2009 Summer TV: New Series
The heat of summer is matched only by the hot new TV shows we'll be seeing this season.
We've got the scoop on the return of familiar faces ('Nurse Jackie''s Edie Falco), the next cable hits ('Hawthorne'; 'Hung'), the new reality shows ('The Bachelorette'; 'Kendra') and more that will have everyone talking.
See all of this year's new shows in our 2009 Summer TV gallery.
TNT / HBO
'The Bachelorette'
Premiered: Mon., May 18, 9PM (ABC)
Premise: Jillian Harris, who finished third on last season of 'The Bachelor,' gives love a second chance with the help of a whopping 30 potential suitors -- hopefully none of whom resemble Jason Mesnick. As usual, men are eliminated week by week until Jillian finds her Prince Charming -- or at the very least, a spot on next season's 'Dancing With the Stars.'
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ABC
'Mental'
Starring: Chris Vance, Annabella Sciorra
Premieres: Fri., May 22, 9PM (Fox)
Premise: Vance ('Prison Break') stars as Jack Gallagher, an unorthodox psychologist who butts heads with his conservative boss, Nora Skoff (Sciorra), in this medical mystery thriller. Oh, did we mention they used to date? That'll complicate things, we bet.
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Fox
'Royal Pains'
Starring: Mark Feuerstein, Campbell Scott
Premieres: Thu., June 4, 10PM (USA)
Premise: The Hamptons: home to some of the richest people in America ... and the people who work for them. Hank Lawson (Feuerstein) is the latter, a doctor whose career hits a little snag (um, if you call getting blamed for the death of a hospital head honcho "little"), getting him demoted from hot-shot healthcare provider to on-call private practitioner for the wealthy -- and incredibly needy -- elite.
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USA Network
'Nurse Jackie'
Starring: Edie Falco, Eve Best, Peter Facinelli
Premieres: Mon., June 8, 10:30PM (Showtime)
Premise: Falco stars in this deeply dark comedy about an ER nurse whose cynical outlook on life is tempered only by the prescription painkillers she snorts -- and the occasional life she saves. Compared to Jackie, Carmela Soprano's a softie.
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Showtime
'Kendra'
Premieres: Sun., June 7, 10PM (E!)
Premise: 'Girls Next Door' alum Kendra Wilkinson gets her own reality show, focusing on life after living in the Playboy mansion and her engagement to football player Hank Baskett. There'll surely be plenty of Kendra's signature half-shirts and cutesy Elmer Fudd-style laugh to go around.
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Getty Images
'Top Chef Masters'
Premieres: Wed., June 10, 10PM (Bravo)
Premise: Anyone who thinks 'Top Chef' is full of amateurs or who only watches the show for its guest judges ... well, 'Top Chef Masters' is for you. This time around, the contestants are renowned chefs (as opposed to TV-famous chefs) such as Wylie Dufresne (pictured), Rick Bayless, Jonathan Waxman and Hubert Keller, all of them competing for charity. We can't wait to see what they'll make using only a pack of Chiclets and a hot plate.
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Getty Images
'Wedding Day'
Premieres: Tue., June 16, 8PM (TNT)
Premise: Think 'Extreme Makeover: Wedding Edition.' Deserving couples from across the country are awarded the most amazing wedding celebrations by celebrity event planner Alan Dunn and wedding planner to the stars Diann Valentine.
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TNT
'Hawthorne'
Starring: Jada Pinkett Smith, Michael Vartan
Premieres: Tue., June 16, 9PM (TNT)
Premise: As the newest strong female lead in the TNT lineup, Pinkett Smith plays Christina Hawthorne, a tough-as-nails nurse who is determined to give every patient in her Richmond, Va., hospital the best care possible. Christina's got baggage -- she's a widower left raising a rebellious teenage daughter -- but she also has heart. And, of course, some chemistry with the head of oncology (Vartan).
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TNT
'Merlin'
Starring: Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Anthony Head
Premieres: Sun., June 21, 8PM (NBC)
Premise: Morgan and James star as Merlin and Arthur, respectively, in this teen-drama take on the Arthurian legend. The future king's ladylove, Guinevere, is called Gwen -- expect angst and romantic tension aplenty. Think of it as 'Camelot, 90210.'
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NBC
Reader Comments (9)
fred at 10:48AM on May 22nd 2009
Have they actually seen these shoes - the description for Merlin is so far from the reality its frighting. Its a fun adventure family show with enough subtext to keep the adults happy. Not 90210 at all.
dish network at 11:10PM on May 23rd 2009
I'm really looking foward to seeing the new Kendra Show. It should be funny and interesting.
Judy Blackford at 12:09AM on Jun 8th 2009
I had so much fun going though all of aol, it had so much to look at so i will leave some for the next time. So interesting, everything at your finger tips. msjudyb
Mr TalkBack at 2:46PM on May 29th 2009
TNT's "Hawthorne" looks like it could fill the void left behind by the cancellation of "ER".
KT at 3:58AM on Jun 5th 2009
I agree with fred. Their description of Merlin could not be further from the truth. Its way nerdier and more light hearted, not a nightime soap in the least! please do your homework, the show has been running for a year on british tv. its not hard to find.
preklady nemcina at 6:08PM on Jun 24th 2009
I am really looking forward to some of these shows. Mike
warm winter coats at 4:40AM on Jul 16th 2009
These will be definitely great shows. All the best, Pete
fotograf Bielsko-Biała at 11:51AM on Jul 26th 2009
I still waiting for this perfeckt shows.
Eileen at 10:28AM on Aug 11th 2009
After attempting to watch the new show "Defying Gravity", I have given up on the highschool type stuff, and soap opera script. Also, the vomit floats, but hair doesn't and neither does anything else. The astronauts spend more time on sex topics than on the trip to Venus, unless this show gets a dose of intelligence, I am done with it.