If you’re like me, the big question you have this summer is “What do I watch now?” The spring finales have passed and most of your favorite shows are on hiatus. You can’t count on the broadcast networks the way you can during the school year. Have no fear though, I have taken it upon myself to help you out.
New shows I’m most excited about:
Chasing Life (June 10)-
In Chasing Life‘s pilot, I found Italia Ricci to be as likable as I was surprised to find Shiri Appleby in Life UneXpected. (This year, Appleby will be on another Lifetime series, Un-Real, which is set to premiere in September. Back when she starred in Roswell, I enjoyed the series more in spite of than because of her character.) Ricci plays a character that is neurotic and bold and a little awkward, but also determined and big-hearted. Chasing Life follows April, an aspiring reporter who is finally making some headway on the career and boyfriend only to have her life thrown into disarray when she is diagnosed with cancer. ABC Family has continually impressed me with its original series and the ability to balance serious storytelling with heartwarming families and I’m ready to see where this series goes.
Dominion (June 19)-
Syfy is a network I was late to discovering for reasons I cannot explain (I have always loved science-fiction and fantasy so watching the network should have been an obvious choice years ago), but from the moment I finally started watching, I was hooked. (Warehouse 15, Eureka, Sanctuary, Battlestar Galactica, etc. have all proven to be great series). Based on the movie Legion (which I suppose I will have to watch before the pilot airs later this week), and taking place 25 years afterward, the series is about a war being fought between mankind and the angels. Post-apocalyptic shows seem to be very in this season, and I am not complaining. This series looks like it could be another good addition to the Syfy roster. Let’s not forget to mention the talented Allan Dale, Christopher Egan, and Anthony Head, will all be involved.
The Last Ship (June 22)-
I’m still in mourning for Leverage (though at least I get to see Beth Riesgraf on Geek & Sundry’s Caper and Adam Baldwin will be on this series), but I’m hopeful that TNT can finally fill that hole in my heart with this new apocalyptic series about a naval crew that needs to find the cure for a pandemic that kills most of the world’s population. The close quarters will surely make for good drama and the trailer is pretty compelling. Plus, McSteamy makes his (hopefully) triumphant return to television. I love being excited about new cable shows. The threshold for what a new cable show needs for renewal is lower (for now), giving a series time to develop, something so rarely seen on broadcast networks these days, where shows are sometimes pulled after a single episode or two.
Young & Hungry (June 25)-
Despite the overly-loud trailer, I’m looking forward to this new ABC Family comedy (especially if Melissa & Joey and Baby Daddy are any indication of the network’s ability to handle sitcoms). It is always interesting to watch how Disney stars grow up and so far Emily Osment has not only seemed to be staying on the path of the less-crazy (something that cannot be said of a certain former co-star and a number of other Disney favorites), but has shown a surprising range and talent (Cyberbully). Finally, Osment has been cast in a show of her own, starring as a young food blogger hired to be a personal chef for a young tech entrepreneur with a highly critical personal assistant. Other familiar faces include Rex Lee of Suburgatory and Kim Whitley of Sister, Sister.
Girl Meets World (June 27)-
A taste of the pilot shows a slightly overzealous Riley as the 12-year-old daughter of Cory and Topanga Matthews (from beloved nineties series Boy Meets World) as she tries to take on the world and make it her own while balancing school, friends, and boys. Some impressions from the pilot include—Rowan Blanchard is maybe a little over the top and Cory is more or less completely inappropriate as a teacher, but Sabrina Carpenter in the role of new Shawn (aka Riley’s best friend Maya) is extremely talented and August Maturo as Riley’s adorable younger brother Auggie are both highlights of the show. Unfortunately, Topanga did not have much to do in the pilot but I’m hoping we’ll see more of her. The series has been Disney-ified as compared to its Ben Savage-centered counterpart, but I’m ready for new life lessons and visits from old favorites (like the Feeny cameo in the pilot).
Finding Carter (July 8)-
Books like The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney and The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard told the story of children kidnapped and raised by other people without even knowing it, only to have their lives fall apart when they learn the truth. In Finding Carter, one of MTV’s newest upcoming series, Carter discovers that the woman who raised her was not her mother but her kidnapper and she is reunited with a family she doesn’t remember. The series follows Carter and her family as they all struggle to adapt to their new circumstances. Carter (whose real name isn’t even Carter) misses the woman who raised her and her real family struggles to connect with her. If the trailer was any indication, this is a series worth watching.
The Lottery (July 20)-
Lifetime has slowly but surely been branching out into an array of scripted television, with series like the supernatural Witches of East End and the more procedural Dropped Dead Diva. The Lottery is sure to be the darkest series yet for the network. The human race is facing extinction. Set in the year 2025, after the entire world has found itself infertile due to an unexplained pandemic, the government has managed to fertilize one hundred embryos, which it will be giving out by lottery. Nothing can be so simple as a lottery though, and you can be sure that the conspiracies and politics involved will be drastic and far-reaching. Giving this already intriguing series some extra heft is that it comes from Children of Men Oscar-nominated screenwriter Timothy Sexton.
Which new shows are you most looking forward to? Which ones do you think will be a total disaster?
Check back next week to find out which returning series I’m most excited to be seeing, but in the meantime, see the next page for your guide to rest of the new and returning shows of this summer.
NEXT: Summer TV Guide
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