(*note from the TVaddict: Welcome to what we hope will become a weekly column about TV by Amrie, a fellow TV addict. I hope you like enjoy the column as much as I did, and please feel free to comment below!)
My name is Amrie and I am addicted to TV.
And now, a column….
In the coming days, most TV people will spend the week worrying about the Up Fronts. What show will be picked up? What show will be thrown to the curb? Not this TV person. I feel like if I talk about the Up Fronts, I will indirectly jinx myself and my favorite shows. Take for example the fact that I spent the entire morning talking about how amazing Veronica Mars is, and, bam, 7th Heaven is miraculously resurrected, and now Veronica Mars has this sad, sad chance of not being renewed. So this week, rather than focus on what might happen, or how sad we might be come Friday next, let’s talk about something different.
I think that today is a good day to start gearing up for a wonderful summer of TV. In the coming months, old favorites return and new shows beg for us to become obsessed. Here is a list of what I’m most looking forward to as the weather heats up.
Sundays – I’m on the edge of my seat, awaiting what appears to be the final season of Deadwood (starting June 11, at 9PM on HBO). There is something amazingly caustic, and angry, and raw about this show, but at the same time I am absolutely convinced that it is one of the most brilliant shows on TV. The characters are so real, that it makes your head spin. No other network could do what HBO has done with this flawless piece of work. The 4400 returns on that same night, 6/11 at that same time! The show itself has a great concept, and it’s been pretty well-acted. It’s worth checking out, definitely. Also returning to HBO, we’ve got season 3 of Entourage (starting June 11, at 9PM). This year, we get to see what life is like after that big blockbuster movie comes out! I love this show, and am looking forward to watching Ari try to land on his feet and stay a successful agent. Competing with Entourage for the ratings will be old favorite The Dead Zone on USA (starting 6/18) and, later in the summer, the new show 3 Moons Over Milford (starting 7/23 on ABC Family), about a family coming to grips with some wild occurrences in their town. I’m a big fan of what ABC Family has done over the past few years with their original dramas, so I’m interested to see how that turns out.
Mondays – In the 8:00 hour (beginning 6/26), we have another new series from the minds at ABC Family, called Kyle XY. It’s about a teenager found wandering the streets, with no recollection of who he is, or how he got there (read: John Doe Lite). He’s got the mind of a newborn, and slowly begins to unravel his past. It sounds like an interesting premise, it’s worth a try. At 9:00, we’ve got some reality TV up against a great established drama, and the third offering from ABC Family. Hell’s Kitchen returns June 12, though it’s undoubtedly not as cool without any contestants named “Dewberry.“ At 9, you’ll also find The Closer (starting June 12 on TNT). It‘s definitely one of those shows that I enjoy every single time I watch it, and I find the main character so relatable. The third and final ABC Family show about which I’m stoked is Falcon Beach, about life in a New England beach town, which begins June 4th with a special premiere, and launches officially on June 5, a Monday. I don’t think I could forgive myself if I didn’t mention my favorite guilty pleasure, The Real World/Road Rules Challenge (starting May 29 at 10PM on MTV), as one show to watch. The real people on this show have definitely become such interesting characters that I find myself forgetting that they are real, and not created for the show. Finally, rounding out Mondays beginning June 12, we’ve got the new show starring Tom Everett Scott on TNT, called Saved. It’s about a paramedic in Portland dealing with his crazy messed up life.
Tuesdays – First up at 8 on CBS (beginning July 11), you’ve got Big Brother All-stars. Follow a bunch of wannabe famous folk as they voluntarily enter a house with no connection to the outside world, besides conversations with Julie Chen. At 9:00, there’s a choice between Rock Star: Supernova (CBS 7/11) and Last Comic Standing (NBC 5/30). This night, however, belongs to Denis Leary and his fellow firefighting bunch on Rescue Me (starting May 30 at 10PM on F/X). The tortured hero Tommy Gavin continues to live his awful life in the aftermath of the horribly tragic death of his son and the violent shooting of the man responsible. I’m excited to see where the stories go as Academy Award® winning actresses Susan Sarandon and Marisa Tomei join the cast as love interests for Franco and Tommy. Also of interest, Tommy’s brother and Tommy’s ex are going to try their hand at some sort of “relationship.“ Plus, Michael Lombardi (Probie) is so cute that it makes me grin so hard my jaw hurts! HA!
Wednesdays – I, as a person who plans a lot of her life around TV shows, am sad to say that I really don’t have a pick for Wednesdays. There’s nothing new that’s incredibly interesting to me and I feel like a bad TV addict to admit that! I don’t know how I’m going to handle going from the current Wednesdays at 8 (where I can’t make a decision about what to watch and what to TiVO) to the Summer Wednesday nights (where I’ll actually have a free night to go see my friends!). I might actually have to start reading books to fill the time….
Thursdays – Of the two shows that I’m excited about on Thursdays this summer, I think that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (starting June 29 at 10PM on F/X) has a slight edge of over its competitor. It’s not simply because I know every place they visit because I’ve been there. Philadelphia is essentially my backyard, so I can absolutely relate. But the four leads are absolutely hilarious. I love that F/X gave this show a second chance to grab viewers. Sure, they have entire episodes dedicated to Mr. Belding being a gym-teacher-molester or Charlie wearing a Nazi uniform, but they do it with such great comedic timing that I forget that the story is so foul! On the other side of the coin, starting June 8, we’ve got an ensemble piece on NBC called Windfall, about a group of mismatched lotto winners, and how their lives change or don’t change after their win. Luke Perry, Sarah Wynter (from 24), DJ Cotrona, and Lana Parilla are just some “been on TV before” actors that are making this one something to watch!
Fridays – I am absolutely 100% partial to Monk (starting June 7 at 10PM on USA), because I share many qualities with the OCD detective, including, but not limited to, my fear of dirty dishes, and coughing/sneezing children. Tony Shalhoub is awesome. Whether dealing with Natalie, who doesn’t really connect with him or the audience in the way that Sharona did, or the lunacy of Lieutenant Disher, Monk always seems to come out on top. Following Monk on USA, and starting the same night (6/7), we have Psych. This is the story of a man so in tune with his perception skills that he convinces people he is psychic. If its off-the-wall premise is a good as it sounds, it should be a great companion for Monk!
Good TV + Good Music = An Obsession
This inaugural “GT+GM=AO” celebrates a scene from a great show that I’ve been replaying over and over again since it first aired!
Veronica Mars + The Perishers “Sway“ = The Dance Scene
The dance scene at the Sadie Hawkin’s Dance where Logan and Veronica shared a moment, to the song “Sway” by The Perishers. As a result of this episode, I’m officially obsessed with The Perishers, and suggest you download “When I Wake Up Tomorrow” or “Let’s Write Something Down.”
Each week, we’ll discuss a different moment in TV music history! I’d love feedback on some of your favorite moments-in-song from your favorite TV shows over the years!
Stay tuned for next week as I cover the Up Fronts and we discuss what made it, what didn’t, and what network big wigs I will be beating up if my favorite shows weren’t even considered!
Thanks for reading the first in a line of weekly columns. Any feedback is welcome – I’d love to hear some of your ideas for a story – drop me a line annamarievh307@netzero.net 
