TV Talk: Except PBS, broadcasters rely on competition, game shows this summer

Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week.

Remember back in the ‘80s and ‘90s when broadcast networks used to put out a “Gone Fishin’” sign for the summer, airing mostly reruns? Then in the early 2000s to compete with cable, broadcasters upped their game and started airing original scripted shows in the summer.

This summer seems like a throwback to ye olde days as commercial broadcasters, impacted by last year’s strikes and seeing their original programming budgets shrunk in the face of corporate mandates to invest more in their streaming services, largely throw in the towel on airing scripted originals in favor of low-cost game shows and competitions series.

Drama fans can take heart in PBS’s offerings, which do include multiple original drama series with new episodes.

ABC

“Jeopardy! Masters” airs its final episodes of the season this week (8 p.m. May 20 and 22, WTAE-TV) with Point Breeze’s Victoria Groce still in the competition as of this writing.

“Who Wants to be a Millionaire” (8 p.m. July 10): Back for a 25th anniversary edition, this time “Millionaire” will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and feature two celebrity contestants playing together to try to win $1 million for a charity of their choice.

“Lucky 13” (9 p.m. July 18): Gina Rodriguez and Shaquille O’Neal host this new game show featuring 13 true-or-false trivia questions. Players must accurately predict in advance how well they’ll do on those 13 questions to win a $1 million jackpot.

Returning: “The Bachelorette” (8 p.m. July 8), “Celebrity Family Feud” (9 p.m. July 9), “Claim to Fame” (9 p.m. July 10), “Judge Steve Harvey” (9 p.m. July 16), “Press Your Luck” (8 p.m. July 18).

CBS

In addition to summer specials – “The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” (8 p.m. June 7, KDKA-TV), “Greatest @Home Videos: Father’s Day Edition” (8 p.m. June 14), “The 77th Annual Tony Awards” (8 p.m. June 16) – CBS will borrow the first season of Sylvester Stallone-starring “Tulsa King” from Paramount+. “Tulsa King” will air Sunday at 8 p.m. beginning July 14. And CBS has one new series: “The Real CSI: Miami” (10 p.m. June 26): Docu-series re-telling of true crime cases that occurred in Miami.

Returning: “Lingo” (8 p.m. May 24, KDKA-TV), “Big Brother” (9 p.m. July 17), “Let’s Make a Deal: Primetime” (8 p.m. Aug. 7).

The CW

“The Big Bakeover” (8 p.m. June 14, WPNT-TV): 2014 “Great British Bake Off” winner Nancy Britwhistle travels America trying to help save struggling bakeries and offering makeovers.

Returning: “All-American: Homecoming” (9 p.m. July 8), “61st Street” (9 p.m. July 22).

Fox

“The Quiz with Balls” (9 p.m. May 28, WPGH-TV): Jay Pharoah (“Saturday Night Live”) hosts this competition for $100,000 that combines elements of a quiz show with a physical competition as contestants answer a multiple-choice quiz while standing over a pool. If they get an answer wrong, a giant ball rolls toward the player and knocks them into the pool.

Returning: “I Can See Your Voice” (8 p.m. May 16), “Don’t Forget the Lyrics” (9 p.m. May 16), “Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars” (9 p.m. May 22), “Beat Shazam” (8 p.m. May 28), “MasterChef: Generations” (8 p.m. May 29) and “Name That Tune” (8 p.m. June 3).

NBC

Returning: “Weakest Link” (10 p.m. May 20, WPXI-TV), “America’s Got Talent” (8 p.m. May 28), “American Ninja Warrior” (8 p.m. June 3) and “The Wall” (10 p.m. July 1).

PBS

“Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution” (9 p.m. June 18, WQED-TV; streaming June 1 at PBS.org and on the PBS app): Three-part series on the history of disco told by the musicians and promotors of the period.

“Dynamic Planet” (8 p.m. June 19): Series on how science, nature and tradition can help prepare humanity for ongoing climate change.

“Hope in the Water” (9 p.m. June 19): Three-part docu-series on sustainable food sources of the future.

Returning: “Professor T” (8 p.m. June 16), “Grantchester” (9 p.m. June 16), “D.I. Ray” (10 p.m. June 16), “The Great American Recipe” (9 p.m. June 17), “Hotel Portofino” (8 p.m. July 28), “Cobra” (11 p.m. Aug. 4).