• The Biggest Loser (NBC)

• Celebrity Fit Club (VH1)

• Ruby (Style Network)

• Heavy (A&E)

• I Used to Be Fat (MTV)

• Dance Your A** Off (Oxygen)

Most of the shows listed above I have watched at one point or another.  But are they truly motivating to the point that you want to get up and start to make a lifestyle change?

So, now that I have hyped up how excited I am for fall TV, you are probably dying to know what is on my watch list.  Don’t lie, I know you are.

Mondays

• Gossip Girl
• Dancing with the Stars
• Lone Star
• Chuck
• The Event
• Little People, Big World (So sad that it is the last season!

Tuesday

• The Good Wife
• Life Unexpected
• Glee
• Running Wilde
• Parenthood

Wednesday

• Better with You
• Modern Family
• Cougar Town
• Hellcats
• Lie to Me
• Hell’s Kitchen
• South Park

Thursday

• My Generation
• S#*! My Dad Says
• Outsourced
• The Apprentice
• The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Friday

• Outlaw

Sunday

• Undercover Boss

What are you looking forward to watching this fall?

I would love to hear your thoughts about the show and the potential cast for this upcoming season.

More content, easier navigation, new design.  We think you’re going to love it.  Check it out.  Take the Tour.  http://content.wowway.com/WowPortalTour/index.html

Hell’s Kitchen (Fox) - I have been a huge fan of Chef Gordon Ramsey’s since the first season.  I love how he doesn’t mess around or mince words.  I find it funny that after six seasons, contestants still have issues with cooking Risotto, Scallops and some of the other staple products he is known for.  Will Chef Ramsey find success with his upcoming show MasterChefs?

So You Think You Can Dance (Fox) – Another show I have been a fan of since the first season is SYTYCD.  I love watching dancing shows and this show is no exception.  Last year it was overkill with the show not only in the summer but also the fall.  However, this year, they mixed it up with a new format that added some much needed zest to the show.  They brought back some of our favorite past contestants to team up with the top 11.  I am really loving the show this season!

Next Food Network Star (Food Network)- The Next Food Network Star was a late addition to my summertime viewing.  I started watching the show last season and was hooked from the start.  These chefs are actually competing for their very own show on Food Network which has some of the biggest stars in the industry such as Rachel Ray, Bobby Flay and Paula Dean.  I really like the challenges because they force the competitors to think outside of their box and really push to discover who they are as a potential food star.  If you love cooking, this is a great show to watch.

Design Star (HGTV) – For all aspiring interior designers, this is the show for you.  The format of the show is similar to the Next Food Network Star which puts together professional designers into an intense competition to win their own TV show on HGTV.  I love watching Design Star because of the great ideas that come out of the challenges and just to see how you can create something with very little.  Last year’s winner Antonio really set the bar high for this year’s contestants.

Well, there you have it, my must watch summer TV list.  I would love to hear what’s on yours.

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Comedy Central
Channel 39 in Illinois
Channel 29 in Cleveland and Evansville
Channel 27 in Columbus

Russell Simmons Presents Stand-Up at The El-Rey – premieres July 11 @ 11 PM
Hosted by JB Smoove, Russell Simmons presents stand-up comedy from the El-Rey Theater.

New Sitcom starring Horatio Sanz and Chris Parnell – August
At this time, Comedy Central doesn’t have a title for this new sitcom about a young man who doesn’t let anything get in the way of his dreams.  Even if that means losing his job and moving back in with his parents and sleeping on their couch.
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Channel 48 in Illinois, Michigan, Cleveland, Columbus

Mr. and Mrs. Hawke – premieres in July
A former Special Forces survival expert and his wife, a TV journalist, take on some of the most remote and forbidding places around the world, which challenges their survival skills and their marriage.

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Channel 44 in Illinois
Channel 26 in Michigan
Channel 47 in Cleveland
Channel 24 in Columbus
Channel 50 in Evansville

Den Brother – Premier date is to be determined by Disney Channel
This movie is about a teen hockey star, who has to swallow his pride and lead his younger sister’s Bumble Bee Troop.

Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam – Premier date is to be determined by Disney Channel
The Jonas Brothers star in this movie where friends return to Camp Rock for another summer of music and fun. But a rival camp places Camp Rock in jeopardy.

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DIY Network
Channel 300 in Illinois, Michigan, Cleveland and Columbus
Channel 210 in Evansville

Run My Renovation – premieres August 19 @ 10:30 PM
This is sure to be an interesting show. It’s the first home renovation show where online users are in charge of another homeowner’s space.

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Food Network
Channel 69 in Chicago City
Channel 65 in Chicagoland
Channel 42 in Michigan
Channel 38 in Cleveland and Columbus
Channel 43 in Evansville

Kid in a Candy Store – launch date in July, still to be determined by Food Network
Adam Gertler, a previous contestant on Food’s Next Food Network Star, travels to bakeries, food carts, restaurants and candy factories searching for the nation’s sweetest and most innovative treats.

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Channel 55 in Illinois
Channel 40 in Michigan
Channel 39 in Cleveland, Columbus and Evansville

Color Splash Miami – premieres July 3 @ 10:30PM
David Bromstead, winner of HGTV’s Design Star, transforms ordinary rooms using cues from architecture and the pulse of Miami.

Candice Tells All – premieres September 4 @ 8 PM
Candice Olsen shares the secrets of timeless design principles and fundamentals.

All American Handyman – premieres September 5 @ 10 PM
Competing for the title of All-American Handyman is ten non-professional handy men and women.

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Channel 30 in Illinois
Channel 27 in Michigan
Channel 26 in Cleveland
Channel 25 in Columbus
Channel 19 in Evansville

The Perfect Student – premieres in September
A spoiled and beautiful high-school student always gets what she wants.  And this time, her sights are set on her math teacher.

The 19th Wife – premieres in September
This movie is based on David Ebershoff’s best-seller, The 19th Wife.  It looks at the secret world of polygamy when a Fundamentalist LDS member is accused of killing her husband.
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Planet Green
Channel 307 in Illinois, Detroit, Cleveland and Columbus
Channel 206 in Evansville

No Impact Man – premieres in August
This documentary follows a family as they trade their comfortable New York lifestyle for a life that leaves as little environmental impact as possible.

Around the World in 90 Minutes – July 18 @ 9 PM
This speical telsl the story of what happens around the globe during a 90-minute voyage through a series of high def images broadcast from thousands of miles away.

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Speed
Channel 90 in Illinois (85 without a receiver)
Channel 70 in Michigan and Columbus
Channel 43 in Cleveland
Channel 33 in Evansville

Intersections – premieres July 21 @ 10 PM
Each episode of this series will take two seemingly different speed machines and compare the similarities and offers a look at the people who operate them.

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Syfy
Channel 45 in Illinois and Michigan
Channel 44 in Cleveland and Columbus
Channel 20 in Evansville

Haven – premieres July 9 @ 10PM
This series follows FBI agent Audrey Parker, played by Emily Rose, who arrives in the small town of Haven, Maine to solve the murder of a local ex-con. This series is based on Stephen King’s novella The Colorado Kid.
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TLC
Channel 63 in Chicago City
Channel 25 in Chicagoland
Channel 37 in Michigan
Channel 40 in Cleveland
Channel 42 in Columbus
Channel 41 in Evansville

Carpio Family Project - premiere date still to be determined TLC
A follow-up to the TLC speical Multitude of Multiples, this series will follow the Carpios.  The Carpios are a family living in New York City who have an 8 year old and 18-month old sextuplets.  Talk about dirty diapers!

Twist of Kate – premiere date still to be determined TLC
Kate Gosselin is traveling around the country to see how other people juggle work, family life and the many challenges life throws at them.

And even more Kate Gosselin is on TLC with Kate Plus 8 starting in June.  These limited specials will follow Kate and her eight children on new adventures.

Homemade Millionare – premiere date still to be determined by TLC
Kelly Ripa teams up with TLC and HSN to see if she can help make women’s dreams come true.  These women are aspiring entrepreneurs asking for help and advice on marketing, manufacturing and distributing their inventions.

