Summer programming

I always underestimate the amount of television that's on over the summer, mainly because British TV doesn't really work seasonally like American TV so there's less of an obvious drought. But considering the fact I watch a lot of US shows (or blog about them more often, anyway), it's still going to be slower than usual from now until September. So I thought I'd mention the shows I'm intending to watch over the summer on broadcast TV, or catch-up with on box-set:

On Now: Spartacus (Bravo, Wednesdays) The jury's out because I didn't like the first episode, but I'm prepared to give it a go because I've been told Spartacus picks up remarkably and the finale's fantastic. Who knows, maybe I'll agree. Or maybe I'll never speak to those people ever again for making me sit through weeks of Lucy Lawless' boobs and blood. Yeah, as if that's a bad thing.

7 June: Persons Unknown (NBC, Mondays) A new series about strangers waking up in a weird, remote town and having to escape. It's The Prisoner meets Lost, then. Sounds horribly derivative, but could be great. Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects) is a good writer, so I have hope for something interesting. I will probably review this in its entirety, as I'm a sucker for the concept.

13 June: True Blood (HBO, Sundays) The jewel of summer programming is this sweaty, sexy vampire drama. As usual, I'll be watching and posting reviews every week. Such a shame the UK trails behind with this series, as season 2 has yet to even start on Channel 4.

1 Aug: Rubicon (AMC, Sundays) This brand new conspiracy thriller starring The Pacific's James Badge Dale (right) and Miranda Richardson has my interest. I'll definitely be checking out the first episode, at any rate.

I won't be reviewing...

25 June: Mad Men (AMC, Fridays) I adore the show, and following the game-changing events of last season's finale I'm tempted to start watching at US-pace, but I think I'll resist. I manage to avoid spoilers for the half-year necessary (rather amazingly), and much prefer watching it on BBC HD in spring.

BOX-SETS / SEASON WRAPUPS

I've been watching three TV shows without reviewing them here every week; either because they're not conducive to episodic review, I haven't had the time to fit them into my schedule weekly, or I actually wanted to do a seasonal summary for them instead.

Expect season reviews for In Treatment Season 1 (left), The Good Wife Season 1 and possibly the short-lived US version of Touching Evil from 2004.

That sounds like plenty to be getting on with, but we'll see how it goes. If there are some obvious gaps going unfilled, I may start reviewing a box-set episodically (as I did Twin Peaks last summer), or check out a few pilots for shows readers often recommend to me. If one of those pilots grabs my interest, maybe I'll continue reviewing it in some way.

Suggestions welcome! I'm often tempted to catch-up with some blind spots in my TV viewing every summer, like The Sopranos or The Shield. Let me know if you think there's something I should get on.