The rule of summer TV used to be that as the temperatures increased, the quality (and eyeballs) decreased accordingly. But these days, the months between Memorial Day and Labor Day no longer guarantee wall-to-wall reruns and second-rate programming.
This year, there are plenty of questions for TV fans to ponder, from what network will top the ratings race to whether the second season of HBO’s “True Detective” will live up to the amazing first edition.
Here are TheWrap‘s Burning Questions about the Summer TV season. Feel free to share questions and/or answers of your own in the Comments section.
Will “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp” Be the Season’s Funniest Show? With all due respect to FX’s “Married” and Starz’ Patrick Stewart-led “Blunt Talk,” the answer to our actual question is a fairly likely, “Yes.”
The all the Internet buzz suggests the season’s top comedy will be Netflix’s “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp,” a reboot of David Wain’s 2001 cult hit (debuting July 17) that somehow lured much of its now all-star original cast, including Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd.
But there are other contenders for top comedy, including Netflix’s “Bojack Horseman” (Season 2 also arrives July 17), an animated series with Will Arnett voicing a horse who starred in a hit ’90s sitcom. The show remains one of the funniest yet least known offerings around. - Tony Maglio
Can “True Detective” Season 2 Hold Up to Its 5-Emmy Freshman Run? The first season of HBO’s “True Detective” was nothing short of a phenomenon, with water-cooler buzz and Emmy awards to match, but Season 2 could prove trickier.
The anthology series has lost stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, as well as director Cary Fukunaga, who helmed the entire eight-episode first season.
Those guys are arguably some of the biggest reasons why “True Detective” was such a success. The new cast — led by Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams and Taylor Kitsch — and directors like Justin Lin will have their work cut out for them to replicate the first season’s remarkable run. - Linda Ge
Is NBC Already Polishing Its Summer First-Place Trophy? Easy answer: kind of. NBC has won the last four summers in a row in ratings among the key 18-49 demographic, so why should this one be any different?
While it’s admittedly way too early to have any accurate projections, NBC has both history on its side and “America’s Got Talent.” The reality competition series, now in it’s 10th season, still gobbles up the main demos while the kiddies are out of school; it’s essentially “The Voice” for beach months. And NBC has momentum entering the summer — the network finished first this fall, with a little help from the Super Bowl.
Plus, NBC has a semi-secret weapon, when the NFL kicks in between Labor Day and the technical start of the fall season. So TV’s top-rated show, “Sunday Night Football,” gets a few huge weeks that fall under Nielsen’s summer calendar. By the way, next summer, NBC has the Olympics, so if the network wins its fifth straight June-August this year, you might as well call it six.
That said, CBS will probably still keep its usual first place standing in total viewers, a consolation prize that should please Les Moonves & Co. - TM
Will Binge Viewing Work for Networks Besides Netflix? There are still some vocal opponents of the full-season episode dumps practiced by Netflix, though advertisers may have been calmed by the use of dynamic ad insertion and other marketing innovations.
The latest sign that binge-viewing is more than a passing fad: Now even broadcast networks are exploring the practice of streaming full seasons at once. NBC dropped all 13 episodes of its ’70s-set David Duchovny drama “Aquarius” onto various video-on-demand (VOD) platforms right after airing the premiere on May 28.
“The fact that you see major networks such as NBC and their new show ‘Aquarius’ entering the ‘binge viewership ecosystem’ is further evidence that this behavior is not a trend, it’s a movement,” Jarrod Moses, president and CEO of the marketing firm United Entertainment Group, told TheWrap. “The entertainment community has embraced this movement as it provides a greater chance for full-series sales and minimizes cancellation orders from network brass.” - TM
Is “Sense8” Make or Break for the Wachowskis? After “The Matrix” came out in 1999, there was no hotter duo in Hollywood than the Wachowskis. The siblings were hailed as innovators, visionaries and every other positive adjective you could imagine.
Fast forward 16 years and the siblings are struggling to put together a hit. They have never matched the success of the “Matrix” trilogy, with a string of high-profile flops from “Speed Racer” to “Jupiter Ascending.”
