Viewers Can Say So Long to TV’s Summer Doldrums

It wasn’t long ago that summer brought the dog days of television. Viewers were bombarded with repeat after repeat of their favorite--and less than favorite--series and were force-fed an array of unsold TV series pilots and inane comedy-variety shows.

But TV’s summer doldrums are over. Or at least tempered, thanks to the savvy programming of cable, PBS and the fourth network, Fox.

Cable has chosen the summer to offer new series, specials, documentaries and feature films. PBS’ summer schedule is its most ambitious to date and Fox hopes to increase its ever-growing audience with new programming.

And what about the Big Three networks? Though viewers will be seeing a handful of new limited series, ABC, CBS and NBC mostly will serve up their traditional summer menu of reruns.

Here is a selective guide to what’s new and interesting on TV this summer.

CABLE

HBO & CINEMAX

“We purposely planned our new series for the summer,” said Chris Albrecht, senior vice president of original programming/West Coast. “The summer months are historically good months.”

SERIES

Dream On: Filmmaker John Landis is producing this new comedy series about a baby boomer brought up on ‘50s TV who tries to cope with life. HBO will present four episodes in July beginning July 8 at 10 p.m., and four more in August.

HBO MOVIES

Jeff Goldblum and Kristin Scott Thomas star in Framed, about an art forger involved in affairs of the heart, June 24 at 9 p.m. Anthony Edwards and Louis Gossett Jr. star in El Diablo, a Western about a young schoolteacher entering manhood, July 22 at 8 p.m.

COMEDY

HBO on Location: Richard Lewis: I’m Doomed: The neurotic comic returns for an hour of kvetching, July 7 at 11 p.m.

HBO on Location: Robert Wuhl: “Batman’s” reporter friend brings his humor to HBO in August. Date and time to be announced.

DOCUMENTARIES

Child of Rage: A Story of Abuse: “America Undercover” examines the effects of child abuse on a 7-year-old girl, July 2 at 10 p.m. HBO.

Crazy About the Movies: Anthony Quinn: Cinemax profiles the two-time Oscar winner, August.

Guns: A Day in the Death of America: “America Undercover” focuses on all the deaths caused by firearms in a 24-hour period, July 16 at 10 p.m. HBO.

Parole: Six parolees are examined on “America Undercover.” August. HBO.

SHOWTIME

“We always saw summer as the prime time for Showtime,” said Steve Hewitt, Showtime’s senior vice president, original programming and production. “We always saw that the networks went into repeats, so it behooves us to put on strong programming.”

SHOWTIME MOVIES

Harry Hamlin takes a break from “L.A. Law” to star in Deceptions, a mystery-thriller with Nicollette Sheridan (“Knots Landing”), Sunday at 8 p.m. Ally Sheedy plays a psychic hired by the police to find a killer who also happens to be a psychic in Fear, July 15 at 9 p.m.

COMEDY

Just for Laughs: Montreal International Comedy Festival: Bob Newhart makes his cable debut as the host of this comedy special taped at the largest comedy festival in the Western Hemisphere, July 21 at 10 p.m.

Showtime Comedy Club All Stars IV: Woody Harrleson (“Cheers”) hosts a look at five young comedians from the past year of “Showtime Comedy Network,” June 23 at 10 p.m.

Jimmie Walker and Friends III: The “Good Times” comic hosts his third special for Showtime. August.

MUSIC

Coast to Coast: American Music: Bonnie Raitt, John Lee Hooker, Ry Cooder and Clarence Clemmons are among those making music, July 14 at 11 p.m.

Frank, Liza and Sammy: The Ultimate Event: Repeat of the 1989 concert featuring Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli and the late Sammy Davis Jr., July 5 at 6:30 p.m.

LIFETIME

In You’re on the Air With Dr. Ruth, everyone’s favorite therapist talks about s-e-x with celebrity guests on a new late-night series, July 7 at midnight. Nancy Allen and Vanity headline Lifetime’s first made-for-TV film, Memories of Murder, July 31 at 9 p.m.

TNT

Brian Dennehy (“Cocoon”) and Piper Laurie (“Twin Peaks”) star in the family drama, Rising Son, July 23 at 5 p.m. Heat Wave looks at the Watts riots of 1965; Blair Underwood, James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson star, Aug. 13 at 5 p.m. John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini and James Earl Jones star in the drama, The Last Elephant, Aug. 20 at 5 p.m.

USA NETWORK

SERIES

Counter Strike: The new action show stars Christopher Plummer in his first series as a rich, powerful man who seeks out and destroys injustice worldwide. Simon MacCorkindale of “Manimal” co-stars, July 1 at 10 p.m.

Swamp Thing: A doctor is exposed to environmental pollutants and is transformed into a close cousin of “Creature From the Black Lagoon.” No cast set yet, July 27 at 10:30 p.m.

USA MOVIES

Real-life husband and wife C. Thomas Howell and Rae Dawn Chong star in the thriller, Curiosity Kills, June 27 at 9 p.m. Joanna Cassidy plays a schoolbus driver who notices an evil-looking Dodge sedan frequenting her route in Wheels of Terror, July 11 at 9 p.m. Five corporate executives go on a wilderness expedition only to be stalked by prison escapees in Snow Kills. With Patti D’Arbanville, Jon Cypher, Clayton Rohner and Joey Travolta, July 25 at 9 p.m.

NETWORK

ABC

ABC is playing it close to the vest this summer. The network will continue to air original episodes of the drama series “Equal Justice,” which has been picked up for mid-season, and Oprah Winfrey’s canceled series, “Brewster Place” through June, and it may air episodes of another canceled series, “Mr. Belvedere.” No word yet if ABC plans to air the nine remaining episodes of the axed series, “Capital News,” or repeat “Twin Peaks” before its fall return.

