Jeff Korbelik: TV favorites return slowly

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Are you wondering why summer television has been so awful?

Blame the writers’ strike, which pushed back production schedules.

On FX, for instance, “The Shield” won’t be back until fall, and Denis Leary’s “Rescue Me” is off the schedule until spring 2009. In the meantime, “Rescue Me” has been running mini-sodes, short 5-minute episodes to keep viewers interested in the coming season.

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What’s left has been an onslaught of mindless programming, especially from the broadcast networks, which have given us the likes of “American Gladiator” (NBC), “Wipeout” (ABC) and “Big Brother” (CBS).

The good news, though, is several of your favorite shows have recently returned or will be back soon. Here is a rundown of 10 of those:  

“Weeds,” 9 p.m. Sundays, Showtime. The dramedy starring Mary-Louise Parker has Parker’s drug-dealing suburban mother on the run with her family. This season includes an appearance by funny man Albert Brooks as Parker’s father-in-law.

“Army Wives,” 9 p.m. Sundays, Lifetime (channel 54). Kim Delaney and the other wives are dealing with the aftermath of the bombing at the Hump Bar.

“Burn Notice,” 9 p.m. Thursdays (premiered last week), USA (channel 27). This was my favorite summer show from last year. Ex-spy Michael (Jeffrey Donovan) is on a new mission, which may or may not lead to who put the burn notice on him.  

“Stargate Atlantis,” 9 p.m. Fridays (premiered last week), Sci Fi (channel 75). The team of intrepid explorers, led by Joe Flanigan’s Lt. Colonel Sheppard, continue to face peril and uncertainty from within the vast reaches of the Pegasus Galaxy.

“The Closer,” 8 p.m. Mondays (premieres Monday), TNT (channels 38, 105). The fourth season will take viewers deeper into Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson’s (Kyra Sedgwick) life. It starts with Brenda tracking an arsonist while having a reporter follow her every move.

“Saving Grace,” 9 p.m. Mondays (premieres Monday), TNT (channels 38, 105). Holly Hunter is back as hard-living, rogue-like Det. Grace Hanadarko, who continues to be visited by Earl the angel (Leon Rippy).

“Monk,” 8 p.m. Friday (premieres Friday), USA (channel 27). Hector Elizondo (“Cain”) joins the cast as Monk’s new therapist after Stanley Kamel’s (Dr. Kroger) unexpected death.

“Psych,” 9 p.m. Fridays (premieres Friday), USA (channel 27). Veteran TV actor Cybill Shepherd will be featured in a recurring role as Shawn’s (James Roday) mother and Henry’s (Corbin Bernsen) ex-wife.   

“Mad Men,” 9 p.m. Sundays (premieres July 27), AMC (channel 50). The critically acclaimed first season about 1960s chain-smoking advertising executives  is out on DVD. AMC also will run a marathon beginning at 11 a.m. July 20. 

“Eureka,” 8 p.m. Tuesdays (premieres July 29), Sci Fi (channel 75). New among the quirky townspeople this season is Eva Thorne, aka “The Fixer,” whose mission is to clean up Global Dynamics.

Across the remote

Last week, I listed the Emmy Award semifinalists for best comedy and drama series.

The   Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, however, doesn’t release a preliminary list of acting awards, but that hasn’t stopped Tom O’Neil from the Los Angeles Times from finding out and blogging them.

What’s noteworthy from the lists is how many actors from cable shows made the semifinal cut, including Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”), Sarah Silverman (“The Sarah Silverman Program”) and Mary McDonnell (“Battlestar Galactica”).

Emmy finalists will be announced Thursday. Here’s a rundown of O’Neil’s known semifinalists in the lead acting categories:

Drama, actor: Gabriel Byrne, “In Treatment”; Kyle Chandler, “Friday Night Lights”; Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”;  Patrick Dempsey, “Grey’s Anatomy”; Michael C. Hall, “Dexter”; Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”; Eddie Izzard, “The Riches”; Hugh Laurie, “House”; Denis Leary, “Rescue Me”; James Spader, “Boston Legal.”  

Drama, actress: Patricia Arquette, “Medium”; Glenn Close, “Damages”; Minnie Driver, “The Riches”; Sally Field, “Brothers and Sisters”; Mariska Hargitay, “Law and Order: SVU”; Holly Hunter, “Saving Grace”; Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men”; Mary McDonnell, “Battlestar Galactica”; Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer”; Jeanne Tripplehorn, “Big Love.”

Comedy, actor: Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”; Steve Carell, “The Office”; Larry David, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”; David Duchovny, “Californication”; Lee Pace, “Pushing Daisies”; Tony Shalhoub, “Monk”; Charlie Sheen, “Two and a Half Men”; Brad Garrett, “’Til Death.”

Comedy, actress: Christina Applegate, “Samantha Who?”; Marcia Cross, “Desperate Housewives”; America Ferrera, “Ugly Betty”; Tina Fey, “30 Rock”; Anna Friel, “Pushing Daisies”; Felicity Huffman, “Desperate Housewives”; Eva Longoria Parker, “Desperate Housewives”; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “New Adventures of Old Christine”; Mary-Louise Parker, “Weeds”; Sarah Silverman, “The Sarah Silverman Program.”

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.