Summer TV is Hotter Than Ever

I remember when I use to be excited for the summer to arrive.  You’d spend time with friends, and attend a few pool parties, cookouts, and the ultimate summer vacation.  Now in my older years, all I want to do is make sure I drink the right amount of water each day.  At best get the right amount of sleep. Try my best to not kill someone at the job, and find time to scroll through my social media timelines without falling asleep.  More importantly, have time and ample space on the DVR for summer television.

Gone are the days when television series took hiatus during the summer months with reruns. Then return to hit us with action packed episodes in fall.  These days it seems as television series run all year long.  Nevertheless, I’m ready to remain cool and be entertained this summer with TV show after TV show.

Here’s what I’ll be watching this summer.

The Carmichael Show: The NBC half hour comedy kicked off its third season back in May. The show stars comedian Jerrod Carmichael with veterans Loretta Divine and David Allen Grier as his parents. Each episode centers on the family discussing a taboo topic in black culture.

The Carmichael Show airs Wednesdays at 9pm.

Daytime Divas: Based on the book Satan’s Sisters by Star Jones. VH1 turned it into a series staring Vanessa Williams. The show is loosely based on Jones’ experience at The View talk show. Exposing all the ins and outs that occur behind the scenes when “cut” is yelled.

Daytime Divas airs Monday nights at 10pm.

Orange is the New Black: For those of you who are still keeping up with the women in Litchfield; keep on keeping on. I tapped out about two seasons ago.  It became a snooze fest with lukewarm action.

You can stream Orange is the New Black on Netflix now.

Power: 50 Cent‘s hit show Power just premiered its fourth season. Picking up where season three left off, with Jamie “Untouchable” St. Patrick getting arrested for the murder of Greg Knox.  I’m glad to see that Ghost will spend majority of this season in jail and not for just one episode.  I just hope his son develops a brain over the season. Dummy!

Power airs on STARZ Sunday’s at 9pm.

Queen Sugar: Centering around three estranged siblings in Louisiana.  For season two the OWN Network show has deepened its complex family portrait.  Following a family tragedy, the siblings must band together to the family business.  That’s only if their personal lives would stay out of the way.

(I haven’t watched a single episode)

Queen Sugar airs Wednesdays at 10pm on OWN.

Claws: The FX comedy just kicked off on June 11th.  Not really sure what the show is about, but I know its getting minor buzz.  However, I could care less when I heard Chris Brown’s ex Whassherface Tran was starring in it next to Niecy Nash.

Sorry, but I can’t even tell you when it airs.

Shahs of Sunset: The underdogs on the Bravo network are the Persian-American friends from L.A.  It’s going to be interesting to see how these six friends will rise to the pressure of their families approval regarding cultural traditions.  Yet, maintain their social lives and careers.  Will Golnesa be part of the in crowd or out crowd this season? Will Asa show off her baby with longtime boyfriend, who’s a Jackson? Will Mercedes get married this season?  And will Mike move on from Jessica or win her back?  We’ll see what happens for season six, which begins July 16th on Bravo.

Being Mary Jane: Our favorite TV Anchor returns to the second half of season four.  As we know MJ is taking the Big Apple by the horns. So far in season four M.J. has turned 40, found love, and is reaching new career heights. But will it end in scandal?  We know Mary Jane has a way of messing a good thing up.  However, it seems like the entire Patterson family will have ups and downs this second half of the fourth season that’s returning July 18th on BET.

Insecure: Riding the wave of the first season’s success.  Issa Rae is back not even a full year later with season two.  The HBO comedy left off with a surprise cliffhanger, leaving viewers hungry for more. We can’t wait to see how awkward things get for Issa this summer.

Insecure returns Sunday July 23rd at 10:30pm.

Ballers: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars in the HBO comedy drama as Spencer Strasmore, a retired NFL player turned financial manager.  The show also stars Denzel’s song John David Washington as Ricky Jerret, a highly famous football player.  This season is guaranteed to be even more action packed than the pervious, along with some cameos from some real athletes. Steph Curry is on this upcoming third season, which kicks off on July 23rd at 10pm on HBO.

Greenleaf: Oprah has really been turning out some good programming for her OWN Network.  The Greenleaf Family is back this August with more drama for the mega church. As the remainder of season two begins, we can’t wait to see what happens with the church’s first family and their entire shenanigans taken place in and outside of the church.