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‘Dallas’ and more top picks for summer TV TV critic Hank Stuever’s guide for what’s worth watching this summer, including some promising new additions and old favorites.
Dallas
A surprisingly spry return to Southfork Ranch, where in the 21st century, the show’s soapy, steamy charms are as potent as ever.
Zade Rosenthal
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Breaking Bad
People have finally come around to what I think is TV’s finest current show. Maybe it had something to with seeing [redacted’s] [redacted] blown off in last season’s finale. (Redactions supplied as a courtesy to you fools who are still a season or more behind.) The universal acclaim gets here just in time to see “Breaking Bad” off: This summer’s eight episodes will set us up for methmaker Walter White’s treacherous journey into the Albuquerque sunset when the series ends next year. July 15, AMC
Ursula Coyote
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AMC
Louie
Louis C.K.’s mouth has gotten him in a little bit more trouble than he’d probably prefer lately, and his brilliantly fluid comedy series befuddles some viewers, but I’m still a big fan and more than interested to see where he takes his sad-sack Manhattanite alter ego this time. June 28, FX
Eric Leibowitz
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FX
Twenty Twelve
I already don’t have the time or the energy to watch much of London’s Olympics (is there a word for the phenomenon of finding something tiresome before it even begins?), but I am rooting for this British mockumentary that stars “Downton Abbey’s” Hugh Bonneville as the overwhelmed head of a logistics team assigned to solve an array of comical mix-ups that come with hosting the Summer Games. June 28, BBC America
Jack Barnes
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BBC
The Closer
As fans know, Kyra Sedgwick’s “The Closer” is closing, which is like finding out that your favorite summertime Sno-Cone truck is shuttering for good. But, wait — there’s a spinoff with mean Capt. Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell) waiting in the wings, premiering right after “The Closer’s” final episode. “The Closer” returns July 9; “Major Crimes” begins Aug. 13, both on TNT
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AP
Longmire
It’s a crime procedural based on a series of novels, but this drama about a depressed yet valorous sheriff (Robert Taylor) in rural Wyoming has a much slower pace and different feel from its usual summer-sleuth cohort. I was struck by the quietude of the first episode (which aired June 3) and Taylor’s nuanced performance, so I’m willing to see where the show leads us. Airs Sundays, A&E
Ursula Coyote
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A&E
Me @ the Zoo
A young man named Chris Crocker found Internet fame with his unhinged “Leave Britney Alone!” viral video rant, but his story didn’t end there. This film is touted as a thoughtful examination of what notoriety means in our modern era. June 25, HBO
Chris Moukarbel & Valerie Veatch
Bunheads
From the creator of the much-beloved “Gilmore Girls,” and just as quippy and heartfelt, this show is about a Las Vegas showgirl who marries her determined suitor, moves to his small home town and reluctantly takes a job teaching young girls at a local dance studio. June 11, ABC Family
Adam Taylor
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ABC FAMILY
American Ninja Warrior
Although the current season began in late May, the hard work of winnowing down regional finalists continues each week. The finalists — who display upper-body strength that most of us can only dream of — will have to face the dreaded Mount Midoriyama obstacle course in Las Vegas. Only three men have ever completed it, which is just one reason why I am belatedly and elatedly hooked on this thrilling competition show. Full episodes air Sundays and Tuesdays on G4; highlights air Mondays at 9 on NBC
G4
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BRANDON HICKMAN/G4
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Section:/entertainment/tv
![People have finally come around to what I think is TV’s finest current show. Maybe it had something to with seeing [redacted’s] [redacted] blown off in last season’s finale. (Redactions supplied as a courtesy to you fools who are still a season or more behind.) The universal acclaim gets here just in time to see “Breaking Bad” off: This summer’s eight episodes will set us up for methmaker Walter White’s treacherous journey into the Albuquerque sunset when the series ends next year. <em>July 15, AMC</em>](/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2011/07/11/Style/Images/breakingbad2.JPG)
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