The summer used to be a time where the networks hung out the proverbial “Gone Fishin” signs and programmed repeats until fall. Cable changed all that, and forced everyone to step up their game. Now, this summer brings new shows from big names like filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof. Will viewers find a lot to love or feel overwhelmed among the clutter?
And in the world of new shows a little further out, Chelsea Handler is leaving E! to do a talk show on Netflix. There’s a lot of speculation about what her new show will look like, but we’ll have to wait until 2016 to find out for sure. Also in 2016, we’ll get a second season of the Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul. AMC gave the greenlight for another batch of episodes while season one is still in production.
Finally, what’s in a name? Will a cable network called by any other name draw more viewers? Bio, HLN, We TV, Military Channel, Style and others have all undergone recent name changes (or are about to). What’s the thinking behind this kind of naming shake-up?
End of show Downloads:
Joe: Has Emmy campaigning gotten out of control? Between the ads, the billboards and special events, Emmy season is starting to resemble Oscar season in the rush to promote nominees.
Laura: Sundance Channel’s critically-acclaimed Rectify may have flown under the radar of a lot of viewers, but season one is now ripe for discovery on Netflix, and season two starts this month.
Mike: A farewell to Casey Kasem, who recently passed away at the age of 82. The legendary broadcaster known for his Top 40 radio countdown could also be heard on television, including as the voice of Shaggy on Scooby-Doo.