Summer TV Preview

There may not be a whole lot worth watching on TV over the summer, but that doesn't mean there isn't anything you could watch. So I've put together a list of the return dates for some of my cable faves as well as what new shows the networks are burning off this summer. Things I'm planning to check out are in caps.

The Good Guys (June 7th, 9:00, Fox)

Bradley Whitford and Colin Hanks star. Kind of looks like a USA show, no?

PERSONS UNKNOWN (June 7th, 10:00, NBC)

Sounds cool, is produced by The Usual Suspects' Christopher McQuarrie, and stars Ferris Bueller/Spin City's Alan Ruck. So why did I first hear of it the day of its premiere?

Pretty Little Liars (June 8th, 8:00, ABC Family)

Alloy Entertainment tries for another YA series to TV show success with this teenage Desperate Housewives.

WORK OF ART (June 9th, 11:00, Bravo)

It's Project Runway but with art instead of clothes. Since PR is no longer worth watching, maybe this will fill the void? (Note: Regularly airs at 10:00)

TRUE BLOOD (June 13th, 9:00, HBO)

A premiere I'm actually excited about! They've announced an insane number of cast additions for the season and the promos all look awesome. Proof that good summer TV can still exist.

Scoundrels and The Gates (June 20th, 9:00 & 10:00, ABC)

It's cute that ABC is trying for original scripted shows in the summer, but that doesn't mean I'll watch either of these. Scoundrels seems like another USA-lite show about criminals trying to go legit, but it stars Tony Almeida! And The Gates is Desperate Housewives with vampires. If you're looking for some trashy fun this summer, maybe that will do the trick.

Rookie Blue and Boston Med (June 24th, 9:00 & 10:00, ABC)

Oh look, another cop show, how original. Boston Med however is not a generic doctor show to logically follow, but a documentary-series a la Hopkins from a few summers ago, this time set in Boston.

Hung (June 27th, 10:00, HBO)

Is this any good? I watched the pilot and wasn't wowed. If you were, this is when the second season premieres.

ENTOURAGE (June 27th, 10:30, HBO)

Mark Wahlberg promises there will only be 6 episodes after this season. So if you've made it this far, might as well see it to the end.

Huge (June 28th, 9:00, ABC Family)

Another show Alloy Entertainment made off of a YA book series. This one's about fat camp and stars Hairspray's Nikki Blonsky.

Louie (June 29th, 11:00, FX)

It's gotta be better than Louie C.K.'s last show on HBO, right?

HAVEN (July 9th, 10:00, Syfy)

The logline sounds like 5 other Syfy shows (mysterious town where supernatural stuff is going on), but it's based on a Stephen King novella and therefore will be awesome. Unlike most of the shows on this list, I actually plan to watch this pilot.

The Bridge (July 10th, 8:00, CBS)

Oh look, a cop show. Way to be original CBS.

The Glades (July 10th, 10:00, A&E)

A procedural....but wait! The main guy doesn't play well with authority. That IS quite a twist!

Rizzoli & Isles (July 12th, 10:00, TNT)

Procedural based on Tess Gerritsen's bestselling book series. Should fit in nicely at TNT.

Covert Affairs (July 13th, 10:00, USA)

The logline sounds like every other USA show ever, but it's got Piper Perabo, who was very cute in Coyote Ugly....not that I saw it or anything...

The Pillars of the Earth (July 23rd, 10:00, Starz)

An event four-part miniseries based on Ken Follett's massive tome. Should be pretty epic.

MAD MEN (July 25th, 10:00, AMC)

Are you ready for Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce? Cause I certainly am!

Masterchef (July 27th, 9:00, Fox)

Since it worked so well when NBC tried to rip-off Top Chef, now Fox is giving it a go.

Jersey Shore (July 29th, 10:00, MTV)

My must-NOT see of the summer. But for those of you that like trash, mark your calendars.

RUBICON (August 1st, 8:00, AMC)

AMC's track record alone (Mad Men, Breaking Bad) makes their 3rd original show worth checking out, but it helps that it also sounds pretty awesome. (Note: Regularly airs at 9:00, and a preview episode airs after the Breaking Bad finale this Sunday)

COMEDY CENTRAL ROAST OF DAVID HASSELHOFF (August 1st, 10:00, Comedy Central)

If I watched last year's roast of Joan Rivers, I'm definitely watching them tear into the Hoff.

Big Lake (August 3rd, 10:00, Comedy Central)

It's a comedy from Will Ferrell's prod.co. that's got some SNL alums in it.

