Chloe Sevigny as a contract serial killer. Sigourney Weaver as a former First Lady turned Secretary of State. And a gritty urban police drama set in 1860s NYC.
In other words: There's lots more cool stuff coming.
Part III of our Summer TV Preview clues you in on the rest of the hot season's coolest new shows. Click to
Part I and
Part II to complete the chronological rundown. (And if you think this is great, just wait until you see TVWW's upcoming list of returning series. Among the highlights: final seasons for
The Closer and
Damages and other much-awaited faves, including
True Blood,
Burn Notice,
Breaking Bad,
Boss,
Louie,
Weeds and
Hell on Wheels.)
So why wait till fall to watch new shows? Click on the sneak peeks below, and start planning your viewing for what used to be called TV's "rerun season." Lucky us. Today, there's way too much fresh summer fare to re-watch anything.
July 9
GOOD AFTERNOON AMERICA
ABC News extension; weekdays at 2 p.m. ETJosh Elliott and Lara Spencer host this weekdaily hour of news and features from the Times Square studio. It's a fill-in till fall, when
General Hospital moves up to this hour and Katie Couric's show debuts at 3 p.m. ET.
(Preview currently not available.)
PERCEPTION
TNT drama; Mondays at 9 p.m. ETEric McCormack stretches his dramatic muscles as a paranoid schizophrenic professor of neuroscience who's got a talent for tracking criminals.
OPENING ACT
E! competition; Mondays at 10 p.m. ET American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe chooses acts from the internet to open concerts for superstars such as Nicki Minaj, Rod Stewart, Brad Paisley, LMFAO, Gym Class Heroes, Jason Aldean and more.
July 10
TRUST US WITH YOUR LIFE
ABC improv show; Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET
Fred Willard hosts this London-based chat/comedy/game show, with Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie, Wayne Brady and Jonathan Mangum.
(Preview currently not available.)
FINAL WITNESS
ABC true crime series; Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET
"Some of the nation's most shocking murders" are brought to life in this docudrama series.
July 11
HIT AND MISS
DirecTV drama; Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET
Chloe Sevigny of
Big Love (above) plays a transgender contract killer who discovers she's a dad. It comes from Paul Abbott, who created
Shameless and
State of Play, and follows the final season return of
Damages.
July 15
POLITICAL ANIMALS
USA drama; Sundays at 10 p.m. ET Sigourney Weaver stars as (quel coincidence!) a former First Lady and current Secretary of State in this Washington saga, with Carla Gugino, Adrian Pasdar, Dylan Baker, Ellen Burstyn and James Wolk of
Lone Star.
July 19
SULLIVAN & SON
TBS sitcom; Thursdays at 10 p.m. ETSteve Byrne's hotshot lawyer steps behind the family bar, as in tavern, with dad Dan Lauria.
(Preview currently not available.)
Aug. 13
MAJOR CRIMES
TNT drama; Mondays at 10 p.m. ET premiere, then Monday at 9 p.m. ET From the creator of
The Closer comes this spinoff with Mary McDonnell joining
Closer supporting cast members.
Aug. 19
COPPER
BBC America drama; Sundays at 9 p.m. ET Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson are behind BBC America's first original series (as in, made directly for this channel). It's a police drama set in 1860s New York City, revolving around an Irish-American cop (Tom Weston-Jones,
MI-5) working the tough Five Points 'hood. Also in the cast: Franka Potente (
The Shield), Kyle Schmid (
Being Human), Tessa Thompson (
Heroes), Dylan Taylor (
Defying Gravity).