBC series Fear Itself, a horror anthology series. Swingtown grabbed 8.6 million viewers while Fear Itself managed to get 5.2 million viewers. For the night, ABC won with the NBA game.
I'm rather embarrassed to say that I completely forgot that either of them was on. My night consisted of watching the Red Sox/Rays game (lots of fights and weirdness) and then reading a book until Letterman came on at 11:35. What did everyone think of either or both of these shows?
A&E has a new scripted series, their first in six years
This summer, A&E will launch its first scripted drama series in six years. The Cleaner stars Benjamin Bratt (Law and Order, Miss Congeniality), Amy Price-Francis (Californication), Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica), Kevin Michael Richardson (Knights of Prosperity), Esteban Powell (Dazed and Confused, Powder), Brett DelBuono (Balls of Fury) and Liliana Mumy (Cheaper by the Dozen). Bratt will play William Banks, a recovered drug addict who helps others kick their habits. After hitting rock-bottom because of his own problems with addiction, Banks makes a deal with God when his daughter is born. He vows to help others. However, his means of intervention are unconventional and unrelenting to say the least. In the series premiere, Banks helps high school meth addict Zach, a once-promising young athlete. Along the way, Banks discovers the cause of Zach's addiction, a fracture in the family after Zach's father died. He also uncovers a drug-fencing operation.
The Cleaner premieres Tuesday July 15th at 10 p.m. ET. Will you be watching?
TV Squad: The Week Ahead
The half dozen things that TV Squad readers - and TV fans in general - will be talking about this week. A new feature every Monday.
1. The Lost season finale. Spoiler: they're all robots! (Thursday at 9 on ABC)
2. The Sex and the City movie. I don't see why this show needs a new movie (on the big screen anyway), but I'm sure there will be a bunch of people who go see it. Warning: movie theaters don't sell martinis so you'll have to wait until after the movie. (Starts this Friday)
3. Battlestar Galactica. Yup, some of the biggies still have new episodes (Friday at 10 on Sci-Fi).
4. The new reality shows from Denise Richards and Dina Lohan. I started to cry a little when I wrote that sentence. (Starts tonight on E!)
5. TV fans in a holding pattern. We're in that weird time of year, after most of the season finales have aired, and we're waiting for the new summer shows (Burn Notice, Mad Men, Californication, Law and Order: CI, etc) to start. Go outside and eat a salad, or whatever it is that healthy, TV-less people supposedly do.
6. Moment of Truth returns. This was the #1 new show last season. And it's all your fault. (Returns tomorrow at 8 on FOX)
ABC's new summer reality show Wipeout
ABC has started production on their new summer reality series Wipeout. The show features 24 thrill-seeking contestants who will race in the world's largest extreme obstacle course. According to the press release, the course was designed to create the "most spills, face plants and wipeouts ever seen on television." I can't help but wonder if anyone at ABC has seen MTV's Jackass. Just a thought. The obstacles and contestants change every week. Some of the obstacles are "Dizzy Dummy," "Dirty Balls," (there's a bad joke in there somewhere), and the "Dreadmill" which gets contestants to jump hurdles on a 40-foot long treadmill moving at "warpspeed" (ABC's words, not mine).
Here's something of interest: John Henson (Talk Soup) will be co-hosting with John Anderson of SportsCenter. Henson is reason enough for me to give this show at least one go-round. What about you? Will you tune in to Wipeout?
Wipeout is slated to premiere on Tuesday June 24th at 8:00 p.m. ET / PT on ABC.
NBC announces something confusing (again)
It's getting hard keeping track of what's going on at NBC. The Peacock Network first announced that they weren't going to do an upfront presentation this year. Then came word that they would. And now comes word that they, well, aren't doing an upfront presentation, but they are doing is changing their programming from a "fall to spring" schedule to a "52 weeks, year round" schedule.
Continue reading NBC announces something confusing (again)
ABC plans Emmy shows for the rest of the summer
Do you hear that sound? It's the sound of summer dying. Only a few more weeks 'til Jerry Lewis comes out on stage and the kids are back and school and we're reviewing the new fall shows.
In the meantime, ABC has a plan: they're bringing back The Nine again and running a marathon of shows the last week of August. Ha! Just kidding. I think ABC is done kicking that show around. But they do have a plan for the rest of the summer: they're going to run Emmy-nominated episodes of their shows, including Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives, Boston Legal, According To Jim, Extreme Makeover, and Grey's Anatomy. The episodes will feature sneak previews of the new fall season.
And I'm sure I speak for all of America when I ask, "According To Jim was nominated for an Emmy?"
When is your favorite show coming back?
So the long, hot summer has begun (yeah, I know it's still spring "technically," but it's in the 80s here, humid, and I had to open my window today), and that means repeats, repeats, repeats. Sure, the networks show more new programming in the summer than they used to (even if it is mostly reality), but the real return of TV watching doesn't start til late August.The Futon Critic has a really detailed list of all the returning shows, and what days they will be coming back. They have the premiere dates for fan favorites like Lost, House, and Family Guy, but also for cable shows like The 4400, 30 Days, and Monk.
This list also confirmed that there is a show on WE called Bridezillas, and that Breaking Bonaduce is coming back for another season. Amazing.
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