Issue Date: May 29, 2005

Television

Summer TV Preview

It's not all reruns anymore. Stars of new and returning shows tell us why we should watch in the coming months -- and what they will make time for.

By Gayle Jo Carter

Rerun-ridden airwaves used to lead viewers to turn off their TVs as the weather warmed up. But these days, couch potatoes can find interesting, fun, even gripping fare on the small screen all summer. With so many new choices, the question is, what to watch? For the answer, USA WEEKEND Magazine asked stars and creators of summer's hottest new and returning shows to tell us why we should tune in. Stars from Jeff Foxworthy to Lisa Kudrow were quick to respond. Plus, many shared what they'll watch (besides their own shows) to beat the heat:

Rock Star: INXS (CBS, premieres July 11, 9 p.m. ET)

Think of it as American Idol with a Mark Burnett-fashioned twist. That's because the latest from the über-reality show producer (Survivor, The Apprentice) seeks to find a new lead singer for '80s band INXS. "Studying Idol, they missed a beat," he says. "[On our show], you'll get to see how they interact, prepare, all from a rock star mansion." Beyond Rock Star, Burnett will watch his friends and neighbors in NBC's I Want to Be a Hilton ("We were all at Trump's wedding") and Tommy Lee Goes to College ("I see him at our kids' basketball games").

Corwin's Quest (Animal Planet, June 15, 9 p.m. ET)

Wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin, who got both malaria and African tick fever filming these single-themed animal adventure episodes, promises an "exciting roller-coaster ride of the natural world." Highlights include an alligator mating ritual. When not globetrotting, Corwin watches Reno 911. "[Comedy Central] seems to have a little more freedom to be more explorative or exploitive."

Over There (FX, July 27, 10 p.m. ET)

While the show follows the lives of U.S. soldiers in Iraq and the families they left behind, "we're not staking out a political position disguised as entertainment," executive producer Steven Bochco says. "It's less about the politics of war, and more about the human consequences, good and bad." And although the NYPD Blue creator plans to check out other new summer shows, he won't commit: "I do this stuff all day. For me it's not entertainment."

Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County (MTV, July 25, 10 p.m. ET)

"A lot of parents are ignorant of what their kids are doing," says Lauren Conrad, one of the reality show's players. Laguna Beach may "help parents understand their kids more." This season, Conrad reveals, "Stephen and I definitely become closer." She watches "the exaggerated version of Orange County [Fox's The O.C.] religiously" but plans to be at the beach, not on the couch, this summer.

Missing (Lifetime, June 12, 10 p.m. ET)

This season will be "edgier, sexier and flashier," promises Mark Consuelos, who plays FBI agent Antonio Cortez in this combination of CSI, Without a Trace and Medium. "I think they're going to throw Vivica [A. Fox] and me together and make that as interesting as possible," he reveals. He and wife Kelly Ripa will tune in to reality shows this summer, because they're fans of TV that requires "no thinking."

The Comeback (HBO, June 5, 9:30 p.m. ET)

"Valerie is this desperate, endlessly needy, ego-driven actress; Phoebe was easygoing, goofy, a free spirit," Lisa Kudrow says in comparing her latest role with her beloved Friends character. But don't expect any of her old "Friends" to stop by the show. Valerie, an aging sitcom star who gets a reality show, then lands a sitcom, "would not know those people," she says. Busy with work, Kudrow, who has TiVo'd HBO's Six Feet Under in the past, says she won't have time for summer TV.

** Most eclectic **
Stella (Comedy Central, June 28, 10:30 p.m. ET)

"You're paying your cable bill; you might as well take advantage and check out our show," jokes Michael Ian Black, one-third of the comedy team of this Marx Brothers-meets-Monty Python sitcom. Expect "a lot of familiar faces, including certain Academy Award nominees," he says. "If you don't think stupid comedy can attract A-list talent, you're just dead wrong." For his part, Black is hooked on Travel's World Poker Tour and Nick's SpongeBob SquarePants. "If you could get SpongeBob into Celebrity Poker Showdown, I'd watch that."

** Biggest guffaws **
Blue Collar TV (WB, details unavailable at press time)

"We're not here to change the world, just to make you laugh," Jeff Foxworthy says of his surprise hit sketch-comedy show, starting its second season. "Last summer, we were tentative. It was like throwing darts blindfolded." This year, "we have tons more confidence." As for his other summer TV viewing, the Atlanta-based comedian will be glued to baseball's Braves.

**Best sleuth**

Monk (USA, July 8, 10 p.m. ET)

"We don't compete on that CSI level," says Tony Shalhoub, who plays the obsessive-compulsive private eye. "We pride ourselves on being low tech." With guests like Jason Alexander and John Turturro, and an episode that reveals more about the death of Monk's wife, Shalhoub says, the series is hitting its stride. And while he's heard HBO's "Entourage is very good," he'll be at his summer home with no TV.

** Moving epic **
Into the West (TNT, June 10, 8 p.m. ET)

"This will help all of us come together," says Irene Bedard, a star of Steven Spielberg's epic, which explores the opening of the West through two families, one white and the other Native American. "So much of our history has been swept under the rug," the Native American actress says. This "is our story." This summer, Bedard hopes to catch USA's Monk: "I enjoy his flaws and sense of humor."

** Pure froth **
I Want to Be a Hilton (NBC, June 21, 8 p.m. ET)

If you want to see how Paris became Paris, check out mom Kathy as the self-described "den mother" in what she calls "My Fair Lady meets The Apprentice." Unlike most reality shows, which she says are "mean-spirited," Hilton's offers "heart and soul and humor." To get it right, Paris advised, "Always be camera-ready, never look into the camera, and never trust the producer." Mom's TV time always includes Access Hollywood and Extra.