Sat 28 May 2011
by Michael Shonk
The following are just some of this summer’s new shows for the TV mystery fan:
ABC: Rookie Blue returns June 23rd for its second summer as the story of five rookie cops continues.
CBS: Flashpoint, the story of a special unit of cops, will continue to air new episodes into August. Spy drama Chaos has ten episodes left that are being run on Saturday where it can cause the least suffering.
NBC: Rebooted Law & Order L.A. has enough original episodes to last through June. For those without cable or the willingness to watch the USA network, NBC is showing the possible final season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent as reruns.
Summer means the cable stations are seeking attention with new programs:
TNT: Franklin & Bash is a new light-hearted legal drama. Memphis Beat returns (June 14) as cops solve crimes with music in their souls and a great soundtrack. June 26th marks the start of the fourth season of Leverage, where the con is a source of good. Two favorites return on July 11th. In this season of The Closer, Brenda and her fellow cops face many new and old challenges. Rizzoli & Isles offer more stories of the team of gorgeous cop and her friend, the M.E., based on Tess Gerritsen’s books.
USA: Goren and Eames are back, as it should be, solving crimes on Law & Order C.I. Stories of U.S. Marshals working for the Federal Witness Protection program make In Plain Sight fun to watch, if only her family would disappear into the federal program. White Collar returns (June 7) to continue the story of a FBI agent and his thief. It will be followed by CIA’s prettiest spies in the light thriller Covert Affairs. Burn Notice is back (June 23) with further adventures of burned spy Michael, Fiona, Sam, Mom, and a growing cast of thousands. New series Suits begins (June 23) when a top corporate attorney hires a legal genius and college dropout to be his associate.
A&E: The Glades (June 5) is set in a sleepy town near the Florida Everglades where crime continues to interrupt Detective Longworth’s golf game.
ABC Family: June 14th Pretty Little Liars returns and the people of Rosewood wonder what the girls know about missing Ian. New series Nine Lives of Chloe King features a teenage girl who discovers she is part of an ancient race being hunted by assassins. Should make her Sweet 16 party exciting. On August 15th, Lying Game debuts. Two long separated twins reunite and exchange places, but then one disappears. Based on a Sara Sherard book.
BBC America: August 17th begins The Hour, a six part spy thriller set in mid-1950s BBC’s newsroom.
Cartoon Network: There is always Scooby Doo. But starting July 21st Adult Swim adds live action 15 minute spoof on TV detectives called NTSF: SD: SUV.
Direct-TV: Too many “fun” lawyers on TV this summer? Damages with Glenn Close returns with ten new uncut episodes starting July 13th.
Lifetime: Starting June 12th, The Protector begins. A police procedural features a Mom who is a cop and has to balance both sides of her life.
Syfy: Haven returns June 15th as FBI agent Parker finds out more about her lost past and her connection to the city of Haven. New in July will be Alphas, a group of people with strange powers who fight crime, and Legend Quest, archaeologist has adventures inspired by Indiana Jones and the Da Vinci Code.
For those who like some reality with their mystery…
A&E: First 48 — Missing Persons.
ID: Behind Mansion Walls (June 6), The Devil You Know (June 15), I Married a Mobster (July 13), True Grime: Crime Scene Cleanup (July 19), and Big Law — Deputy Butterbean (August 9).
National Geographic: Locked Up — Abroad (June 8th).
TV Movies are trying to come back:
Lifetime: Last Man Standing (June 6) Ex-special op now Mom has to rescue hubby. Carnal Innocence (June 13) is based on a Nora Roberts novel. Gone (June 27) Nurse must choose between kidnapped daughter and life of a patient.
MTV: The Truth Below (June 16) is a thriller that takes place during a spring break mountain vacation.
SOURCE:
TheFutonCritic.com where networks press releases are posted.
May 29th, 2011 at 6:17 am
SyFy: EUREKA and WAREHOUSE 13 return on July 11. They’re a lot more worthwhile than the crappy HAVEN.
Lifetime has a new show THE PROTECTOR (June 12) that looks like a female reboot of THE EQUALIZER.
Currently running: THE KILLING (AMC), the American adaptation of the hit Danish series.
Not a mystery but worth noting: he final season of RESCUE ME starts on FX on July 12.
May 29th, 2011 at 10:22 am
Jeff:
Thanks for the additions. EUREKA will focus on time travel this season so I thought it is more sf than mystery. I almost added WAREHOUSE 13 and am glad you did.
USA and TNT have some nice non-mystery series coming this summer as well.
Considering FX offers two of the best series on TV, JUSTIFIED and ARCHER, I regretted their lack of mysteries this summer. I am glad you mentioned the drama RESCUE ME.
May 29th, 2011 at 10:53 am
It is interesting to note that most of these series are on cable, and as far as I’m concerned, all of the interesting ones are.
Except for re-runs, the over-the-air networks are really letting the mystery fan down.
May 29th, 2011 at 6:06 pm
True, Steve. We seem to watch almost nothing on the networks in the summer other than FLASHPOINT (which is Canadian) on CBS and almost everything on cable.
May 29th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
And there is the mystery of why reality shows crush in the ratings all scripted shows on the big four networks during the summer. Even Ellery Queen could not solve that one.
May 29th, 2011 at 7:13 pm
I like the characters in Eureka and Warehouse 13 but the plots are just . . . stupid.