Summer television sucks, it’s a fact of life. Always has and
probably always will. Oh sure it’s better than it used to be. I remember a time
where summer meant nothing but re-runs and sports. Now, we can watch our choice
of re-runs on services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. (Seriously, did you
ever think that you’d pay money to re-watch shows from 10 to 20 years ago?)
Sure we have our competition shows such as America’s Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance and The Voice, but the vast majority of the good
scripted shows are saved for the fall season.
And as is tradition, late July and August is when the
networks decide to throw us some trailers, making us salivate in anticipation,
not unlike Pavlov’s dogs. Scraps of material we can pour over and dissect for
any information that may give away a plot line.
Here is a list of the 10 shows that have me drooling away as
I wait. Some of them are new, some are returning, and as always, there are in
no particular order.
1.
The Walking Dead – Oh yeah baby! The comic book
inspired zombie action/drama’s Season 5 is set to debut in mid-October and AMC
has released a 3 minute
trailer that is freaking amazing. Fans will know that Rick and company were
left in a fairly dire situation in last season’s finale, but the trailer let’s
know that the fight is just beginning.
2.
The Newsroom – HBO’s critically acclaimed drama
will be returning for its final season this fall. Although no official date has
been announced, filming had wrapped up at the beginning of July. Jeff Daniels
leads a fantastic cast in Aaron Sorkin’s series that is rich in quick witted
dialogue and engaging story lines about real life events and the people that
report them. File this under “cannot wait.”
3.
The Flash – Originally slated to be a supporting
character on CW’s Arrow, the network wisely decided to give speedster superhero
Barry Allen (aka The Flash) his own series. It will debut on October 7th.
Fans are generally pleased with CW’s foray into the DC Comic Universe so
expectations are high. I’m just glad it’s not Aquaman.
4.
Gotham – Speaking of the DC Universe, Gotham
makes its debut September 22nd and will feature the beginnings of the
Bruce Wayne and police commissioner Gordon (just a lowly detective at this
point.) Hoping to cash in like Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., DC will also
feature the beginnings of super villains The Joker, The Penguin and Poison Ivy.
5.
Sons Of Anarchy – The final season for FX’s most
successful show is set to start September 9th for 12 more glorious
episodes. This entire series has been building to this climax and creator Kurt
Sutter has masterfully dictated the pace. Gemma really “forked” up last season
(horrible pun intended) and now our anti-hero Jax has some tough decisions to
make.
6.
Hell On Wheels – As a treat this AMC western
drama will premier its 4th season August 2nd. It’s the
story of the first continental railroad’s construction by the Union Pacific in
the 1860’s. The engaging storylines following a railroad tycoon, a recently
freed slave and a vengeful Southern soldier make for a great watch. Even if
westerns aren’t your thing, this one is well worth it.
7.
Boardwalk Empire – HBO’s prohibition-era gangster
series set in Atlantic City, NJ is set to start its 5th season on
September 7th. Steve Buscemi is captivating as Enoch “Nuckie”
Thompson, crime boss of the time who based on an actual historical figure,
Enoch L. Johnson. No word on whether this will be the last season, but faithful
watchers like myself hope there is least one more. That’s right HBO, I’m
looking at you.
8.
The Blacklist – NBC struck gold with this James
Spader action drama about a former government agent turned criminal genius turned
informer. Red Reddington will return September 22nd to give us more
clues about his history and true intentions. Probably the best show of its kind
on network television.
9.
Scandal – ABC made parent company Disney blush
with this sexy political drama but its huge popularity has guaranteed its
return on September 25th. Kerry Washington plays Olivia Pope, a
political “fixer” who gets called in to advert various scandals, in and around Washington
DC, including the White House. This show keeps you guessing and has at least
one “omg” moment per episode.
10.
Constantine – Based on the comic book series
Hellblazer, this new action series will debut October 24th on NBC.
It’s the story of dark magician John Constantine and his fight against supernatural
powers that threaten humanity. I’m on the fence about this one, but the comic
was so good, I’m giving it a chance.