Now, with their new Netflix series “Sense8” set to debut June 5, the writing and directing duo are hoping to find success on the small screen. The show, which follows eight people who inexplicably share a psychic connection, has gotten mixed reviews out of the gate.
If the series doesn’t connect with audiences, will any company be willing to pay for the siblings’ brand of sci-fi and kung-fu indulgence? - Joe Otterson
Will MTV’s “Scream” Have Audiences Glued to the Couch, or Make Them Run Away? “Scream” is arguably one of the most beloved modern franchises, and MTV is bringing it back to life as a TV series. The film has a built-in formula that lends itself to weekly kills and season-long mysteries, but there’s a question of whether the original fans of “Scream” have outgrown MTV’s youth-skewing sensibilities. Moreover, MTV’s own younger audience may not be familiar with the “Scream” franchise.
The show also faces inevitable comparisons to Fox’s upcoming new “Scream Queens,” which promises to feature the same kind of camp, comedy and horror that made the original “Scream” films so popular. And at this point, Ryan Murphy’s latest co-creation seems to have significantly more buzz than MTV’s offering. - LG
Will “Boom!” Blow Up in the U.S. As It Did in Israel? Reality TV is hard to predict — in the unscripted genre, shows are either a smash or too small to stick around. Rarely is there middle ground, though NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior” proved that a midlevel program can exist somewhere between a hit and a miss.
Insiders at Fox aren’t really projecting a big number for “Boom!,” a competition show in which four-person teams try to defuse fake bombs by answering trivia questions. But then again, the show premieres June 25, in the midst of the low-rated summer season. Plus, few new reality shows are catching on anymore; most of the top dogs are legacy series.
Fox’s last import, “Utopia,” proved to be a disaster last fall. On the flip side, “MasterChef” was another foreign show that is still working out well for Dana Walden and Gary Newman’s network.
To complicate the forecasting, Israeli-imported formats like “Boom!” have had mixed results. Positive examples include “Homeland” and “In Treatment,” while “Rising Star” had a fairly rough summer last year on ABC. - TM
Is “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll” FX’s Next Critical Darling? Leary’s previous FX series, the critically lauded “Rescue Me,” helped put FX on the map. But “Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll” — about a middle-aged would-be rock star who gets the old band back together for one last crack at glory — is a very different show. And the spiky hairstyle that Leary sports as Johnny Rock, the frontman of a group called the Heathens, is a surefire gravitas killer. (Also, his character is named “Johnny Rock.”)
But the series, which is set to premiere July 16, will probably at least provide a few laughs. It may not be the next “Fargo,” but what goes better with summer than some breezy fare? - Tim Kenneally
Fox
Can Fox Crawl Out of the Ratings Basement? Fox entered the summer in an unfortunate fourth place out of the Big 4 broadcast networks, in terms of both the advertiser-sought 18-49 demo ratings and total viewers — and things may not be looking up as the temperature rises. Last summer, Fox also finished fourth in both main metrics.
On the plus side, Fox isn’t bringing back “I Wanna Marry Harry” or “Riot,” which both posted impotent Nielsen numbers last summer. And “So You Think You Can Dance?,” a solid performer with a rebooted format and buzzy cast additions, returns on Monday.
M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller “Wayward Pines” is looking like a potential bright spot, growing in its second week and showing decent numbers in delayed viewing.
But the network’s other summer reality plays are looking less promising. “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” returned with a weak opening, “Bullseye” had a so-so debut, and “Boom!” is not expected to be a ratings firecracker.
In other words, “Empire” cannot come back soon enough. - TM
Will “Sharknado 3” Sink or Swim? The original “Sharknado” was a surprise smash in 2013, and no one was shocked when SyFy’s (ridiculous) New York-based sequel scored big last summer. On July 22, “Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!” should squeeze every drop from the chum-filled well.
Besides the presence of Ian Ziering, chainsaws, and bad CGI, there are a few probabilities for the third installment: The film will be terrible (even David Hasselhoff says so), the ratings will be excellent, and the social-media numbers will be off the charts.
