Instead of going to the beach, reading a good book, or traveling
on that family vacation, the A&E staff spent a good part of its
summer sitting on the couch and watching television. But
we’re not ashamed. Instead, in preparation for the fall, we
have decided to remember the offseason as it comes to an end.
Project Runway (Bravo)
It’s all about the fight. Each week on Heidi Klum’s
reality show, aspiring fashion designers fight to win challenges
such as making couture out of recycled materials or updating a
fashion icon’s look. They also fight for models, fight over
sewing machines, and fight with each other. The contestants’
strong personalities mean fights occur often and are usually
continuations of the previous week’s disagreements, only with
more built-up resentment. But they are not just fighting to avoid
elimination from the show; they lash out because they care about
their designs and want them to be the best. They put a lot of
thought into each creation and it shows ““ the runway show at
the end of each challenge boasts at least a few stunning
creations.
Watching the show is a lot more fun than flipping through a
haughty fashion magazine, and all the technical jargon probably
makes it more educational, too. Seeing an outfit grow from a sketch
adds new appreciation for the struggle that each fall fashion
undergoes to be on the rack.
Entourage (HBO)
Summer signifies a much-needed break from the complex melodrama
of doctors and housewives. Summer TV is fun TV, and nothing says
that more than “Entourage.”
The show follows newly minted megastar Vince Chase and his three
closest friends as they each try to trade in on Vince’s
status to find their own happiness in Tinseltown: a girl for
childhood chum Turtle, an acting gig for brother Drama, and respect
for manager/best friend Eric.
The third season perfectly complements the summer as it
chronicles Vince’s rise from pretty boy to A-lister with the
success of fictional summer blockbuster “Aquaman.” The
second episode of the season is a great example: In the middle of a
Los Angeles heat wave (ring any bells?), the boys crash a high
school house party in the San Fernando Valley where Vince climbs to
the roof for his “Almost Famous” moment. What could be
more fun?
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
While most people were bumping and grinding the summer away at
the beach or in the club, 20 hopeful dancers were samba-ing and
chassé-ing their hearts out on Fox’s “So You Think
You Can Dance.” This “American Idol”-esque
competition, during which viewers call to save their favorite
dancers from elimination, featured everything from Broadway numbers
to full-on krumping battles.
The show’s popularity made it a hotspot for big musical
performances from artists such as Ne-Yo, Fergie and Ciara, but the
real stars of the show ““ the dancers ““ always took
center stage. The Russian-born ballroom dancer Dmitry Chaplin was
the show’s designated lady-killer, driving the female viewers
wild with his trademark chest-bearing shirts. The fresh-faced
18-year-olds, boyish hip-hop master Ivan Koumaev and bubbly lyrical
performer Allison Holker, became instant American sweethearts. But
fans finally whittled down the competition to two dancers: the
pretty-boy jazz specialist Travis Wall and the lovably goofy swing
dancer Benji Schwimmer. Ultimately, the goofy won over the pretty,
crowning Schwimmer as America’s favorite dancer and closing
Fox’s big summer hit.
Flavor Of Love 2 (VH1)
Do you know what time it is? Time for Flava Flav, that’s
what. The clock necklace-wearing Public Enemy MC spent the summer
in a mansion, surrounded by beautiful women competing for his
heart, in one of the most surreal reality TV shows yet. This
season’s highlight ““ and yes, this is the second
season; is Flav unlucky in love or just lucky? ““ was when one
very inebriated contestant accidentally relieved herself on the
staircase (another No. 2 for the show) as she waddled toward the
bathroom. Ever generous, Flav didn’t kick her off. Now
that’s keeping it real.
Summer Sports (Various)
Watching sports on television eliminates the guilt of staying
indoors during the summer while still fulfilling the desire to sit
around on the sofa. And this summer’s sports listing boasted
passionate characters and dramatic conclusions that turned sports
on television into good TV as well as a good excuse.
The men’s final of the Wimbledon tennis tournament
showcased an exciting emerging rivalry between Roger Federer, the
handsome, dominant star who has been ranked No. 1 in the world for
over two years running, and Rafael Nadal, the long-haired, facially
expressive 20-year-old who defeated Federer only weeks prior in the
finals of the French Open.
Then, of course, there was the World Cup: a whole month of red
cards, penalties, villainous referees, in-depth player biographies,
dirty jerseys and one unforgettable headbutt.
TV on DVD (Various)
If you can’t wait to see the second season of
“Lost” on DVD (and how could you? The first season gave
us nightmares), the end of the summer also brings back all of those
shows from last season, including the Sept. 5 release of the J.J.
Abrams drama and the Aug. 29 release of the third and final season
of the quirky comedy “Arrested Development.”
No need to lose sleep ““ just press play.
But along with the newest hits, older television DVDs provided
us with a welcome break from summer television.
For example, “Freaks and Geeks,” the best show no
one ever saw, is an awkward reminder of those high school days.
It’s a slightly updated version of “The Wonder
Years.” Across the pond, BBC’s “The
Office,” on which the American version is based, is full of
hearty entertainment. The full DVD set includes both seasons and
the reunion special (which includes character David Brent’s
music video).
Compiled by Amy Crocker, Devon Dickau, David Greenwald,
Karen Leano, Kate Stanhope and Ana Heller.