WEEDS (August 16th, 10:00, Showtime)

I hear they're finally ending the nightmare that was the past two seasons on the Mexican border and relocating to Seattle. That's got to mean an improvement, right?

THE BIG C (August 16th, 10:30, Showtime)

A female-centered half-hour dark comedy that may ultimately feel more like a drama? Will fit in perfectly on Showtime.

Free Outdoor Movies!

New Yorkers, bookmark this page! Here is your one-stop guide to all of the many free outdoor screening series this summer. So what are we seeing this summer?

BRYANT PARK

The most well-known of the various screening venues is usually the most creative with its choices, but you can always count on a number of popular picks. All are on Monday nights.

June 21st Goldfinger

June 28th Carousel

July 5th The French Connection

July 12th My Man Godfrey

July 19th The China Syndrome

July 26th Monty Python and the Holy Grail

August 2nd Rosemary's Baby

August 9th The Goodbye Girl

August 16th 12 Angry Men

August 23rd Bonnie and Clyde

RIVER FLICKS (Hudson River Park)

Just like last year, the theme is movies from the previous summer. So I've pretty much seen all of these, but watching The Hangover outside could definitely be fun. Wednesday nights.

July 7th The Hangover

July 14th I Love You, Man

July 21st The Proposal

July 28th District 9

August 4th Julie & Julia

August 11th Public Enemies

August 18th Star Trek

RIVER FLICKS FOR KIDS

Same series as above but for kids and on Friday nights. I'm always down for Muppets.

July 9th The Wizard of Oz

July 16th Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

July 23rd The Great Muppet Caper

July 30th Monsters vs. Aliens

August 6th Big

August 13th Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

August 20th Annie

SUMMER ON THE HUDSON (Riverside Park South)

Another series that seems to lean towards the recent movies. Also on Wednesday nights.

July 7th NeverEnding Story

July 14th Pan's Labyrinth

July 21st Inkheart

July 28th The Fall

August 4th Big Fish

August 11th Stranger than Fiction

MOVIES WITH A VIEW (Brooklyn Bridge Park)

Lives up to its title - this is the best view of any of these series. But you can't always hear when the subway goes by. Thursday nights.

July 8th Annie Hall

July 15th Monsters vs. Aliens

July 22nd The Big Lebowski

July 29th Rear Window

August 5th Brokeback Mountain

August 12th Dreamgirls

August 19th The Blues Brothers

August 26th Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

September 2nd Public's Choice

RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL (Movie Nights on the Elevated Acre)

More Muppets! Also Thursday nights.

July 29th Broadway Danny Rose

August 5th Auntie Mame

August 12th The Country Girl

August 19th The Muppets Take Manhattan

INTREPID SUMMER MOVIE SERIES
Watch movies on a boat. Saturday nights.

May 28th Top Gun
June 19th Field of Dreams
July 9th Ghostbusters
July 23rd The Goonies
August 6th Raiders of the Lost Ark
August 20th Rocky

ROOFTOP FILM NOIR/VAULT OF HORROR SCREENINGS (Tony Dapolito Recreation Center)

I think this is a new one. Friday nights.

July 8th Laura

July 15th Double Indemnity

July 22nd Sunset Boulevard

July 29th All About Eve

August 6th Freaks

August 13th Invasion of the Body Snatchers

August 20th Night of the Living Dead

August 27th Rosemary's Baby

CENTRAL PARK

Not yet listed; check back later for schedule

Get Ready for Outdoor Movies

One of my favorite parts about being in New York over the summer is the free outdoor movies. You have a little picnic, enjoy the weather, and see a classic film you somehow missed, all for free. So if you're going to be in New York this summer, you may want to bookmark this page, as I've compiled all (ok, most) of the different schedules for summer 2009. Which ones are making your summer to-do list?

BRYANT PARK
This is the biggest and most well-known of the outdoor movie venues, and usually has the movies I'm most interested in seeing. This year I'm putting all 3 of the August movies at the top of my list.

June 15 The Sting
June 22 Breaking Away
June 29 Gold Diggers of 1933
July 6 Dog Day Afternoon
July 13 How Green Was My Valley
July 20 Harold and Maude

July 27 The Defiant Ones

August 3 Kramer vs. Krame

August 10 The Magnificent Seven

August 17 Close Encounters of the Third Kind

RIVER FLICKS (Hudson River Park)
Everything's from last summer, but those do make fun movies to see outside.

