Summertime is typically when we aren’t in front of the television or laptop, but with shifting viewing habits and growing demand for content, streaming services, cable networks and TV are filling the desire for new and returning shows. Here are 5 programs to sit by the pool, backyard, or just hide inside with.
The Last Ship – TNT
Beginning season 3 on June 12 on TNT, The Last Ship, based on the 1988 novel of the same name, tells the story of the USS Nathan James and her crew enduring a global pandemic and attempting to survive in a new world. Starring Eric Dane (Grey’s Anatomy), Adam Baldwin (Firefly), and Rhona Mitra (Strike Back), The Last Ship has evolved from a military action thriller to include an array of fleshed out characters and a fairly comprehensive look at what the world may look like if 75 percent of the world population was wiped out by a super virus.
Hell On Wheels – AMC
photo: AMC Networks
June 11 is the start date for the fifth and final season for what has quietly become one of AMC’s better dramas. When the show began, Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) was a man looking for revenge. As the series progressed, it showed the effect that the United States’ expansion westward reshaped the country. It has also addressed themes of religion, racism, slavery, and evolving social attitudes.
American Ninja Warrior – NBC
June 1st brings the eighth season for American Ninja Warrior. It took seven seasons for a contestant to complete the Mount Midoriyama course, and even without a winner for almost seven seasons, ANW has become a huge success for NBC as competitors come from far and wide in the hopes of even making it on the show. The great thing about American Ninja Warrior is that no matter the contestant, be it an Olympic athlete, professional bodybuilder, or a park ranger from Georgia, all are equal before this ruthless obstacle course.
Shooter – USA
Photo: USA Networks
New this summer, Shooter is based on the novel by Stephen Hunter and the 2007 film of the same name. Starring Ryan Phillippe and Omar Epps, the show seems to take hints from both the novel and the film. Phillippe plays Bob Swagger, a retired Marine Corps sniper who is framed for a political assassination and his attempts to discover who the real killers are.
Killjoys – Syfy
photo: Syfy
Last summer’s surprise hit returns in July with the continuing adventures of Dutch and the Jaqobis brothers (Hannah John-Kamen, Aaron Ashmore, and Luke Macfarlane). Leading the charge for Syfy’s foray back into serious genre programming, Killjoys showcases excellent writing, solid character development, and the ability to fill that Firefly shaped hole in your soul that has been craving another space Western.