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USA Network
Channel 29 in Chicago City
Channel 26 in Chicagoland
Channel 13 in Michigan and Cleveland
Channel 12 in Columbus
Channel 17 in Evansville

Covert Affairs – premieres in July
A young CIA trainee is thrust into the inner sanctum of the agency when she is unexpectedly promoted to field operative.

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These are just some of the new cable TV shows coming out soon.  This should be enough to keep your WOW! DVR busy!

Check back in mid-June as I’ll update you with premieres for later in the Summer for HGTV, Lifetime, Comedy Central, Disney Channel, USA and more.

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A&E
Channel 46 in Illinois and Michigan
Channel 45 in Cleveland and Columbus
Channel 18 in Evansville

The Glades – July 14 @ 10 PM
This is a detective drama starring Matt Passmore, who plays an intelligent yet difficult homicide detective.  After being falsely accused of having an affair with his former Captain’s wife, he is exiled to a small town in Florida where everything isn’t quite as it seems.

The Squad – Launch date is still to be determined by network
This is a documentary series that follows special agents in the Tennessee Prison System as they investigate major crimes in the prison.

Growing Up Twisted – Launch date is still to be determined by network
This is a documentary series that follows Twisted Sister rock star Dee Snider and his wife as they raise their strong-willed children.
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ABC Family
Channel 38 in Chicago City and Michigan
Channel 42 in Chicagoland
Channel 41 in Cleveland and Columbus
Channel 53 in Evansville

Pretty Little Liars – June 8 @ 8 PM
This drama follows four estranged best friends who are reunited after the head of the group, the “Queen Bee” goes missing.

Huge – June 28 @ 9 PM
This drama series is based on Sasha Paley’s novel and follows teens and staff at a weight-loss camp.

Melissa & Joey – Premiere date in August – still to be determined by network
Ok all you Sabrina the Teenage Witch fans – Melissa Joan Hart is back in this comedy that also starts Joey Lawrence of Blossom fame (W’oh!)

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Animal Planet
Channel 53 in Illinois
Channel 67 in Michigan
Channel 57 in Cleveland
Channel 54 in Columbus
Channel 37 in Evansville

Secret Life of Elephants -premieres May 16 @ 8 PM
This special follows wild elephants in Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve.

Last Chance Highway – premieres June 19 @ 10 PM
Kyle Peterson and Shelly Bookwalter transport thousands of abandoned and stray dogs every year to the Northeast from the South, to their new adoptive homes.

Daredevils:  Human The Animal Hoarders – premieres July 14 @ 10 PM
This series is from the producers of A&E’s show Intervention and is an honest look at animal hoarders and the people and pets affected by them.

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BET
Channel 58 in Illinois and Michigan
Channel 59 in Cleveland and Columbus

The Moments – 10 Years of the BET Awards – June 14 @ 10 PM
This show will highlight moments from 10 years of BET Awards.
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Big Ten Network
Channel 87 in Illinois, Michigan, Cleveland, Columbus
Channel 73 in Evansville

The Next Level – September 9th @ 7 PM
This delves into the lives of former Big Ten athletes who’ve taken their talent to the next level.

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DIY Network
Channel 300 in Illinois, Michigan, Cleveland and Columbus
Channel 210 in Evansville

Renovation Rescue – premieres in June
Host Kayleen McCable saves project challenged homeowners who need help and are in over their heads with their home renvoations.

Bath Crasher – premieres July 5th @ 10PM
Matt Muenster is a licensed contractor who helps transforms bathrooms into stunning, modern and functional living spaces.

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Food Network
Channel 69 in Chicago City
Channel 65 in Chicagoland
Channel 42 in Michigan
Channel 38 in Cleveland and Columbus
Channel 43 in Evansville

Cupcake Wars – premieres June 18 @ 10 PM
Four of the country’s top cupcake bakers face off in a series of challenges testing their flavors, creativity and presentation.

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Nat Geo Wild
Channel 316 in Illinois, Michigan, Cleveland and Columbus

World’s Deadliest – premieres June 28 @ 10 PM
This show delves into the hunting abilities of a host of predators who thrive by sticking together, including humpback whales, leopard seals, lions, army ants and more.

