What I watched this summer

Continuing to finish up unfinished posts... since I've been fiendishly blogging the 2000s in TV ratings this summer, I have kinda neglected the Twitter and actually talking about what I'm watching. I do feel I have more interesting/unique stuff to say about ratings and scheduling, but in case you're wondering for some reason, I've still managed to watch quite a bit of the TV. I'm thinking about doing a post about this summer's TV ratings, but for now, this is a large collection of mini-reviews of what I've watched:

MONDAY
Regulars: Pawn Stars (History), which I just discovered this summer and love to throw on if I have a free 20 minutes or so. But I've had so many backed up on the DVR that I doubt I've ever actually watched an original anywhere near its original air date.
Samples: Tried out Lie to Me (Fox) a couple times early in the summer before some other stuff got going, and though many feel it has improved drastically, I still mostly feel the same way about it as I always have: well-executed but definitely not must-see. Watched two or three eps of The Good Guys (Fox), which I was pretty sure I was going to like but really didn't. Watched the first two Rizzoli & Isles (TNT). Another "not quite must-see" kind of show, though I have occasionally caught the odd bit of one since then because there's nothing else for me on Monday.
 
TUESDAY
Regulars: Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family), a strangely addictive guilty pleasure. Warehouse 13 (Syfy), the Bones of science fiction (though I don't actually watch the Bones of crime dramas, also known as Bones), and a show I've stuck with even though I usually don't feel much compulsion to watch the eps right away. Covert Affairs (USA), one of those USA shows with massive potential that's only part of the way there, but still pretty must-watch because of how good Piper Perabo is. One of my favorite leads on TV right now.
Samples: Wipeout (ABC), which I always enjoy but gave up on pretty early this summer. May return next summer if it's not on a night where I'm watching so much. Memphis Beat (TNT), in which I found Jason Lee almost stunningly awkward and uncomfortable in a role that's supposed to be all about his "southern charm" or something. One ep of Melissa & Joey (ABC Family), a fairly "meh" traditional comedy.

WEDNESDAY
Regulars: Psych (USA), still probably overall my favorite show on USA. In particular dug the recent Carl Weathers/William Devane episode.
Samples: Hot in Cleveland (TV Land). I may check it out again, because I like a few people in the cast, but of the three or so I saw, I just didn't really find it all that funny. And a sitcom with this traditional a setup is really gonna struggle to be watchable if it can't make you laugh.

THURSDAY
Regulars: Burn Notice (USA), still fairly solid in my opinion, but not as great as it used to be. Royal Pains (USA), a show that 1.5 seasons in I'm still not really sure about. Very pleasant/likable show but still nothing great as a comedy or a drama. Aside from Reshma Shetty's Divya, I usually prefer the guest stars to the main cast.
Samples: Rookie Blue (ABC), watched one episode (not the premiere) but never made it back. Picked up the last few Vampire Diaries (CW) episodes I missed last season due to scheduling issues.

FRIDAY
Regulars: Friday Night Lights (NBC). Exceptional.
Samples: I gave Eureka (Syfy) and Haven (Syfy) a couple episodes each, because I wanted some additional stuff to watch on Friday/over the weekend. But I just couldn't get all that interested in either one. At some point I need to figure out that Eureka, which I've given up on about four different times now, is not really for me.

SATURDAY
Regulars: Persons Unknown (NBC). Also watched this when it was on Monday. It was pretty ludicrous and dreary, but for some reason I just like having this kind of show in my viewing, so I stuck it out. It's a little frustrating that the "all will be revealed" marketing angle the show took apparently had nothing to do with the actual "ending." They definitely tried to set up a season 2.
Samples: I tried maybe a fourth of the premiere of The Bridge (CBS) but remember nothing about it. Probably a good thing since it was yanked quickly.

SUNDAY
Regulars: Leverage (TNT), the always amusing heist dramedy. Mad Men (AMC), which I'm enjoying much more than the oft-boring third season. My Boys (TBS), the enjoyable comedy TBS trots out for a nine-episode run every couple years or so just so they can prevent the entire cast from ever getting any other job. Army Wives (Lifetime), a show that nobody else I know in real life or online watches (or admits to watching), yet I keep watching it for some reason. I don't think "guilty pleasure" is the right description. Maybe "comfort food." It's nothing special but not too offensively cheesy.
Samples: The Glades (A&E), which I only saw one episode of. Another show I may have watched more of if it weren't on one of my three big TV nights of the week. Pretty generic, but the lead was surprisingly appealing. Rubicon (AMC), which I stuck out for four episodes out of love for AMC's other two originals. But I was very bored starting with episode 2. I kept waiting to see what the critics saw, but I literally had trouble paying attention to the show. Takes AMC's slow-burn strategy way too far. And I never found a character/performance that would keep me coming back, whereas previous AMC efforts Mad Men and Breaking Bad had those in spades. ABC's scripted block of Scoundrels/Gates had the misfortune of premiering while I was on vacation, so I got home with plenty of other DVRed stuff to watch. I only tried parts of an episode of each online, but didn't see anything compelling me to return.