Expect the third entry to have a similar bite. - TM
HBO
Will ‘Ballers’ Be The Rock’s Big Move to Scripted TV? Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a bona fide movie star thanks to “G.I. Joe” and the “Fast and Furious” franchises, not to mention last weekend’s “San Andreas. It’s a transition that former wrestlers have managed to make — just ask John Cena.
Despite cameos as himself in various reality and scripted shows over the years, he’s never had a leading role on a scripted TV show as he does in HBO’s new sports-agenting series “Ballers.”
Granted, the action hero got his big start on the small screen as Rocky Maivia, then The Rock, in the WWE ring. And there’s no longer a taboo for movie stars like Johnson or Matthew McConaughey to do premium cable, particularly for limited-run or anthology series.
But based on the opening weekend haul for “San Andreas,” HBO had better be prepared to open its wallet to keep this big fish in its small (screen) pond — or at least keep the episode count down and the material fresh. - TM
94 Summer TV Shows: TheWrap's Ultimate Viewing Guide (Photos)
Wednesday, May 27 "The Briefcase" (CBS) at 8/7c American families experiencing financial setbacks are presented with a briefcase containing a large sum of money and a potentially life-altering decision: they can keep all of the money for themselves, or give all or part of it to another family in need.
CBS
Wednesday, May 27 "Bullseye" (Fox) at 9/8c Kellan Lutz and Godfrey host this new game show. The goal is to hit the titular bullseye on land, over the sea and up in the air, with the competitors using their bodies as human darts. The winner leaves with $50,000.
Fox
Thursday, May 28 "Aquarius" (NBC) at 9/8c David Duchovny stars as 1960's Det. Sam Hodiak, who goes undercover to investigate the Manson family before their infamous murder spree
Friday, May 29 "Marriage Bootcamp Reality Stars" (WE TV) at 9/8c Famous reality TV couples try to salvage their relationships. This season will feature Kendra Wilkinson and Hank Baskett, Aubrey O'Day and Travis Garland, and Jeff Schroeder and Jordan Lloyd among others
WE TV
Friday, May 29 "Nightingale" (HBO) at 9/8c "Selma" star David Oyelowo plays a lonely war veteran psychologically unravels ahead of an old friend's impending visit in this HBO original film
Saturday May 30 "The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe" (Lifetime) at 8/7c Kelli Garner stars as the iconic film star in this mini-series chronicle of Monroe's family life and how she succeeded in hiding her most intimate secrets from the press and an invasive world.
Lifetime
Sunday, May 31 "Halt and Catch Fire" (AMC) at 10/9c The Lee Pace-led drama returns for season 2 and continues to explore the personal computing boom of the 1980s
AMC
Monday, June 1 "Devious Maids" (Lifetime) at 9/8c The maids are back for more mayhem and drama as the third season of Lifetime's hit series returns.
Lifetime
Monday, June 1 "UnREAL" (Lifetime) at 10/9c The drama behind the scenes at a reality dating show is chronicled in Lifetime's newest series. Shiri Appleby stars.
Lifetime
Monday, June 1 "The Whispers" (ABC) at 10/9c An unseen force is manipulating society's most innocent -- children -- to act in service of its mysterious cause.
ABC
Monday, June 1 "So You Think You Can Dance" (Fox) The 12th season of this reality competition follows dancers competing to be named "America's Favorite Dancer," along with a cash prize.
Fox
Tuesday, June 2 "Chrisley Knows Best" (USA) at 9/8c Season 3 of the reality show follows the continuing adventures of millionaire Todd Chrisley and his family.
USA
Tuesday, June 2 "Pretty Little Liars" (ABC Family) at 8/7c Season 6 of the popular teen drama will answer burning questions about A and all the PLL's.
ABC Family
Tuesday, June 2 "Royal Pains" (USA) at 10/9c The seventh season of this medical dramedy follows the employees of concierge medical service HankMed struggling to keep their lives in order.
USA
Tuesday, June 2 "Stitchers" (ABC Family) at 9/8c A young woman is recruited into a secret government agency to be "stitched" into the minds of the recently deceased, using their memories to investigate murders.