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TNT
Channel 31 in Chicago City
Channel 27 in Chicagoland
Channel 23 in Michigan
Channel 25 in Cleveland
Channel 35 in Columbus
Channel 15 in Evansville

Memphis Best – premieres June 22 @ 10 PM
This drama features an all-star cast including Alfre Woodard, Celia Weston and Jason Lee.  It follows a quirky Memphis police detective with a connection to the city, a passion for blues music and a close relationship to his mother.

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Stay tuned to The WOW! Buzz for more of what’s coming up on cable TV this summer!

We arrived at the park around 4 p.m. and he didn’t come out until 6:45 p.m.  They paraded him through the crowd surrounded by a ton of security with a bagpiper leading the way.  After he finally made his way to the stage, there was probably a good 25 minutes of talking from the Mayor of Arlington Heights and Mount Prospect as well as the Superintendent of the schools that Lee attended.  They presented him with the standard key to the city and proclamation, he went on to express how much this meant to him.  He is a very emotional guy. 

Once the pomp and cirmcumstance was all done, he told the crowd that he was going to play three songs.  Well, to the crowd’s surprise he ended up playing over 10 songs.  It was like a mini-concert which was pretty cool.  Although, the camera guy was constantly in his face which took away from it a little bit. 

Overall, it was a pretty cool experience.  Who knows, maybe I’ll see myself in the crowd when they show the footage tomorrow night on American Idol.

Anyways, I gave in and purchased the pilot episode.  As I was watching it, I started to become caught up and knew at that moment why the show was as big as it was.  It is very entertaining and refreshing.  It isn’t exactly groundbreaking (High School Musical started this phenomenon).  On Saturday I went to my local Best Buy to buy the first season because I wanted to get caught up before watching the new episodes which started last Tuesday on FOX.  (I don’t know about you, but I can’t start watching a series in the middle.)   

Yesterday I started out watching the first disc and thought that it might take me a week or two to get through.  But, that wasn’t the case.  I was hooked and spent my entire Sunday watching the entire first season.  It was so bad that I ended up watching last week’s episode on top of it.  I discovered that I watched over eight hours of Glee and still wanted more.  The singing and choreography is wonderful and stays true to the basis of the show. 

I have become a Gleek and am proud of it.  If you love Glee, what hooked you?

Maybe after a couple of seasons, the show starts to lose its luster.  You find yourself starting to nitpick at the things that are starting to annoy you.  But, you don’t stop watching.  You feel that you have committed all this time that maybe if you give it a little longer, they just might turn it around.  So, you are sucked in a little bit longer.  But, at what point do you say, it was a good run while it lasted but it just is not working for me anymore?

I find myself at this crossroad with American Idol.  I have been a fan of the show since season 1 (Kelly Clarkson for those of you unfamiliar with it’s first winner.)  At first, I loved the variety of personalities, the judges (Simon vs. Paula) and the evolution of the show through the years.  I cheered for the underdogs and watched in anticipation of who America would choose as its winner.  I will even admit that I have attended a couple of the tours through the years. 

But, this year is different.  I don’t know if it is because Simon has turned into a tamed lion after his announcement that he will be leaving the show after this season or if not having Paula back over what she should be paid.  In my opinion, I think it is ridiculous what Simon, Randy and Ryan make but to not Paula in the same equation was just wrong.  Admittedly, she doesn’t always make the most sense but at least she knows what she is talking about.  Ellen, while super funny, is no judge of musical talent.  To me, she is mimicking Randy half of the time.  Does she really know the difference of being on or off key or the arrangements that were changed whether good or bad?  Highly doubt it.  Anyways, in addition to the judging, the mentors for the top 12 have not been that impressive either – Miley Cyrus?  Adam Lambert?  Outside of Usher, it seems that Idol is having a hard time getting some of the bigger stars to help these budding stars.  There is only so many seasons that I can hear the works of Lennon and McCartney and the Billboard Top 100.

So back to my original question, how do you break up with a show that you have spent so much time following?