Photo Credit: Warner Bros. TV/Showtime
Summer 2016 is already shaping up to be another good season for TV fans. So far, we’re really enjoying Outcast on Cinemax and Preacher on AMC. There are also a lot of returning shows that we’re looking forward to, including Mr. Robot and The Strain.
But this is also the time to check out new series on cable and broadcast networks that may be flying a little under the radar. Remember, this is the era of Peak TV and not everything is going to survive. Even quality shows can’t survive if people aren’t watching them! That’s why it’s important to test out the latest shows and figure out if you like them before they’re gone. Nobody is gonna hold out for a comeback if a series is canceled after only three episodes!
This year, there are five summer television shows that we are very eagerly looking forward to, which you can read about below. But feel free to tell us which summer TV series are your picks in the comment section below!
American Gothic
Network: CBS
Series Premiere: June 22
Twenty one years ago, CBS had a really enjoyable horror series called American Gothic, which only lasted a single season. This version of American Gothic has nothing to do with that one or the famous painting by Grant Wood. Instead, the focus falls on the Hawthorne family as they discover that their father may have been a serial killer…and he may not have been the only one in the family.
The cast is led by former Shameless star Justin Chatwin, with genre fan-favorites Virginia Madsen and Stephanie Leonidas in supporting roles.
Roadies
Network: Showtime
Series Premiere: June 26
Roadies is Showtime’s big launch of the summer, and it’s also the first TV series created by Cameron Crowe. Unsurprisingly, Crowe is using his first love for music as the backdrop for a series that follows the crew who helps The Staton-House Band travel around the country and put on their concerts.
Luke Wilson is headlining the cast, but we’re most excited about Carla Gugino as the female lead. Gugino has had some terrific roles on television, but nothing that translated into a multi-year run. Hopefully she’ll have better luck this time!
Vice Principals
Network: HBO
Series Premiere: July 17
Kenny Powers is back! Well, okay…that’s not strictly accurate. But Vice Principals does star Danny McBride, who co-created this series and Eastbound and Down with Jody Hill. After a few years away from TV, McBride is back as Neal Gamby, a Vice Principal who comically desires to run his High School as the new Principal.
Justified standout Walton Goggins co-stars as Vice Principal Lee Russell, an ally and occasional frenemy of Gamby. Seperately, McBride and Goggins are hilarious. And we can’t wait to see what they do together on this series.
Shooter
Network: USA
Series Premiere: July 19
Most people probably remember the Shooter movie for the scene where Kate Mara held a gun while in her underwear. But there’s a lot more to Shooter than just another Marky-Mark action franchise! The new Shooter TV series and the film were based on Stephen Hunter’s novels about Bob Lee Swagger, an accomplished Marine sniper who found himself unjustly framed for the murder of dignitary.
Ryan Phillippe is playing the title role for television, taking over from Mark Wahlberg’s turn in the movie. If Shooter goes on to enjoy a multi-season run, it could potentially draw upon Hunter’s other books and expand the range of what the series can be. It’s been awhile since USA Network had a really fun action series. Maybe this will be the show that fills the void.
The Get Down
Network: Netflix
Series Premiere: August 12
Director Baz Luhrmann is doing a period musical for TV. Let that sink in for a minute. Rather than go to a network, Luhrmann’s The Get Down is going straight-to-series on Netflix, with veteran performers like Jimmy Smits and Giancarlo Esposito. Justice Smith is headlining the cast, which includes Herizen Guardiola, Shameik Moore, Skylan Brooks, and T.J. Brown Jr.
We can’t wait to see this show, and discover if Luhrmann’s signature style can translate to the medium. The Get Down is also one of the rare Netflix shows that will be splitting its first season, with six episodes slated to drop on August 12, with the remaining seven episodes held back for a later date.
