There’s another burst of music coming into TV’s rerun/reality summer.
The “CMA Fest” airs each summer on ABC, but this year it will be sooner (July 19) and longer (8-11 p.m.) than it used to be.
It’s being billed as the 50th anniversary and again has Dierks Bentley (ahown here) and Elle King hosting. This time, they’re joined by Lainey Wilson. Read more…
1) “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” season-opener, 10 and 10:30 p.m., FXX. There are plenty of nice, normal situation comedies that last a few years. Then there’s “Sunny” (shown here in a previous episode), the longest-running non-cartoon sitcom ever. As its 16th season (two more than “Ozzie & Harriet”) starts, people are as cleverly abnormal as ever. The opener has a funny chat about inflation, then some wild schemes. The second is darker, with relatives, toilet gags and Frank’s pistol. Read more…
1) “The Right to Exist,” 10 p.m., ABC. On the day that his memoir (“Pageboy”) reaches book stores, here’s a profile of Elliot Page, 36. Originally known as Ellen Page, he received an Academy Awarrd nomination for best-supporting actress, playing a pregnant teen in the 2007 “Juno.” Then, in December of 2020, he came out as a transgender man. In the “Umbrella Academy” streaming series, his character (shown here) did the same, going from Vanya to Viktor. Read more…
1) “Cruel Summer” season-opener, 9 and 10 p.m., Freeform. The first season was a surprise – a teen drama with subtlety and depth. Now the second one has new characters in a new setting, but the same quality. Sadie Stanley (who was Brea, Adam’s girlfriend in “The Goldbergs”) is perfect as a brainy kid in a pleasant town. Then a worldly exchange student (Lexi Underwood of “Little Fires Everywhere,” shown here, left, with Stanley) stirs her quiet world, over two summers and a winter. Read more…
As we settle into our summertime, strike-time lives, here’s a surprise:
Even now, we can find some new, scripted episodes on broadcast networks or basic cable.
Yes, those networks have started their summer slumber … which could be prolonged. The writers’ strike is expected to linger, affecting fall line-ups. We can still find plenty of new scripted shows on premium channels (HBO, Showtime, Starz) or streamers, but are there any on broadcast or basic cable?
Surprisingly, yes. Some nights — Wednesday (“Wonder Years” is shown here) and Sundays — are loaded. Read more…
1) “The Lazarus Project” debut, 9 p.m., TNT, rerunning at 10:04. George has a loving girlfriend, a strong business idea, a bright future. Then …well, we won’t spoil it, except to say this is a clever fantasy concept; it works very well in the opener, but does lose oomph after the basics are explained. It’s a British co-production, with Papa Essiedu (shown here) – who received an Emmy nomination as the best friend in “I May Destroy You” – leading a talented cast. Read more…
1) “TLC Forever,” 8-10:33 p.m., Lifetime, rerunning at midnight. Mixing pop, rap and R&B, the TLC trio (shown here) soared. It had nine top-10 hits (four at No. 1) and sold 65 million records. Lifetime made a scripted movie (“Crazysexycool: The TLC Story”) that it’s rerunning at 5:30; now at adds this documentary, in a 12-hour marathon. At 4 p.m., 10:33 p.m. and 2:39 a.m., is a rerun about the relationship of TLC’s Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and football star Andre Rison. Read more…
“Miracle Workers” is finally returning … a half-year later than expected.
TBS has set the show to start its fourth season on Monday, July 10. This time (shown here), its stars (Daniel Radcliffe and Geraldine Viswanathan) are post-apocalyptic warriors, trying to settle into suburbia.
That follows the offbeat approach of the show. In the first season, they were in the afterlife, trying to prove humans were worth saving. In the second, he was a prince and she was expected to follow the family profession of shoveling feces. In the third, they were on a wagon train headed west. Read more…
1) Tony Awards, 8 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS; preview 6:30 on Pluto. Each year, this is packed with great music numbers – usually from every nominated musical, new or revival. It briefly seemed doomed by the writers strike, but a compromise gives us a no-script show. Expect music from host Ariana DeBose (shown hosting last year’s Tonycast), plus “Sweeney Todd,” “Camelot,” “Into the Woods,” “Parade,” “Some Like It Hot,” “New York, New York,” Kimberly Akimbo,” “& Juliet” and “Shucked.” Read more…
1) “American Masters,” 9 p.m., PBS. Before Elvis, before other rock stars … even before the phrase “rock ‘n’ roll” was popularized, there was Little Richard (shown here). He dressed like a glam-rocker, screamed in full falsetto, dazzled. Ringo Starr and Keith Richards were teen fans; they’re in this fascinating film. So is Pat Boone, 88, who covered Richard’s “Tutti Frutti,” blissfully unaware of sexual connotations. We sees Richard survive deceit, drugs and bias, emerging with joy. Read more…
Best-bets for June 7: Sunny comedy returns, basketball continues 
Best-bets for June 6: time for Pageboy and Batman 
Best-bets for June 5: A cruel, busy summer begins 
