Now that Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer, has passed, the networks are offering a slew of new shows for better or worse. Many of these are returning shows, some are new shows getting a short try out and some we will never see again. One of TV’s most popular shows, Dancing with the Stars, began as a six week trial during the summer of 2005, so you never know what you’re going to get. Still, some of these sound a bit “out there.”
Some of the new summer shows have already started, but most offer “encore” performances or episodes can be found online or through your cable service. Due to the size of show offerings, this story has been broken up into three segments and broken up into “Optimistic Choices” and “Pessimistic Choices.” Here is part two:
Optimistic Choices:
America’s Got Talent
Status: Returning Show
Network: NBC
Debuted: May 27, 8:00 p.m. (Encore June 1, 8:00 p.m.)
Premise: Now in its ninth season, America’s Got Talent is the ultimate talent show feature a myriad of acts with people from all over the country. The big winner receives $1 million dollars and a gig in Los Vegas. This season’s host is Nick Cannon and is joined again by judges Howard Stern (who is a lot tamer here than what you would hear on his radio show), Heidi Klum, Mel B and Howie Mandel.
The Night Shift
Status: New Show
Network: NBC
Debuted: May 27, 10:00 p.m. (Encore May 31, 10:00 p.m.)
Premise: Another hospital drama (with a hint of comedy?) that takes place during the “night shift” – “where the toughest and craziest cases always seem to come through the door. Every shift is a fight between the heroic efforts of saving lives and the hard truths of running an underfunded hospital.” It stars Eoin Macken, Ken Leung, Brendan Fehr, Jill Flint, Robert Bailey Jr., Jeannanne Goossen, JR Lemon, Daniella Alonso and Freddy Rodriguez.
Pessimistic Choices
Bet on Your Baby
Status: Returning Show
Network: ABC
Debuts: May 31, 8:00 p.m.
Premise: Why this show made it for a second season is beyond me. Here, parents will try to predict their young child’s next move in hopes of winning money for their toddler’s future education. It stars Meslissa Peterman as host.
Crossbones
Status: New Show
Network: NBC
Debuts: May 30, 10:00 p.m.
Premise: Set in 1729, Crossbones is said to be a tale that where one can never be sure who is a good pirate and who is a bad one. On the plus side, the show stars John Malkovich. On the negative side is the fact that he plays Blackbeard whose beard is closer to white than black. Tales take place on the secret island of Santa Compana where Blackbeard rules over a bunch of scallywags and has designed a longitude chronometer, an invention that will “change the world.” The show has a lot of impressive talents behind it, but given the timeslot and lack of promotion, I doubt that NBC has much hope for this series, but I could be wrong.
Sing Your Face Off
Status: New Show
Network: ABC
Debuts: May 31, 9:00 p.m.
Premise: Sort of a twist of Dancing with the Stars with celebrities known for something other than their singing to be featured singing…as somebody else. Hopefully the name of the show is the worst thing about it, but I doubt it. The celebrity contestants are Sebastian Back, Landry Fields, Jon Lovitz, China Anne McClain and Lisa Rinna. The show is hosted by John Barrowman and the judges are Debbie Gibson and Darrel Hammond.
Undateable
Status: New Show
Network: NBC
Debuts: May 29, 9:00 p.m.
Premise: From the people who brought you Scrubs (yay) and Cougar Town (boo) is a new sitcom about a group of friends who having trouble finding a keeping a relationship for various reasons. Inspired by the book “Undateable: 311 Things Guys Do That Guarantee They Won’t Be Dating or Having Sex” by Ellen Rakieten and Anne Coyle the show stars Chris D’Elia, Brent Morin, Ron Funches), Rick Glassman, David Fynn, and Bianca Kajlich. (Didn’t ABC just cancel the similar-sounding show, Mixology?)
Read Previous Post