Summer TV used to be a bunch of reruns in the USA, but cable networks looking for a time to have new shows breathe and the strategy of launching some network show on the off season has caused the amount of new programming in the USA to grow with each year. This article lists some of the shows coming to the USA on cable channels and the networks. I decided not to list any reality shows because this is all about script written TV.

ABC:

LINE OF FIRE (May 30)-   The FBI drama (about a Richmond, Virgina FBI squad trying to bring down the Malloy crime family) returns for a two hour special that is composed of the final 2 episodes out of the four episodes that haven't aired.

DREW CAREY (JUNE 2)- The ninth and final season of this comedy airs with 2 new episodes every Wednesday.

BBC AMERICA:

COUPLING (JUNE 6)- Season 4 of the British comedy about relationships and sex starts in June with 7 new episodes. Jeff is gone, but there is a new character called Oliver in his place. Susan and Steve deal with being parents, and Jane is set-up on a blind date with Oliver.

FOX:

THE JURY (JUNE 8)- This series looks at a trial from the point of view of the Jury. The end of each episode shows what really happened and if the jury passed the right verdict. June 8 will see the first two episodes shown back-to-back. This show is from the producers of Homicide: Life On The Streets and Oz. Probably this show won't be as great as the six episode British series called THE JURY. encores on Fridays.

METHOD AND RED (June 16)- this comedy series is about a couple of real-life hip hop artists moving into a quiet gated community.

NORTH SHORE (JUNE 14)- this ensemble drama is set in a luxury hotel in Hawaii. encores on Fridays before encores of THE JURY

FX:

NIP/TUCK (June 22)- The show about two Miami plastic surgeons retuns for a second season (16 episodes). Famke Janssen joins the cast. Vanessa Redgrave guest stars as the mother of Natasha Richardson's character (Natasha is Vanessa's real life daughter).

RESCUE ME-  This New York firefighter drama stars Dennis Leary.

HBO:  The fourth season of SIX FEET UNDER starts on June 13 where the third season of THE WIRE will begin in September.

HALLMARK:

KING SOLOMON'S MINES (JUNE 6)- Patrick Swayze stars as Allan Quatermain in this latest adaptation of H. Rider Haggard's classic.

FRANKENSTEIN (AUGUST 30 to 31)- Alec Newman stars as Dr. Victor Frankenstein in this latest adaptation of the classic Mary Shelley novel about a man who animates life only to have it be a monster (Luke Goss). This is a two part mini-series. William Hurt also stars.

NBC:

The big event of NBC (Bravo, CNBC and MSNBC) is the Summer Olympics from August 11-29. Then they start some of their Fall shows (like LAS VEGAS) early with new episodes starting on August 29.

PBS:

MYSTERY-

A THIEF OF TIME (July 11)- An archaeologist turned pottery poacher thinks she has cracked the secret of the vanished Anasazi when she herself vanishes. When other poachers start dropping dead, Leaphorn and Chee must piece together a case as complicated as the mysteriously decorated pots that the killer covets. Wes Studi and Adam Beach reprise their roles as Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and Officer Jim Chee. Peter Fonda and Graham Greene guest-star. Based on the novel by Tony Hillerman. This TV movie is executive produced by Robert Redford.

FOYLE'S WAR (July 18 to Aug 8)- Michael Kitchen returns as Detective Inspector Foyle for four new 90 minute episodes in this mystery series set during World War II in a British town near the English Channel.

INSPECTOR LYNLEY MYSTERIES- new episodes start in the Fall.

SCI-FI CHANNEL:

FIVE DAYS TO MIDNIGHT (June 7 TO June 11)- A guy opens a briefcase that details the case of his murder that will happen in five days.   He has five days to find out who will kill him or he will be murdered.

STARGATE ATLANTIS (July 16)- The spin-off series to Stargate SG-1 which sees a team of people go to a far away galaxy when they set up a new outpost. The team is lead by Dr. Elizabeth Weir. The team of soldiers and scientist find a primitive civilization that fear becoming too technologically advanced due to an alien menace known as Wraiths. Also they have an alien who serves as a liaison between the aliens and the human team.

SHOWTIME:

DEAD LIKE ME-   Season 2 starts this July.

USA:

THE DEAD ZONE (JUNE 6)- The third season begins as Johnny Smith returns with more visions of the future.

MONK (JUNE 18)- the defective detective with many phobias returns for another batch of episodes.

4400 (July 11)- This six hour limited series follows the lives of 4400 UFO abductees return home and how they adjust to being home again. the series starts with a 2 hour premiere to be followed by 4 hour long episodes in the following weeks.

TNT:

SALEM'S LOT (JUNE 20 and 21)- Another mini-series adaptation of the Stephen King novel about a vampire that terrorizes a small Maine town, and a writer with a haunted past who uncovers it. Rob Lowe, Rutger Hauer, Donald Sutherland, Samantha Mathis, James Cromwell and Andre Braugher star in this TNT production.

THE GRID (JULY and AUGUST)- This six episode limited series about American and British agents working together to stop a terrorist cell. This show explores both sides of the war on terror. Starring Dylan McDermott and Julianna Margulies, Tom Skerritt, James Remar, and Jemma Redgrave among others.

MAY 30- LINE OF FIRE (ABC)

JUNE- COUPLING (BBC AMERICA)

JUNE 2- DREW CAREY (ABC)

JUNE 6- THE DEAD ZONE (USA),

KING SOLOMON'S MINES (HALLMARK)

JUNE 7- 5 DAYS TO MIDNIGHT (SCI-FI), June 7-11

JUNE 8- THE JURY (FOX)

JUNE 14- NORTH SHORE (FOX)

JUNE 16- METHOD AND RED (FOX)

JUNE 18- MONK (USA)

JUNE 20- SALEM'S LOT (TNT), ends on June 21

JUNE 22- NIP/TUCK (FX)

JULY- THE GRID (TNT), ends in August

JULY 9- STARGATE SG-1 season 8 (SCI-FI)

JULY 11- 4,400 (USA), A THIEF OF TIME (PBS)

JULY 16- STARGATE ATLANTIS (SCI-FI)

JULY 18- FOYLE'S WAR season 2 (PBS)

AUG 11- 2004 SUMMER OLYMPICS, end on August 29

AUG 30- FRANKENSTEIN (HALLMARK), ends on Aug. 31

this article is (c)5-12-2004 David Blackwell and this article cannot be reprinted (no permission is given). This article was possible with research from various sources including the futon critic, pbs.org/mystery, USA Network, Gateworld, scifi.com, and FX Network.  

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