Summer Fun & The Comeback of Scripted TV

Since the Screen Writer's Guild strike in late 2007, contrary to many expectations including mine, scripted TV on cable channels and broadcast networks has made a significant comeback. This Summer's lineup - mostly cable channels - is remarkable. My own list of shows to check out is rather long and has been getting longer as premier announcements have been made:

• 3-Jun - USA - Burn Notice Season Premier
• 3-Jun - USA - Royal Pains Season Premier
• 4-Jun - CBS - Flashpoint Season Premier
• 5-Jun - CBS - Three Rivers Canceled Series remaining episodes
• 6-Jun - Lifetime - Drop Dead Diva Season Premier
• 7-Jun - ABCFamily - The Secret Life of The American Teenager Season Premier
• 7-Jun - FOX - Lie To Me Season Premier
• 7-Jun - FOX - The Good Guys Series Premier
• 7-Jun - NBC - Persons Unknown Series Premier
• 8-Jun - ABCFamily - Pretty Little Liars Series Premier
• 13-Jun - HBO - True Blood Season Premier
• 13-Jun - Toon - Unnatural History Series Premier
• 16-Jun - TVland - Hot in Cleveland Series Premier
• 20-Jun - ABC - The Gates Series Premier
• 20-Jun - ABC - Scoundrels Series Premier
• 20-Jun - TNT - Leverage Season Premier
• 22-Jun - TNT - Hawthorne Season Premier
• 22-Jun - TNT - Memphis Beat Series Premier
• 24-Jun - ABC - Rookie Blue Series Premier
• 28-Jun - ABCFamily - Huge Series Premier
• 28-Jun - ABCFamily - Make It or Break It Season Premier
• 29-Jun - FX - Rescue Me Season Premier
• 29-Jun - FX - Louie Series Premier
• 9-Jul - Syfy - Eureka Season Premier
• 9-Jul - Syfy - Haven Season Premier
• 10-Jul - CBS - The Bridge Series Premier
• 12-Jul - TNT - The Closer Season Premier
• 12-Jul - TNT - Rizzoli & Isles Series Premier
• 13-Jul - A&E - The Glades Series Premier
• 13-Jul - Syfy - Warehouse 13 Season Premier
• 13-Jul - USA - White Collar Season Premier
• 13-Jul - USA - Covert Affairs Series Premier
• 21-Jul - USA - Psych Series Premier
• 25-Jul - AMC - Mad Men Season Premier
• 25-Jul - HBO - Hung Season Premier
• 25-Jul - TBS - My Boys Premier
• 1-Aug - AMC - Rubicon Series Premier
• 4-Aug - TNT - Dark Blue Season Premier
• 16-Aug - Showtime - Weeds Season Premier
• 16-Aug - Showtime - The Big C Premier
• 17-Aug - ABCFamily - Melissa & Joey Series Premier

Not that I expect all of these to be quality shows. But it is a long list.

And then there's this coming Fall broadcast networks' schedules which present conflict problems even when one has the ability to record four shows simultaneously:

Sunday

• ABC - Desperate Housewives
• ABC - Brothers & Sisters
• CBS - CSI Miami

Monday

• ABC - Castle
• CBS - How I Met Your Mother
• CBS - Rules of Engagement
• CBS - Two and a Half Men
• CBS - Mike & Molly
• CBS - Hawaii Five-O
• FOX - House
• FOX - Lonestar
• NBC - Chuck
• NBC - The Event
• NBC - Chase

Tuesday

• ABC - No Ordinary Family
• ABC - Detroit 187
• CBS - NCIS
• CBS - NCIS: Los Angeles
• CBS - The Good Wife
• FOX - Glee
• FOX - Raising Hope
• FOX - Running Wilde
• NBC - Parenthood
• CW - Life Unexpected

Wednesday

• ABC - The Middle
• ABC - Better Together
• ABC - Modern Family
• ABC - Cougar Town
• ABC - The Whole Truth
• CBS - Criminal Minds
• CBS - The Defenders
• FOX - Lie to Me
• NBC - Undercovers
• NBC - Law & Order: SVU
• NBC - Law & Order: Los Angeles

Thursday

• ABC - My Generation
• ABC - Grey's Anatomy
• ABC - Private Practice
• CBS - The Big Bang Theory
• CBS - $#*! My Dad Says
• CBS - CSI
• CBS - The Mentalist
• FOX - Bones
• FOX - Fringe
• NBC - Community
• NBC - Love Bites
• CW - Nikita

Friday

• ABC - Body of Proof
• CBS - Medium
• CBS - CSI New York
• CBS - Blue Bloods
• FOX - Human Target
• FOX - The Good Guys
• NBC - Outlaw

Obviously, many of these shows aren't going to make it because the "Live" viewing audience can only view one at any time.

Regarding scripted TV, all the fears in 2007 seem to have been wasted. To paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of the imminent death of scripted TV were greatly exaggerated.