TV Talk: Broadcast networks plan summer series premieres, ‘Doc Martin’ back on WQED-TV

With the writers’ strike in full effect — and the prospect of directors and actors striking when their contracts are up June 30 — networks are scrambling to balance the need for summer programming with contingencies for fall programming in the event the strike (or strikes) haven’t concluded by July when most shows for fall begin pre-production.

As of this week, this is what the broadcast channels plan to air (I’ll preview summer cable/streaming scripted shows later this month):

ABC

“The Prank Panel” (previews 9 p.m. May 24; time slot premiere 8 p.m. July 9, WTAE-TV): Johnny Knoxville, Eric Andre and Gabourey Sidibe serve as mentors and saboteurs to would-be pranksters.

Returning: “The Wonder Years” (9 p.m. June 14), “Claim to Fame” (8 p.m. June 26), “The Bachelorette” (9 p.m. June 26), “Press Your Luck” (8 p.m. June 29), “Generation Gap” (9 p.m. June 29), “The Chase” (10 p.m. June 29), “Celebrity Family Feud” (9 p.m. July 9), “The $100,000 Pyramid” (10 p.m. July 9).

CBS

CBS has not yet announced many summer programming plans, surely due to the writers’ strike, but it is likely that a new season of summer staple “Big Brother” as well as “Superfan” (8 p.m. June 9), a reality competition where music stars (LL Cool J, Shania Twain, Little Big Town) crown their biggest fans, will air.

The CW

The CW has announced a slew of shows for summer — several new Canadian imports, the second season of “Family Law,” the linear TV debut of Netflix’s “Down to Earth with Zac Efron” — but no premiere dates aside from:

“The Rising” (8 p.m. May 29, WPCW-TV): A woman discovers she is dead and uses her new supernatural powers to investigate who killed her.

“Barons” (9 p.m. May 29): Drama about two Australian surf brand rivals.

Returning: “Nancy Drew” (8 p.m. May 31).

Fox

“Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars” (9 p.m. May 24, WPGH-TV): Food and drink industry professionals compete to become a culinary entrepreneur and win the $250,000 grand prize investment in their business.

“Stars on Mars” (8 p.m. June 5): William Shatner serves as mission control for this reality competition that puts household names — Lance Armstrong, Marshawn Lynch, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Adam Rippon, Ronda Rousey — on a simulated Mars mission, competing to be the last “celebronaut” standing.

Returning: “Beat Shazam” (8 p.m. May 23), “Don’t Forget the Lyrics” (9 p.m. May 23), “Masterchef” (8 p.m. May 24), “Crime Scene Kitchen” (9 p.m. June 5).

NBC

“Hot Wheels: The Ultimate Challenge” (10 p.m. May 30, WPXI-TV): Each week, two car aficionados transform an ordinary vehicle into the car of their dreams. Guest judges include Anthony Anderson, Terry Crews, Jay Leno and Joel McHale.

“LA Fire Rescue” (8 p.m. June 21): Docu-series about the Los Angeles County fire department.

Returning: “America’s Got Talent” (8 p.m. May 30), “American Ninja Warrior” (8 p.m. June 5).

PBS

The first new-to-WQED-TV episodes of British import “Doc Martin” in several years arrive on the station with the eight-episode season nine debuting at 9 p.m. July 8. (The show’s final season, already streaming on Acorn.tv, is expected to be made available to public TV stations later this year.)

PBS’s “American Masters” offers a biography, “Little Richard: The King and Queen of Rock and Roll” (9 p.m. June 2, WQED-TV), and “Great Performances at the Met” debuts “Medea” (9 p.m. June 16).

New special “Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts” (10 p.m. June 12) explores the complex history of Black soldiers in the U.S. military.

Additional new series include:

“Ridley” (8 p.m. June 18): Retired detective inspector Alex Ridely (Adrian Dunbar) is called back to consult on a complex murder case by his replacement and former protégé (Bronagh Waugh).

“Human Footprint” (9 p.m. July 5): Six-part docu-series about the ways humans have transformed the planet.

“DI Ray” (10 p.m. July 9): British-Asian detective inspector Rachita Ray (Parminder Nagra, “ER”) investigates the suspected honor killing of a Muslim man.

“Southern Storytellers” (9 p.m. July 18): Three-episode series follows contemporary storytellers (Lyle Lovett, The Duffer Brothers, Mary Steenburgen) to the places they call home.

Returning: “Masterpiece: Endeavour” (9 p.m. June 18), “The Great American Recipe” (9 p.m. June 19), “Masterpiece: Grantchester” (9 p.m. July 9).

CBS series orders

This week CBS announced a tentative (due to the writer’s strike) fall schedule with 90-minutue Wednesday episodes of “Survivor” (8 p.m.) and “The Amazing Race” (9:30 p.m.). Previously-ordered Justin Hartley (“This is Us”) drama “Tracker” will premiere after the 2024 Super Bowl.

CBS ordered three additional series for the 2023-24 TV season:

“Elsbeth” (10 p.m. Thursdays; “CSI: Vegas” moves to 10 p.m. Sunday after the NFL season ends): “Good Fight”/“Good Wife” spin-off focused on delightfully zany lawyer Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston) moves to New York to help the NYPD solve crimes.

“Matlock” (8 p.m. Sunday): Kathy Bates stars in a reboot of the 1986-95 series as septuagenarian lawyer Madeline Matlock.

“Poppa’s House” (midseason): Multicam comedy starring Damon Wayans as a talk show host who gets a new co-host (Essence Atkins).

Kept/canceled/revived

The CW renewed “Walker” for a fourth season but canceled freshman prequel “Walker: Independence.”

Fox renewed “Animal Control” for a second season, canceled “Call Me Kat” after three seasons and “Fantasy Island” after two.

CBS canceled “S.W.A.T.” on Friday and then reversed course on Monday, renewing the show for a seventh and final season. Then CBS canceled “East New York” and “True Lies.”

Channel surfing

Filmed-in-Pittsburgh movie “A Man Called Otto,” starring Tom Hanks, is now streaming on Netflix. … A new partnership between Hulu and PBS puts PBS stations on Hulu + Live TV, including Pittsburgh’s WQED-TV Channels 13.1 and 13.5 (PBS Kids). … Paramount Global shuttered MTV News for good this week.