What's on TV this summer

HBO's "Sex and the City" entered its fourth season in June

Warming up the tube

By Todd Leopold
CNN Entertainment Editor

(CNN) -- Summer used to be the dead season for television. Not so long ago, the broadcast networks -- back when there were only three -- used the vacation season as a dumping ground for reruns, failed pilots and one-shot variety specials. After all, who was watching?

Turns out, quite a few of us.

Case in point: In 1999, ABC, figuring it wouldn't lose much if the ratings tanked, ran two straight August weeks of an imported game show called "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" By the end of the 14 days, the show was a phenomenon, and "Is that your final answer?" had become a national catchphrase.

Then, last June, CBS put "Survivor" on the air. Though initial interest was leavened with heavy skepticism, the ratings built each week. The final episode of the first series, which aired in late August, received some of the highest ratings for a non-special in history. Both "Millionaire" and "Survivor" are now safely ensconced in their respective networks' schedules.

Meanwhile, the other broadcast networks and the cable channels are well-versed in using the summer to build recognition for their shows. Fox aired new episodes of "Beverly Hills 90210" during the summer in the early '90s, helping it to become a ratings hit. Comedy Central introduced "South Park" in August 1997. HBO and Showtime, which have become players in the series game, have enjoyed rolling out new shows when viewers are supposedly playing in the beach sand.

Sex, death, and reality

HBO is attracting a good part of this year's early summer buzz. Its new series, "Six Feet Under," debuted June 3. The creation of Oscar-winning "American Beauty" screenwriter Alan Ball, the series is about a family-owned funeral home.

Tony-winner Kristin Chenoweth stars in "Kristin" on NBC, a series about a singer-actress hoping to make it in the Big Apple

With characters including a closeted homosexual son, a drug-addicted daughter, and a ghostly father who haunts the entire clan, you might say they put the "fun" in "dysfunctional." "Six Feet Under" has earned critical raves, and with a cozy time slot -- after "Sex and the City," which began its fourth season the same night -- it may attract enough interest to avoid the fate that awaits us all ... for a little while, anyway.

"Sex and the City," meanwhile, has entered TV middle age in more ways than one. The sexy comedy is entering its fourth year on the air, and its four single-gal characters aren't so young anymore. In the first two episodes, Sarah Jessica Parker's character, Carrie Bradshaw, turns 35 and starts to question the idea of settling down -- perhaps with her on-again, off-again lover known as Big? Summer holds the answers.

On CBS, the network is holding a new rendition of "Survivor" until fall, but it's hoping last year's reality flop -- "Big Brother" -- will hit its mark this year. A revamped version of the show, where 12 "ordinary" people live in a house together under the watchful eye of 38 cameras, begins airing three times a week starting July 5 at 8 p.m. ET. The last person not evicted from the house banks $500,000, which can make any summer a winner.

On NBC, another New Yorker -- Oklahoma transplant Kristin Chenoweth -- is getting a series spin in "Kristin." Chenoweth is a Broadway star, having won a Tony for "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," but fairly unknown to the rest of the country.

"Kristin" casts her as a character somewhat like herself -- an Oklahoma-born singer-actress who travels to New York to make it in the Big Apple -- and promises to showcase her winning pipes. Whether viewers will sing along in the ratings is anyone's guess.

NBC also has a pair of new reality series: "Fear Factor," which debuts Monday, June 11; and "Spy TV," which starts Thursday, June 21.

ABC is trying out another game show, this one a version of the popular computer game "You Don't Know Jack." Paul Reubens hosts in character as smarmy Troy Stevens. "Jack" is scheduled to run Wednesday nights beginning June 20.

Timothy Hutton plays sidekick and legman to the title character on A&E's "Nero Wolfe Mysteries"

A&E is continuing original episodes of "Nero Wolfe Mysteries," a series that began in late spring. The corpulent and fastidious detective is played by Maury Chaykin, and his sidekick and legman, Archie Goodwin, by Timothy Hutton. Set in 1950s New York, the series has a stylish look and a good humor.

And then there's MTV. This summer, it's taking on the big boys with its own soap opera, "Spyder Games," about the backstabbing goings-on at a video game corporation. Though originally slated to air in daytime, the network recently announced that this mix of sex, murder and mystery will run Mondays in primetime. The first show airs June 18.

Specials

Summer is still a big time for specials. Among those slated:

CBS, working with the American Film Institute, is highlighting the 100 "most thrilling" movies in history with "AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Thrills" (June 12, 8 p.m. ET). As with previous AFI "100 Years" specials, the organization distributed a ballot to film experts, stars, and industry veterans, and asked them to pick their favorites. The list is confidential, but CBS' Web site does reveal that Harrison Ford appears in the most movies on the list -- 11. Not coincidentally, Mr. Ford happens to be hosting the show.

On an equally thrilling note, ABC is broadcasting the World Stunt Awards, intended to honor the best stunt performers in feature film. The show airs June 16 at 9 p.m. ET.

TNT promises a music tribute to one of summer's favorite singers. "An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson" is set to air July 4. The telecast features a concert for the Beach Boys legend that took place earlier this year, coupled with special segments about Wilson's work. Among the musical guests: Elton John, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Ricky Martin, and singing-songwriting couple Aimee Mann & Michael Penn.

And what would summer be without the boys of summer? Baseball's All-Star Game is scheduled for Seattle's Safeco Field on Tuesday, July 10. It will air on Fox at 8 p.m. ET.

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