Prashant Gupta / FX, Art Streiber/HBO, Peter Iovino/ShowtimeThe aftermath of the strike is still mucking up TV! Many shows that usually air in the summer have been pushed to fall or later because of the production delay. After taking a look at the summer '08 TV schedule, you guys had so many questions about these MIA summer series that I thought it'd be a good idea to address them all in one place!
Click in to find out the whereabouts of The Shield, when Big Love is back and the exact premiere date of Dexter season three!
Update, Wednesday, 8:08 p.m.: The cat seems to be well and truly out of the bag already, so I've updated the original summer TV calendar item with the premiere date and time of Mad Men: Sunday, July 27 at 10 p.m.
PREMIERES: 2008
Jo in Camp Lejeune, N.C.: Any idea when Entourage is coming back?
Entourage will be back in September '08. Also in September on HBO is True Blood, from Alan Ball. It will be fodder for my favorite part of this job: Watch Vampires with Kristin.
Commenter 28: What about Californication?
Californication is most likely returning in September (the exact premiere date is TBD), and the season-one DVD comes out June 17.
Bunnylovee: When is The Girls Next Door returning? It ended like five months ago. Come on!
Oh, you are a girl after my own heart. Look for new episodes of The Girls Next Door to premiere later this year, likely in one of the months that end in ber.
Darlynn in Ann Arbor, Mich.: I just looked at your summer schedule and there was no mention of Mad Men. When are they coming back to air with some new eps?
July...argh! I know the answer to this, but I can't officially report it yet. (I'm not pouting. Really.) I can, however, tell you that the official announcement is coming later this week. Meanwhile, have you seen the packaged-as-a-Zippo-lighter DVD box set for Mad Men season one? Check it out on July 1, or if you're impatient—like, say, me—you can download season one from iTunes.
Jen's Husband: Where is The Shield?!
The Shield's final season premieres in September on FX. Also in September on FX, look for season four of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and a new show called Sons of Anarchy about a guy forced to juggle his commitments to his kid and those to his friends in a motorcycle gang. (Awesome!)
Alison in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada: When is Dexter coming back? I didn't see it on your summer premiere list. I want and need my sexily scary serial killer.
According to sources close to the show, season three of Dexter starts shooting June 9, and the season premiere is currently scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 28! Subject to change of course, but generally, I think it's fair to say yay! If you have yet to partake of the Dexter-y goodness, season two is now available for download on iTunes (thanks to Jenn in Conyers, Ga. for pointing this out!), and the Dexter season-two DVD drops Aug. 19.
Stephanie in Wilmington, N.C.: When will Greek be back?
Greek will return with new episodes this fall, most likely in September.
PREMIERES: 2009
Jennifer in Syracuse, N.Y.: What's up with Damages?
Damages is not back on FX until early '09 (likely January), but the good news is that it has been renewed for not just one, but two more seasons!
Elana: Where is Nip/Tuck?
Look for Nip/Tuck to premiere around the same time as Damages: Early 2009. January, if I had to guess...
VMarsFan: What about Kyle XY?
Season three of Kyle XY premieres in January '09.
Melissa in Raymond, N.H.: Any idea when new episodes of Big Love will air?
Early in 2009! I can't wait. I miss Margene!
Rox: I'm panicked: When is Rescue Me coming back?
Season five of Rescue Me airs in spring '09 (think March-ish), but there will be minisodes coming out later this summer to tide you over!
Kate in Wis.: What's up with Flight of the Conchords? I haven't heard any mention of my favorite summer comedy.
You'll have to wait until 2009 for more Jemaine and Bret.
Jeff in St. Louis: When will Brotherhood be back? I heard it got renewed…and if it comes back, will Janel Moloney come with it?
Network sources tell me: "The show goes back into production at the end of July, but they haven’t made a decision when season three will premiere. We should know something in the next couple of weeks." You'll hear as soon as we do! As for Janel Moloney, I'm told the next season of Brotherhood is still very much in the script stage, so no decisions have been made about her return.
Angie: What about Breaking Bad? Thank you for the Mad Men update but I need info on my other favorite AMC series.
Breaking Bad has already been renewed for a second season, and I believe they are just setting up their production offices now, so by eyeballing the calendar, I'm predicting a winter or spring '09 premiere (maybe January-ish, maybe March-ish).
PREMIERES: TO BE DETERMINED, OR POSSIBLY NEVER
T: What about Tell Me You Love Me? I have to see that show again!
Hang in there...It's going to be a while. They aren't even in production on season two yet. I'd say look for Tell Me You Love Me in summer '09 at the soonest.
Kevin in Louisville, Ky.: What is the status on the third seasons of Dirt and The Riches?
According to the network, "No decisions have been made about Dirt and The Riches yet." However, we've heard from at least one source that "Dirt is dead." No telling how these things will play out, but I'm personally not convinced either show will be back on FX for a third season.
Amy in Portland, Ore.: Is Side Order of Life coming back? And if so, when?
Lifetime has canceled Side Order of Life. Sorry...
WiFidelity: It is true that BSG is going away for the summer?
Yes, it's true. The Battlestar Galactica midseason finale is June 13, but I'm told the network has not yet settled on a premiere date for the remaining 10 episodes. The good news is that after principal photography on the final season of BSG also ends in June, actors like James Callis and Grace Park will be freed up to do other projects, so we'll hopefully be seeing them elsewhere soon!
Kaci in Houston: What about The Dead Zone? Did USA kill it along with with The 4400?
Yes, sorry. The Dead Zone and The 4400 are both gone.
Got more Q's? Post 'em in the comments or email tvdiva@eonline.com, and we'll get you answers in the next Monday chat!