Remember When Summer TV was full of RERUNS?

Do you remember when the summer meant that there was at least 3 months where there was nothing but re-runs on TV? Before the days of the DVR, it was a great chance for you to get those shows you couldn't fit into your schedule when they re-ran. (At least that's what I used to do). I remember back in 1991 when FOX put Beverly Hills 90210 on in the summer and gave us a special Summer Season. That was the start of what has become a flock of summer shows!

TNT is really heavy on some good solid shows over the summer that also happens to run in the winter. I noticed that their seasons are "shorter" but more frequent and not as much time passes between their "season finale" and their new season. At least that is the case when it comes to shows like The Closer and Saving Grace. Raising the Bar did have a longer wait period between seasons as did Leverage. All of these shows are returning this summer.
Monday Night:
The Closer at 9pm followed by Raising the Bar a 10pm (EST)
Tuesday Night:
Hawthorne (new) at 9pm followed by Saving Grace at 10pm
Leverage and the new show Dark Blue will be on Wednesday at 9pm and 10pm respectively.

Two of my favorite from last summer are coming back. The hilarious Wipeout (ABC 5/27). I've had spontaneous bursts of silly laughter while watching people .. well wipe out. The commentary those two hosts make along with the drawings are just so silly it's hysterical - like milk shooting out of your nose funny . And then there is I Survived A Japanese Game Show (ABC 7/8). Of course, America's Got Talent on NBC is also returning on 6/23 and So You Think you Can Dance (LOVE that show) on FOX, is already under way. I can't wait to see more Mia Michael's choreographed routines. She is my favorite of all the choreographers. Her dances are amazing!

And then there is my ULTIMATE FAVORITE summer guilty pleasure BIG BROTHER on CBS returning in JULY! My mom and I watch that religiously. She even subscribes to the feed. She's fortunate to have a job that she can listen to the streaming feed while she works..LOL.. then she spills all the stuff to me on the phone later. I could technically since I"m at home, but I have a lot to do during the day and spend the time outdoors with my little man and watching a feed like that all day is a little over the top for me, especially when I could be outdoors in the beautiful summer weather. Getting the juicy stuff from my mom though, makes a difference. You totally view each of the housemates in a different light because there just isn't enough time to show all of their high jinx!

The rest of the summer landscape is a lot of reality and fluff TV from the networks. Although the Great American Road Trip on NBC sounds interesting.. especially for those of us foregoing a vacation in this economy. We can live vicariously through the TV families that will be..well taking that Road Trip across the U.S while competing against each other. I'm a Celebrity Get me Out of Here on NBC, while it sounds kind of cool, I have a feeling we'll get bored with it early. My husband is excited to watch that though. Dating in the Dark, on ABC also sounds interesting but pretty cheesy. We get to watch as people date each other over a course of a few weeks.. you got it, in the dark. At the end of the show the lights will come on and they'll have to decide whether they want to see each other or not. Shows like that are like train wrecks. You know their wrong, but you just want to watch to see what's going to happen. I'm not one for Cartoon family shows ala Simpsons and The Family Guy so I'm probably going to skip The Goode Family. Since I'm not much into sports, I'm probably going to also skip The Superstars.. both from ABC

I'm looking forward to The Listener on NBC and the Philanthropist. Not so sure how I feel about Merlin also from NBC.

I hear True Blood is going to be back on HBO this summer.. I really need to subscribe to HBO. but gave it up for Showtime because my husband LOVES Dexter (yeah.. it's pretty awesome) and I love the United Sates of Tara. I did watch he first season of True Blood and found it pretty cool. I may just add HBO to my subscription.

And my DVR thought it was going to get a vacation!