As a matter of fact, there is, depending on your interests.
In the world of television, July and early August are a lull. A few weeks remain before many season premieres get under way, and the guilty thrill of marathon viewing of your favorite reruns to ring in the summer has dwindled to boredom.
Depending on tastes and interests, though, the dead of summer can offer viewers a chance to kick back in the recliner, grab some munchies and explore some new programming – hopefully in the comfort of an air-conditioned room.
NBC
With Scott Peterson, Michael Jackson and several other prominent trials, Americans just can’t seem to get enough of drama in the courtroom. On July 28, they’ll get their wish with the premiere of “The Law Firm,” where trial attorney and legal analyst Roy Black manages 12 lawyers who are competing against each other while trying real court cases. The outcomes are final, legal and binding. Each week, one lawyer is eliminated, and the winning attorney will receive $250,000.
Premiering Aug. 2 is “Meet Mister Mom,” a reality competition in which moms from two different families are surprised with a luxury vacation, while the dads are left to manage their chaotic households. The two dads and their children vie in a week-long challenge of various household tasks, while the moms watch – and laugh – on closed-circuit TV. The reward for the winning dad and kids? A greater appreciation for what moms do. Oh, yeah, and a cash prize.
If the family life doesn’t appeal to you, how about a marriage of academe and rock ‘n’ roll? Musician Tommy Lee – of Mötley Crüe and Pamela Anderson fame – enrolls at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and struggles to live peacefully with his new roommate as well as balance academics with extra-curricular activities, one of which includes an attractive tutor named Natalie. “Tommy Lee Goes to College” premieres Aug. 16 and airs Tuesday nights.
CBS
Continuing with the rock ‘n’ roll theme, “Rock Star: INXS” pits eight male and seven female rockers against each other to be the new lead singer of the rock band INXS. The finalists all live together in a Hollywood Hills mansion overlooking Los Angeles. Hosts Dave Navarro – former guitarist for the bands the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane’s Addiction – and Brooke Burke narrate the course of events. The show, which premiered Monday night, airs weekly. Check local listings.
ABC
If rock isn’t your thing and you’re aching for some good, down-home fiddlin’, tune in to the Country Music Association Festival Aug. 2. Taped in Nashville, Tenn., the festival will highlight performances by Dierks Bentley, Cowboy Troy, Sara Evans, Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton, Rascall Flatts and Keith Urban.
Not to miss the reality-TV boat, ABC also premiered “Brat Camp” last night, a show detailing how nine families are coping with out-of-control teenagers struggling with issues such as drugs, promiscuity and violence. In desperation, the parents send their children to a wilderness school in the woods of Oregon for more than 50 days, hoping the kids will shape up. The show airs Wednesdays from 9 to 10pm.
WB
For teenagers in the household who would rather not watch their peers’ reformation, tune in to the 2005 Teen Choice Awards Aug. 16. Categories include best actor and actress, best movie and best new album. Go to www.thewb.com to vote.
Those looking for a slapstick laugh might want to check out “Blue Collar TV,” airing Thursdays at 8pm. If you can appreciate Slurpees, waffles and cheap beer, join hosts Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy for a night of parodies, sketches and stand-up comedy. The show debuted last summer and has boosted WB’s ratings.
TBS
Another comedic venture, “Minding the Store” hosted by comedian Pauly Shore, is television’s first-ever money-back guarantee show: If you don’t laugh, grin, smirk, smile or giggle during the first episode, you’ll get a whole dollar from TBS – that is, after you mail a self-addressed, stamped envelope, making the net gain 26 cents. Only the first 250,000 requests will be honored. The show, debuting July 17, follows Shore as he tries to manage his family’s business, the world-famous Comedy Store in Los Angeles.
TCM (Turner Classic Movies)
If you’d rather watch something with a little more history, in August TCM will kick off “Summer Under the Stars,” a movie-thon spotlighting a different movie star each day, for 24 hours a day. Featured stars include Cary Grant, Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Marlon Brando, James Garner and Sophia Loren.
On Thursdays and Fridays this month, the network is airing Cars in the Movies, a 37-film festival that includes everything from race-car movies such as “The Crowd Roars” to comedies such as “Back to the Future.”