ABC Family
Wednesday, June 3 "Baby Daddy" (ABC Family) at 8:30/7:30c The fifth season of this comedy series sees Ben still grappling with fatherhood in hilarious fashion.
ABC Family
Wednesday, June 3 "Melissa & Joey" (ABC Family) at 8/7c Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence return for the fourth and final season of this comedy about a woman who hire a "manny" to look after her niece and nephew.
ABC Family
Thursday, June 4 "Hannibal" (NBC) at 10/9c Hannibal has fled to Europe as the fate of the victims he left behind hangs in the balance in Season 3 of the cult favorite series.
Monday, June 8 "Becoming Us" (ABC Family) at 9/8c This unscripted series follows a 17-year-old whose father is transitioning into a woman.
ABC Family
Monday, June 8 "Odd Mom Out" (Bravo) at 10/9c A half-hour comedy that follows a woman that must navigate a clique of wealthy Upper East Side moms.
Bravo
Monday, June 8 "The Fosters" (ABC Family) at 8/7c The third season of the critically acclaimed story of a blended, multi-ethnic family living in San Diego
ABC Family
Monday, June 8 "Major Crimes" (TNT) at 9/8c Season 4 of the crime drama that explores life inside the fictional LAPD Major Crimes Division.
TNT
Monday, June 8 "Murder in the First" (TNT) at 10/9c Season 2 of the crime drama that follows two homicide detectives who investigate a Silicon Valley tycoon for murder.
TNT
Friday, June 12 "Orange Is the New Black" (Netflix) Streaming Season 3 of the popular series continues exploring the lives and loves of the women of Litchfield prison.
Monday, June 16 "The Making of the Mob: New York" (AMC) at 10/9c An 8-part miniseries about the rise of the criminal organization headed by Charles "Lucky" Luciano
AMC
Tuesday, June 16 "Proof" (TNT) at 10/9c A brilliant surgeon searches for life after death.
TNT
Tuesday, June 16 "Rizzoli & Isles" (TNT) at 9/8c The sixth season of this crime drama sees a detective teaming up with a medical examiner to solve crimes in Boston.
TNT
Tuesday, June 16 "Tyrant" (FX) at 10/9c Season 2 of the story of the son of a Middle Eastern dictator who is drawn into his family's political dealings.
FX
Thursday, June 18 "Astronaut Wives Club" (ABC) Based on the book of the same name, this series explores the lives of the women who stood by the original Mercury astronauts.
Grand Central Publishing
Thursday, June 18 "Complications" (USA) at 9/8c A doctor becomes a reluctant vigilante when he intervenes in a gang shooting.
USA
Thursday, June 18 "Mistresses" (ABC) at 9/8c Four sexy friends try to help each other navigate their scandalous personal lives.
ABC
Friday, June 19 "Killjoys" (Syfy) at 9/8c A fun-loving trio of bounty hunters attempt to remain impartial as they chase deadly warrants across the galaxy.
Syfy
Sunday, June 21 "Ballers" (HBO) at 10/9c The Rock stars as a former football player who now mentors current players in Miami.
Sunday, June 21 "The Last Ship" (TNT) at 9/8c Season 2 of this post-apocalyptic drama in which the crew of a Navy ship are the only people on the planet unaffected by a deadly virus.
TNT
Sunday, June 21 "True Detective" (HBO) at 9/8c Season 2 of the hit anthology series sees a group of police officers investigating a murder associated with an entrepreneur.
Tuesday, June 23 "Another Period" (Comedy Central) at 10:30/9:30c A turn of the century reality series about the Newports, America's "original ballers."
Comedy Central
Wednesday, June 24 "Big Brother" (CBS) at 9/8c Another group of housemates will be thrown together for more drama, competition and, if recent seasons are any indication, scandal in the 17th season of the popular reality show.
CBS
Wednesday, June 24 "Suits" (USA) at 9/8c Season 5 of this legal drama will continue the story of a brilliant lawyer -- who never attended law school -- closing cases for a major Manhattan firm.
USA
Wednesday, June 24 "Mr. Robot" (USA) at 10/9c A hacker working as a cyber-security engineer is recruited by an underground organization to destroy his own firm.