July 8 Iron Man
July 15 Vicky Christina Barcelona
July 22 The Dark Knight
July 29 Hancock
August 5 Tropic Thunder
August 12 Sex and the City
August 19 Pineapple Express

RIVER FLICKS FOR KIDS
It's Friday nights and there will be kids, but for Muppet Movie or Ghostbusters it may be worth it.

July 10 Wizard of Oz
July 17 Kung Fu Panda
July 24 Ghostbusters
July 31 Star Wars: The Clone Wars
August 7 Muppet Movie
August 14 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
August 21 Curious George

MOVIES WITH A VIEW (Brooklyn Bridge Park)
You can't always hear due to the subway, but the view is fantastic.

July 9 Raising Arizona
July 16 The Maltese Falcon
July 23 Paper Moon
July 30 To Catch a Thief
August 6 The Return of the Pink Panther
August 13 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
August 20 Catch Me If You Can
August 27 Edward Scissorhands

SUMMER ON THE HUDSON (Riverside Park South)

July 8 The Age of Innocence
July 15 Wall Street
July 22 Dinner at Eight
July 29 The Out-of-Towners
August 5 Drums Along the Mohawk
August 12 Sweet Smell of Success

RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL (Movie Nights on the Elevated Acre)

July 6 The Seven Year Itch
July 13 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
July 20 West Side Story
July 27 Sweet Smell of Success

Summer Movie Preview

Last Friday, Entertainment Weekly released its Summer Movie Preview, one of my favorite issues of the year. It looks like this summer's even more packed with movies worth seeing than usual, so while I'm listing my top 10 must-sees of the summer, I had to toss on 5 more.

Wolverine (May 1st)
Like I'm going to miss out on the first big movie of the summer. Yeah, I thought X-Men 3 was an overstuffed mess, and I've always put Spider-man and Batman higher on my preferred superheroes list. But with a focus on one mutant instead of 30, and an intriguing supporting cast (Charlie!), I've got high hopes this will be remembered well come summer's end.

Star Trek (May 8th)
I've never seen a single episode of any Star Trek series. Nor have I ever seen one of the movies. But with JJ Abrams at the helm and trailers that play down the Star Trek connection, I can't wait.

Terminator Salvation (May 21st)
Christian Bale is just what John Connor needs to lose his rep as whiny and annoying (see: Edward Furlong in T2, the Sarah Connor Chronicles on TV). Rumors of an Ahnuld cameo add one more reason to check this out, but I'd show up just for the theme song.

Up (May 29th)
With The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Wall-E, Pixar's been on a hot streak of great movies for all ages (we'll give them a pass on Cars). If Up is anywhere near as good, we may have to list the great Pixar movie as more of a summer fixture than superheroes.

Land of the Lost (June 5th)
I haven't seen the '70s show and I can't say I was excited when the movie was announced. But the trailer won me over, as did the presence of Danny McBride and Pushing Daisies' Anna Friel.

Public Enemies (July 1st)
A historical biopic with Oscar possibilities in the summer? Sounds like a nice break from sequels. As John Dillinger, Johnny Depp's found another part that fits his oddball charm, and Christian Bale makes his 2nd appearance on the list.

Bruno (July 10th)
If you've seen the redband trailer, you know this will be the funniest movie of the summer. So if you just started sighing in relief over the decline of obnoxious Borat imitators, tough luck. I'm calling it now: Bruno will be the most quoted movie of 2009.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 15th)
Since most of us were ready to see this at its original release date last Thanksgiving, this is a long overdue must-see. With no more books to bring us back to Hogwarts, these last few movies will be all the bigger.

Funny People (July 31st)
I'm not quite sure what to make of this Punchline-style dramedy about stand-up comics. But I do know Judd Apatow is currently 2 for 2 on movies he's directed. So that automatically makes this my (second) most anticipated comedy this summer.

Inglourious Basterds (August 21st)
Late August is a strange time to release a big movie, but there's a lot that's strange about this one. Quentin Tarantino, Brad Pitt, and World War II - three things that you wouldn't expect to see together in any possible combination. But from the trailer, this looks like the movie Valkyrie should have been.

And 5 more:

Angels & Demons (May 15th) - More obligation than desire, but I'll still see it.

Away We Go (June 5th) - A Sam Mendes roadtrip comedy? Absolutely.

Whatever Works (June 19th) - Like I'm missing a Woody Allen movie.

(500) Days of Summer (July 17th) - Can it still be called a sleeper hit if it's what everyone already thinks it will be?

Taking Woodstock (August 14th) - The only other movie besides Public Enemies with a shot of lasting til Oscar season, and it's Ang Lee!