Summer, notorious for being a wasteland of television reruns and repeats, is quickly becoming the go-to place for new programming, both good and bad. The trouble is distinguishing the stuff worth watching from the stuff you wouldn’t want to touch with a 10-foot-long pole. Here are a few suggestions that I’m going to be watching this summer:
The Good Guys
This new action-gone-comedy show uses the classic old cop/new cop archetype, pairing the washed-up police officer with the young, fastidious, modern detective, hilarity is supposed to ensue. The show follows these two unlikely partners as they try to “expose the big picture of small crime.”
I can’t tell you exactly what FOX is going for with this show, but it looks like it has the potential to either crash and burn or prove its worth pretty early on. I say the best indication to watch or not will be May 19, when a special preview episode will premiere at 8:00 p.m. before the regularly scheduled American Idol mess begins at 9:00.
Dating in the Dark
In case you missed this reality show gem last summer, season two is coming back in full force this summer on ABC. This unique experience poses the question we’ve all asked ourselves “Is love really blind?” Making entertainment out of a social experiment, Dating in the Dark separates six singles by sex in a house and allows dating, bonding, wooing and cooing to all go on under the disguise of deep darkness. After their time in the house is up, the individuals are given the opportunity to see one another in the light and find out just who this almost-anonymous partner is that they’ve gotten to know so well.
America’s Got Talent
This has to be one of the most contrived shows on television, but why can’t I tear myself away? The cheesy judges parody the already ridiculous American Idol caricatures, the lame sob stories and embarrassing moments are nothing new by way of reality show standards and the commercials occur almost every five minutes. But what this show does correctly is entertain. Even the bad acts are great to watch on a show like this, and that’s why most people tuned in for the earlier episodes.
What this show has that other talent shows lack is diversity in its acts. Classical opera, sand sculpting, martial arts flips and 6-year-olds singing heart breaking renditions of over the rainbow are all fair game in just the first 10 minutes. I often find myself being wow-ed by talents I didn’t really know existed (like speed changing?) and it’s always easy to laugh at the characters created out of their poor singing or dancing skills.
True Blood is returning to HBO June 13 with all the favorite characters and gripping cliffhangers. So for those Vampire Diary fans out there, don’t cry your heart out yet . . . more vampire-mania is coming your way soon enough.
The Real L Word is coming to Showtime. For those familiar with The L Word, this is a product of that popularity wave. This reality show may prove entertaining as cameras follow around a group of “real” lesbians. Most likely, this will have people up in arms over the portrayal of lesbians, but what reality show has ever made its subjects look good?
Sunset Daze, airing on WEtv, is described as Jersey Shore meets Golden Girls, this new reality gem features a group of retirees destined to prove they’ve still got it. With larger-than-life characters who have more will to live than many of their juniors, this show proves that age is just a number, with a cast of seniors ready to prove they’re just beginning their golden years. Premiering last night at 10 p.m., this show will undoubtedly run through the summer season.
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