SERIES

Super Jeopardy!: Alex Trebek puts the unanswerable answers to former “Jeopardy!” champs, starting Saturday at 8 p.m.

Monopoly: Michael Reilly hosts this weekly series based on the classic board game, debuting Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

New Attitude: Two sisters (Sheryl Lee Ralph and Phyllis Yvonne Stickney) open a beauty parlor in this sitcom that has been sitting on the shelf for a while. Morris Day of “Purple Rain” fame plays their top hairdresser. Tentative.

Into the Night Starring Rick Dees: ABC throws its hat into the late-night talk-show ring with this new Monday-Friday series starring the popular L.A. disc jockey, July 17 at midnight.

CBS

After airing discarded pilots for the past few seasons, the third-place network is set to premiere three new limited series.

Peter Tortorici, CBS’ senior vice president of program planning, explained why networks can’t rely only on reruns for the summer:

“The successful shows repeat very well in the summer,” he said. “But the issue is, when you have marginal performers--or shows that are not even marginal, but failed --you are going to have extremely low audience numbers. I can’t imagine any of us want to see our circulation levels go to that kind of low, especially in light of the competition from cable, from videocassettes and, most specifically, the Fox network.”

SERIES

Northern Exposure: A New York City doctor must work for several years in a remote town in Alaska to pay off the debt for his medical education. July.

War Room: John Dye, Mary Beth Hurt and Rich Hall play presidential speech writers in this comedy. July.

Manhattan Nights: Don Novello--a.k.a. Father Guido Sarducci--stars in this comedy about the residents of a New York high rise. July.

FOX

“The summertime has been traditionally the time to build and expand our audience,” said Paul Stupin, executive vice president of series programming. “It’s something we initially took advantage of and (it) worked well for us last year when we launched ‘Totally Hidden Video.’ This summer we will continue to look toward expanding our audience base.”

SPECIALS

Live! The World’s Greatest Stunts: “We have some of the world’s greatest stunt men who are visually pulling off some incredible things and things that hopefully will remind people of James Bond movies,” Stupin said. Ed Begley Jr. hosts. June 20 at 8 p.m.

SERIES

Glory Days: From the creators of “21 Jump Street,” this hour drama follows four friends just out of high school. Late June or early July.

Molloy: A sitcom starring Mayim Bialik (young Bette Midler in “Beaches”) about a girl who moves in with her father and a new family in Beverly Hills. Late June or early July.

NBC

At press time, NBC had yet to announce its entire summer schedule. Episodes of the comedy series “Seinfeld,” starring comedian Jerry Seinfeld, and “Singer & Sons,” will air through June. There’s also word the Peacock network will air pilots that didn’t make the fall schedule. “There’s also a possiblity of a movie, ‘Hiroshima’ that would go in early August,” said a NBC spokesperson, “and perhaps more to come.”

SERIES

Singer & Sons: Esther Rolle and Harold Gould star in a comedy about a third-generation Jewish widower who owns a New York delicatessen. Because he has no sons to take over the family business, he hires the two sons of his black housekeeper to help run the deli. The series previewed last week and officially premieres Wednesday at 9 p.m.

PBS

“We have a lot of new stuff this summer,” said Barry Chase, vice president of programming. “We have a lot of important new stuff which is typical of what we have been doing the last few years. There are plenty of people around during the summer to watch TV, and we had some slightly offbeat things like ‘Alive From Off Center’ and ‘P.O.V.,’ which we thought might appeal to people who are looking around in the summer. It was a perfect time to introduce them. The alternative stuff has always been our bread and butter.”

SERIES

Alive From Off Center: The offbeat performance art series returns for its sixth season, July 6 at 11 p.m. KCET.

American Masters: The Oscar- and Emmy Award-winning documentary series is back for its fifth season with programs on Preston Sturges, Martin Scorsese and Cole Porter. Premieres July 2 at 8 p.m. KOCE; 10 p.m. KCET.

American Playhouse: Arthur Miller’s adaptation of Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People” airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. KCET. Rosanna Arquette and David Suchet star in Tom Kempinski’s drama “Separation,” June 27 at 9 p.m. KCET.

Evening at the Pops: The long-running musical series returns for a new summer season with John Williams and Melissa Manchester paying tribute to the great female singers, June 24 at 8 p.m. KCET.

Masterpiece Theatre: The six-part “Piece of Cake” stars Tim Woodward, son of Edward, and Boyd Gaines as members of a squadron of Royal Air Force pilots during the first year of World War II, July 8 at 8 p.m. KOCE; 9 p.m. KCET.

P.O.V.: The third season of independently produced documentaries kicks off with “Through the Wire,” a look at three women convicted of political, nonviolent crimes, June 26 at 10 p.m. KCET.

Dennis Potter Retrospective: KCET will air the British writer’s acclaimed miniseries, “The Singing Detective” and “Pennies From Heaven,” beginning July 8 at 10 p.m. Also included in the Potter retrospective is the dramatic special, “Cream in My Coffee,” July 18 at 10 p.m., and Potter’s film, “Dream Child,” July 11 at 10 p.m.

Summer in Europe: Every Saturday evening through August, KCET will air classic foreign films. Included are Jean Cocteau’s “Beauty and the Beast” and Luis Bunuel’s “That Obscure Object of Desire.”

SPECIALS

Firing Line Special Debate: The topic is “A United Germany: Anything to Worry About?” with William F. Buckley hosting from West Germany, June 25 at 9 p.m. KCET; June 27 at 8 p.m. KOCE.