USA
Thursday, June 25 "BOOM!" (Fox) at 8/7c Contestants compete to diffuse slime-bombs and win cash by correctly answering trivia questions.
FOX
Thursday, June 25 "Graceland" (USA) at 10/9c Season 3 of the drama surrounding the intersecting lives of several undercover narcotics officers.
USA
Thursday, June 25 "Rookie Blue" (ABC) at 10/9c Season 5 of this police procedural about a group of rookie officers trying to make it in the toughest squad in the department.
ABC
Thursday, June 25 "Under the Dome" (CBS) at 9/8c Season 3 of the Stephen King adaptation about a town trapped under a mysterious force field.
Sunday, June 28 "Falling Skies" (TNT) at 10/9c Noah Wyle returns for the fifth and final season of this sci-fi series about the survivors of an alien invasion banding together to fight back.
TNT
Sunday, June 28 "Humans" (AMC) 9/8c The sci-fi series is set in a parallel present wherein humanoid robots are the latest must-have technology.
AMC
Tuesday, June 30 "Scream" (MTV) Small-screen adaptation of the Wes Craven horror series in which a group of teens is stalked by a serial killer after a cyber-bullying incident gets out of hand.
Tuesday, June 30 "Zoo" (CBS) at 9/8c A young scientist searches to find out what's causing a rash of violent animal attacks.
CBS
Tuesday, June 30 “The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail” (Comedy Central) at 12:30am/11:30c The second season of this series which sees famous comedians trying out new bits in the back of a comic book store
Comedy Central
Wednesday, July 1 "Extant" (CBS) at 10/9c Halle Berry returns for season 2 of this sci-fi series about an astronaut who becomes mysteriously pregnant during a 13-month solo space mission.
CBS
Thursday, July 2 "Food Fighters" (NBC) at 8/7c A cooking game show in which amateurs square off against pro chefs for the chance to win $100,000.
NBC
Monday, July 6 "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (CW) at 9/8c Aspiring magicians try to pull off magic tricks on masters Penn & Teller. Those who succeed earn a chance to perform in Las Vegas in the second season of this reality series.
CW
Monday, July 6 "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (CW) at 9/8c More hilarious improv returns in the 11th season of this long-running comedy show.
CW
Tuesday, July 7 "Hollywood Game Night" (NBC) at 10/9c Jane Lynch hosts the show in which various celebrities compete in competitions to win money for their select charities.
NBC
Wednesday, July 8 "Key and Peele" (Comedy Central) at 10pm/9c
Comedy Central
Wednesday, July 8 "The Spoils Before Dying" (IFC) at 9pm/8c A comedy miniseries about a 1950's jazz pianist turned private eye
IFC
Wednesday, July 8 "Why with Hannibal Buress" (Comedy Central) at 10:30/9:30c
Coomedy Central
Thursday, July 9 "Rectify" (SundanceTV) at 10/9c Season 3 of this drama about a man attempts to adjust to normal life after spending 19 years on death row for a crime he didn't commit.
SundanceTV
Friday, July 10 "Masters of Illusion" (CW) A literal magic show where some of the best illusionists baffle viewers.
CW
Friday, July 10 "Sex With Brody" (E!) at 10:30/9:30c Brody Jenner gives advice on sex, dating, and relationships with celebrity guests.
Getty Images
Sunday, July 12 "Masters of Sex" (Showtime) at 10/9c Season 3 of this biographical series about pioneering sex researchers William Masters and Virginia Johnson.
Monday, July 13 "Running Wild With Bear Grylls" (NBC) at 10/9c The famous survivalist leads celebrities on 48-hour journeys into remote and dangerous locations
NBC
Wednesday, July 15 "The Jim Gaffigan Show" (TV Land) at 10/9c Based on the actor's real life, Gaffigan's newest sitcom follows him as he balances life between fatherhood, stand-up comedy and an insatiable appetite
TV Land
Wednesday, July 15 "Impastor" (TV Land) at 10:30/9:30c "Smallville's" Michael Rosenbaum plays a slacker and druggie who assumes the identity of a priest after his death.
