If you love TV then your going to love what you have to look forward to this summer as far as television shows, movies and mini series goes. For the last few months (if you have watched TV) I’m sure you have seen all the new commercials about all the new shows coming in the summer. Frankly I cant wait and I wish they would just come on already. Some of them look like stuff I wouldn’t be interested in (Harper’s Island) while others do (Southland). But that’s the great thing about TV. While I might not like something, you might love it and vise versa. There is a show or a movie that could reach out to anyone with any taste. Like criminal shows? How about comedy movies? Maybe your really into scientific type mini-series because you don’t have the time for a full on show schedule? Well, the TV channels available to you have all these and much more. So lets check out some of the options you have!

“Great American Road Trip” from BBC Worldwide, is a hilarious and relatable new series where seven families from divergent backgrounds are selected take the journey of a lifetime. Over eight episodes, the families will travel through cities large and small all while competing in a medley of humorous challenges that will ultimately lead one family to victory. These comical, clever challenges are set against iconic American backdrops like the majestic Grand Canyon and the regal Washington Monument. Along the way, our families and our viewers will also discover quirky American landmarks ranging from the World’s Largest Chair to a sneaker the size of a car. Although family fun is the centerpiece of the show, the competition is real and one family will be eliminated each week based on their performance in the challenges. Ultimately, only one family will return home with a dream prize that perfectly compliments their extraordinary and memorable summer vacation.

“The Philanthropist” chronicles the heroic adventures of a billionaire playboy turned vigilante philanthropist. James Purefoy (”Rome”) stars as Teddy Rist, a successful tycoon whose life is forever changed after rescuing a young boy during a hurricane in the Nigerian town he was visiting. Rist is spontaneous and impulsive and quickly decides to channel his passion, power and money into helping those in need. Rist’s actions are not just about helping others - he is purging his soul to help exorcise the inner demons which have been festering ever since his young son died and he lost everything he truly loved. Since the death of his son, the danger and risk to his life is the only way he can feel genuinely alive and he’ll do anything in order to achieve his goals. A man who has everything but can feel nothing, Rist keeps his adrenaline pumping by putting his business head and money-making skills to good use through bargaining with the self-righteous, making deals with drug barons and trading with the nefarious.

“Merlin” is a new 13-part drama series that updates the story of the infamous sorcerer of Arthurian legend for a new audience in the mythical city of Camelot, in a time before history began. In this fantastical realm, Merlin is a young man gifted with extraordinary magical powers who arrives in the kingdom and quickly makes enemies, including the heir to Uther’s crown, the headstrong Prince Arthur. But guided by Uther’s wise physician, Gaius, Merlin is soon using his talents not just to survive but also to unlock Camelot’s mystical secrets. Starring Colin Morgan as Merlin, Bradley James as Prince Arthur, Anthony Head as King Uther, Richard Wilson as Gaius, Katie McGrath as Morgana and Angel Coulby as Gwen, “Merlin” is an imaginative new twist on a legend that is as old as time.

“The Listener” centers on Toby Logan (Craig Olejnik, “The Timekeeper”), a 25-year-old paramedic who has a big secret — he’s a telepath. Until now, Toby kept his ability hidden, exploring its possibilities only with his long time mentor and confidant, Dr. Ray Mercer (Colm Feore, “24: Redemption”). As he makes the rounds with his energetic paramedic partner — “Oz” Bey (Ennis Esmer, “Young People F*#king”), “The Listener” follows Toby as he tries to help people in crisis, and in the process, unravel the truth about his past. While his professional life is in check, Toby’s personal life could use its own rescue. And with the help of Detective Charlie Marks (Lisa Marcos, “Diary of a Mad Black Woman”) and his E.R. doctor/ex-girlfriend Olivia Fawcett (Mylne Dinh-Robic, “Da Vinci’s City Hall”), Toby realizes his gift can help others.

One of the greatest artists of all time, the legacy of Leonardo daVinci (1452-1519) includes some of the most well-known paintings ever made. But daVinci’s talent exceeded far beyond painting - he was also a successful architect and engineer, and his drawings of military weapons have been highly regarded and studied for nearly 500 years. These drawings capture exceptionally engineered weapons unlike anything that had been developed at the time they were created, yet there is no record that these designs were ever constructed … until now. Discovery Channel’s six-part world premiere original series, DOING DAVINCI, puts a team of 21st century builders, engineers and historians together to take on one of history’s greatest minds as they attempt to build daVinci’s weapons once and for all. The series premieres Mondays at 10PM ET/PT beginning April 13.

In “Meteor,” two massive rocks, tumbling debris older than the solar system itself, collide in space. The course has been altered. The target is Earth. In a remote observatory, Dr. Lehman (Emmy winner Christopher Lloyd, “Back to the Future”), discovers a meteor approximately three times the size of Mount Everest barreling its way towards Earth. His devoted young assistant Imogene O’Neill (Marla Sokoloff, “The Practice”) feverishly types in the coordinates only to find the previously identified meteor named Kassandra is headed their way. It’s only the beginning of their troubles as showers of smaller meteorites begin to lay waste to major cities around the globe. The impending disaster brings out the best and the worst sides in people as they cope by either lending a helping hand or taking advantage of the situation.

