If you happen to have far too much time on your hands or are an insomniac, your best bet for summer fandom is most likely "Big Brother," which premieres on July 8 on CBS. Now entering its 12th season, the show has a fairly simple premise: a bunch of strangers move into a house and vote each other out over the course of three months between screaming matches and showmances (a term "Big Brother" introduced in season seven to refer to relationships between contestants), and in the end, somebody wins a bunch of money.
What separates "Big Brother" from the rest of the summer crop, though, is the sheer volume of episodes CBS airs three episodes each week. As if that weren't enough, there is also an uncensored, uncut live feed from the house called "Big Brother After Dark" which airs every single night from 12 a.m. until 3 a.m. If you have any desire to be productive of with your life, however, beware this highly addictive show. Every single episode ends with a cliffhanger, so once you start watching it's almost impossible to stop. Plus, after spending so many hours watching these people, it is easy to become more attached to them than is probably appropriate.
If you happen to be feeling sad and lonely this summer, "The Bachelorette," which premiered on Monday, might be a good choice. The reality dating show is great for two reasons. First, the female-centered version, which actually managed to produce one legitimate match out of its first five tries, has a far greater success rate than "The Bachelor" which, after 14 seasons, still has yet to pair a lasting couple. Therefore, if you're sappy enough, maybe you'll be inspired by watching true love bloom. Maybe.
The second, and far more likely, reason to tune in is the overwhelming feeling of superiority that you will feel as you watch these people share way too many details of their lives on national television. On the season premiere, one of the male suitors felt the need to share that he got his nickname, "Shooter," because of premature ejaculation issues. I don't know why he thought that would impress the current bachelorette needless to say, he did not move on to the next round but I do know that it sure made me feel better about myself.
Finally, if you're desperate for actually good scripted television, avoid the networks at all costs. Instead, I'd turn to HBO, which has always played by its own rules in terms of scheduling. "Hung" (good), "Entourage" (great) and "True Blood" (whatever is eight steps beyond great), all return mid-summer and should help people get their weekly TV fix.
Other networks might be served to follow HBO's example. The freedom from the cutthroat ratings pressure of the conventional television season gives shows a chance to grow an audience gradually, which could not hurt for some networks looking for a new hit show. Don't forget, both "Survivor" and "American Idol" were originally summer series that went on to become two of the top rated shows of the entire decade. It doesn't seem like any of the new shows premiering in the coming months have that kind of potential, but who knows, maybe "Dad Camp" will turn out to be something special.
