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Community Corner

The Wait is Over

Sean Fox looks at TV shows returning for the summer season

There is often a feeling of sadness, sometimes impatience, when one’s favorite television show goes on hiatus. The season usually closes with a cliffhanger, an astounding revelation, or some other attention-grabbing tactic. Either way, viewers are forced to wait many interminable months until new episodes of the show are aired.

The summer months are full of trips to the beach, backyard barbecues, and lazy days by the pool; once the sun goes down, however, the TV again becomes a primary means of entertainment. Networks debut new shows in hopes of finding the next big thing, but perhaps more appealing to viewers is the return of their favorite shows.

Warning: The following list and descriptions may contain spoilers.

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Sunday, June 5

- The Glades (A&E): The “Arts and Entertainment” network is not known for its original programming, but The Glades is compelling and a genuine hit. Season 1 of the series, a police procedural set in South Florida, established Detective Jim Longworth (Matt Passmore) as a newcomer to an area beset by a surprisingly-high number of homicides. The Glades is gritty and realistic, and although the show lacks a dominant central plotline, it is still intriguing. The show is filmed entirely in Florida and this authenticity, along with excellent production values, increases the attractiveness of the show. Season 2 will likely pick up where the first season left off, with Longworth chasing bad guys and struggling with his feelings for RN Callie Cargill (Kiele Sanchez).

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Tuesday, June 7

- White Collar (USA): Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) is without a doubt the coolest character on television right now. Smart, impeccably dressed, and irresistibly charming, there is only the small matter of Neal’s criminal past to sully his reputation. Neal and FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) make an excellent crime-solving team, assisted by series regulars Mozzie (Willie Garson), Sara Ellis (Hilary Burton), and FBI agents Clinton Jones (Sharif Atkins) and Diana Barrigan (Marsha Thomason).  The end of Season 2 raised questions about Neal’s loyalty to Peter when it was revealed that Neal apparently organized a major art-theft and cover-up. Peter confronted his partner, whose only response was to “Prove it.” Season 3 should pick up right where the previous season ended, and the future of the series rests on how the writers of the show handle the theft and the schism between Neal and Peter.

Thursday, June 23

- Burn Notice (USA): The last time viewers saw the ever-resourceful former spy Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan), he had successfully thwarted the plans of evil mastermind Vaughn (Robert Wisdom) and was welcomed back into the intelligence community by a mysterious figure (Dylan Baker). It is not clear how Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), Sam (Bruce Campbell), and Jesse (Coby Bell) will fit into the series with Michael away on government business, but it is likely the episodes will split time between the two groups. Season 5 of Burn Notice will undoubtedly feature more of the action, improvised explosives, and pithy one-liners that made the series so popular.

Sunday, June 26

- True Blood (HBO): The bayous of Louisiana are hottest in summer, and the vampires are coming back out to play. HBO’s supernatural-drama, based on The Southern Vampires Mysteries series by Charlaine Harris, is back with a vengeance for its fourth season. Season 3 ended in whirlwind fashion; the machinations of vampire king Russell (Denis O’Hare) were thwarted and he was buried in cement by Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) and Bill (Stephen Moyer). Bill attempted to kill Eric, who escaped, and told Sookie (Anna Paquin) about Bill’s original intentions when meeting her. Season 4 will undoubtedly stay true to True Blood’s apparent credo of sex, violence, and extreme drama. Viewers are sure to be in for some big surprises, and even the most hardcore “Trubies” will have to wait to find out what happens to their favorite characters.

Friday, July 15

- Haven (SyFy): TV shows based on the writings of Stephen King have a history of being… really bad. Haven, based on the novel The Colorado Kid, bucked this trend. The end of Season 1 raised questions about the identity of FBI agent Audrey Parker (Emily Rose) and her possible role in Haven’s past; Nathan (Lucas Bryant) was still grappling with the death of the man he believed was his father and the return of his birth father, and The Troubles were getting worse. Season 2 will undoubtedly address these issues and hopefully spend more time on the mysterious past of the enigmatic jack-of-all-trades, Duke (Eric Balfour). The self-contained nature of individual episodes sometimes detracts from the overall plot, but Haven is surprisingly captivating and should only get better as the series continues.

Some other shows premiering new seasons this summer include: Primeval (May 24), Covert Affairs (June 7), Pretty Little Liars (June 14), Memphis Beat (June 14), Hawthorne (June 14), Rookie Blue (June 16), Futurama (June 23), Leverage (June 26), Royal Pains (June 29), Eureka (July 11), Warehouse 13 (July 11), Rizzoli & Isles (July 11), and The Closer (July 11).

There is still enough time left to brush up on previous seasons, or watch them in their entirety if you have never seen the show before, so pop in those DVDs before the summer TV season passes you by.

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