The summertime doesn’t always have to be about repeats and movies you have seen 5,000 times. Sometimes the summer can bring new shows and new movies that you and I have never seen before. In the case of all the top network channels you might be looking for something to watch this summer - and I can help you! Listed below are some of the new shows and or mini series that will be featured for the summer of 09. Some of these are on channels like ABC, NBC and CBS whereas others are on Hallmark and Ion - which some of us don’t get. But just the same Ill list them to give a viewing to everyone. Some of these you may have heard about coming and others - not so much!

Harper’s Island -
(from CBS’s press release, December 2008) Harper’s Island, a 13-episode mystery event, premieres Thursday, April 9 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) and concludes Thursday, July 2 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT). Harper’s Island is about a group of family and friends who travel to a secluded island for a destination wedding. They’ve come to laugh… to love… and, though they don’t know it… to die. As the wedding festivities begin, friendships are tested and secrets exposed as a murderer claims victims, one by one, transforming the wedding week of fun and celebration into a terrifying struggle for survival. In every episode, someone is killed and every person is a suspect, from the wedding party to the island locals. By the end of the 13 episodes, all questions will be answered, the killer will be revealed and only a few will survive.

Southland -
(from NBC’s press release, January 2009) From Emmy Award winners John Wells, Ann Biderman and Chris Chulack comes a raw and authentic look at the police unit in Los Angeles. From the beaches of Malibu to the streets of East Los Angeles, “Southland” is a fast-moving drama that will take viewers inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families. Michael Cudlitz (”A River Runs Through It”) plays John Cooper a seasoned Los Angeles cop assigned to train young rookie Ben Sherman (Benjamin McKenzie, “The O.C.”). Cooper’s honest, no-nonsense approach to the job leaves Sherman questioning whether or not he has what it takes to become a police officer. Cudlitz and McKenzie are joined by other cast members including Regina King (”Ray,” “Jerry Maguire”) who plays Detective Lydia Adams. Adams lives with and is the primary caregiver of her mother.

The Unusuals -
(from ABC’s web site, March 2009) Like a modern-day M*A*S*H, The Unusuals explores both the grounded drama and comic insanity of the world of New York City police detectives, where every cop has a secret. It also helps to have a twisted sense of humor, since every day could be your last. Detective Casey Shraeger (Amber Tamblyn) has just been transferred to the NYPD’s Homicide unit from Vice and is instantly thrown into a setting of bullets and bodies. As she begins her new assignment, Casey finds that the force is full of secrets, which serves her well, since she’s keeping a few of her own. But her first case is not an easy one, as she’s assigned to investigate the death of one of the department’s own, the former partner of Detective Jason Walsh (Jeremy Renner), who is now her new partner. As the duo seeks out the cop killer, the secrets and eccentricities of the rest of the department begin to emerge.

Surviving Suburbia -
(from ABC’s web site, March 2009) ABC announces the premiere of new half-hour comedy series, Surviving Suburbia, starring Bob Saget and Cynthia Stevenson, on MONDAY, APRIL 6 (9:30-10:00 p.m., ET), following Dancing with the Stars. In the family-centered tradition of Roseanne and Home Improvement, Surviving Suburbia opens the curtain to follow Saget (How I Met Your Mother, Full House) and Stevenson (Men in Trees, Dead Like Me) as Steve and Anne Patterson, a seemingly normal couple who have been married for 20 years, have two children and a cookie cutter house in the idyllic suburbs. But Steve maintains a rather cynical point of view on family, friends, neighbors, society — pretty much everyone and everything — as he tries to survive suburban life

The Storm -
(from NBC’s press release) In “The Storm,” also from RHI Entertainment, billionaire Robert Terrell (Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Treat Williams, “Everwood”) has fulfilled a lifelong obsession and made history with “weather creation” technology though his Atmospheric Research Institute. But during a test run, a blast of energy is sent into the ionosphere with unexpected results. The experiments hurtle the planet towards destruction-hurricanes change course, winds go instantly from hot to cold, torrential rains bring regions to a standstill, and buildings crumble into ruins under explosive lightening storms. It’s only the beginning. Only one scientist, Dr. Jonathan Kirk (James Van Der Beek, “Dawson’s Creek”), steps forward to demand that the system be terminated. Terrell is undeterred and continues to push his team to move forward. His motives for the initially philanthropic technology is in truth far more opportunistic.

The one I’m most interested in is the Southland one, only because I absolutely LOVE Benjamin McKenzie. He was Ryan Atwood on the OC. Anyway, these all sound pretty good. If you want to find out more then I would suggest visiting the ABC, NBC, CBS guides and the like online. The TV guides online are one of the easiest ways you can find anything coming to cable TV - this includes movies, TV shows mini series, features, specials, etc. So if you are looking for something to watch now or you want to check out some of the other movies and shows coming this summer, I would highly suggest taking a look at the schedule!