TV Land
Thursday, July 16 "Impractical Jokers" (TruTV) at 10/9c Season four of this series about four lifelong friends who dare each other to do outrageous stunts
TruTv
Thursday, July 16 "Friends of the People" (TruTV) at 10:30/9:30c The midseason premier of this sketch comedy series that skewers pop culture and features parodies of your favorite 90's moments
TruTV
Thursday, July 16 "Married" (FX) at 10:30/9:30c A comedy about a couple of not-so-newlyweds struggling to live adult lives
FX
Thursday, July 16 "Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll" (FX) A beind-the-scenes comedy about a rock band forced to collaborate again after splitting up 20 years earlier
FX
Saturday, July 18 "Hell on Wheels" (AMC) at 9/8c The fifth season of this period drama about a former Confederate soldier tracking the men who killed his wife
AMC
Sunday, July 19 "Welcome to Sweden" (NBC) at 8/7c Season 2 of the comedy that sees a powerful money manager move to Sweden to live with his beautiful Swedish girlfriend
NBC
Wednesday, July 22 "Last Comic Standing" (NBC) at 9/8c Season 9 of the standup competition finds comedians honing their jokes with the help of mentors for a prize worth $250,000 -- which includes a TV show development deal.
NBC
Wednesday, July 29 "The Carbonaro Effect" (TruTV) at 10/9c The second season of this reality series about a comic magician who astounds and amuses audiences at the same time
TruTV
Thursday, July 30 "Review" (Comedy Central) at 10/9c Season 2 of this series about life reviewer Forrest MacNeil
Comedy Central
Friday, July 31 "Cold Justice" (TNT) at 10:30/9:30c Season 3 of this unscripted series in which former prosecutor Kelly Siegler and crime scene investigator Yolanda McClary crack cold cases.
TNT
Friday, July 31 "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" (Netflix) Streaming A series based on the 2001 film that explores the first days of summer at Camp Firewood
Netflix
Sunday, August 2 "Bachelor in Paradise" (ABC) at 8/7c In the tradition of "Bachelor Pad," ABC finds a new way to round up former "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" competitors, get them in their swimsuits, and get them feuding. (Oh, and maybe fall in love. Sure.)
ABC
Tuesday, August 4 "Playing House" (USA) at 10/9c Season two of this comedy about a woman who decides to help her best friend raise a baby after the friend's husband is caught cheating
USA
Wenesday, August 5 "The Carmichael Show" (NBC) at 9:30/8:30c A half hour comedy loosely based on the life of comedian Jerrod Carmichael
NBC
Wednesday, August 5 "Mr. Robinson" (NBC) at 9/8c Craig Robinson stars in this half hour comedy about a middle school music teacher.
NBC
Monday, August 17 "Public Morals" (TNT) at 10/9c Eddie Burns leads the cast of this drama set in the world of the 1960s NYPD Public Morals division.
TNT
Tuesday, August 18 "Hack My Life" (TruTV) Second season of this series in which the hosts offer time-saving tips for your everyday life
TruTv
Thursday, August 20 "Documentary Now!" (IFC) at 10/9c A mocumentary series about a different, made-up topic each week
IFC
Saturday, August 22 "Blunt Talk" (Starz) at 9/8c Patrick Stewart stars in this comedy about an unhinged British journalist who gets his own cable news show in the U.S.
Saturday, August 22 "Survivor's Remorse" (Starz) at 9:30 Season 2 of this comedy about two cousins who grapple with fame and success after making it to the NBA.
Starz
Monday, August 24 "Switched at Birth" (ABC Family) at 8/7c Season 4 of this series about two teen girls whose lives are turned upside down when they find out they were switched at birth
ABC Family
Tuesday, August 25 "Legends" (TNT) at 10/9c Sean Bean returns as an undercover FBI agent with a mysterious past he must uncover.
TNT
Tuesday, August 25 "Tosh.0" (Comedy Central) at 10/9c The seventh season of this popular series will continue skewering the best viral videos from around the internet
Comedy Central
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2015 season’s new and returning show premiere dates