Nothing to watch on TV this summer? Here's why (and it's not just the writers strike)

Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY
Updated ·5 min read

Although there are hundreds of channels and dozens of streaming services, this summer there's nothing much to watch on TV.

Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration, considering there are thousands of classic TV shows available among the major and minor streaming services and TV networks. Want to watch a random British TV show from the 1980s? You can find one.

But when it comes to quality new programming? You're not going to find much in these warm-weather months: no more than a handful of new (or even returning) scripted series worth watching. Get ready for a hot summer of terrible reality TV, reruns and endlessly browsing Netflix.

How did this happen? Doesn't the era of "peak TV" mean too many TV shows to keep up with these days? And what about the Writers Guild of America strike? Does that have any effect?

We break down why it's going to be a sad summer for TV, and it has a lot more to do with the corporations than the striking writers.

Ali Wong as Amy in "Beef," released in the heat of spring Emmy competition, which will likely get Netflix a few Emmy nominations.
Ali Wong as Amy in "Beef," released in the heat of spring Emmy competition, which will likely get Netflix a few Emmy nominations.

Why aren't there better shows on TV this summer? Everyone wants an Emmy

The biggest reason the summer TV season looks as sad as a stormy weekend at the beach is that streamers and networks are pushing more of their content into the spring in hopes of winning Emmy gold.

The eligibility window for the Emmy Awards runs from June 1 through May 31, meaning any series that wants to compete in the 2023 awards must have already premiered the majority of its episodes. And just as the final months of the year are crowded with awards-baiting films vying for Oscars, the final months of the Emmy race are getting busier. March, April and May are now the homes of some of the highest profile, most prestigious and hyped series, from HBO's "Succession" to Apple TV+'s "Ted Lasso."

TV to watch in spring 2023: Big 'Beef' to more 'Bridgerton'

And while those two shows are almost guaranteed to once again prove Emmy darlings, quite a few shows that bowed this spring are less likely to walk home with gold statuettes. Apple TV+ crammed as many shows into the season as possible, from the delightful "Platonic," starring Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne, to the underwhelming crime drama "City on Fire." With so many shows premiering in the spring, many have been overlooked by audiences and critics alike.

In this Aug. 13, 2020 file photo, the logos for Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and Sling TV are pictured on a remote control in Portland, Ore.
In this Aug. 13, 2020 file photo, the logos for Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and Sling TV are pictured on a remote control in Portland, Ore.

And don't forget, the streamers are cutting costs

About a year ago, Netflix announced its first quarterly subscriber loss, a moment that sent the streaming industry into a tailspin. It started a flurry of cost-cutting at Netflix and other major entertainment conglomerates as Wall Street changed its expectations for success in streamers, and began focusing on profits over subscriber counts. Now we're seeing what happens when costs go down: The number of TV shows to watch does, too.

It's simple math: For years, the streamers were in an arms race for content, and now that race is winding down. Where Netflix spent relentlessly on a high volume of TV series and movies, the streamer is now being more selective. Rivals are following suit, and even deleting archival content.

More: The best TV shows of 2023 (so far)

Millie Bobby Brown as super-powered Eleven in Season 4 of "Stranger Things." The series' creators tweeted that filming cannot occur on the hit Netflix series until the Hollywood writers strike has ended.
Millie Bobby Brown as super-powered Eleven in Season 4 of "Stranger Things." The series' creators tweeted that filming cannot occur on the hit Netflix series until the Hollywood writers strike has ended.

The writers strike isn't affecting streaming TV that much − yet

Hollywood writers have been on strike for over a month now, and it is certainly affecting the entertainment industry. But viewers aren't seeing the effects yet beyond late-night TV, talk shows and soap operas. (Fall schedules from the broadcast networks reflect the expectation of the delays.) We haven't seen a new episode of "The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon" for weeks, and ABC recently announced an all reality TV schedule starting in September. But streaming shows operate with a much longer lead time, meaning we're still months out from Netflix and Hulu running out of a lot of their fresh content because of the labor action.

But the longer the strike goes on, the more audiences will see the effects. Major shows like Netflix's "Stranger Things" and Max's "Hacks" have temporarily ceased production. Returning broadcast shows like ABC's "Abbott Elementary" are unable to start writing or producing new seasons. And no new ideas are getting pitched or greenlit.

Actors Jeremy Allen White, Lionel Boyce and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in a scene from "The Bear."
Actors Jeremy Allen White, Lionel Boyce and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in a scene from "The Bear."

What you should watch on TV in summer 2023

While there isn't much exciting new TV arriving this summer, there are still a few gems amid the muck. Normally we could recommend dozens of new and returning TV shows to watch, but this year it's only a handful. Here are two new shows to look out for:

  • "Hijack" (Apple TV+, June 28): Idris Elba stars in this real-time thriller (like "24") set on a hijacked plane, from the producer of Netflix's "Lupin."

  • "The Horror of Dolores Roach" (Amazon, July 7): Based on the fiction podcast, this horror comedy follows a woman (Justina Machado) released from prison after 16 years, who discovers her neighborhood, New York City's Washington Heights, has been gentrified. There is also some cannibalism and massage in there.

And some returning shows worth catching up on:

  • "The Wonder Years" Season 2 (ABC, June 14): ABC moved this thoughtful remake of the classic series, which imagines a Black middle-class family in 1968, to the summer.

  • "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" Season 2 (Paramount+, June 15): The best new "Star Trek" show in years, this prequel series introduces its own version of Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley) in the new season.

  • "The Bear" Season 2 (Hulu, June 22): The hottest show of summer 2022 returns with more knives, screaming and stress as Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) tries to open a new restaurant.

  • "What We Do in the Shadows" Season 5: (FX, July 13): The funniest show on TV returns with more vampiric high jinks in its fifth season.

  • "Reservation Dogs" Season 3 (Hulu, Aug. 2): The rez dogs made it to California in Season 2, and there's a world of possibilities awaiting them this year.

  • "Heartstopper" Season 2 (Netflix, Aug. 3): Netflix's wonderful and beloved gay teen romance returns to stop more hearts with the joy of a first love.

  • "Only Murders in the Building" Season 3 (Hulu, Aug. 8): Meryl Streep joins the cast for a new mystery this year, teased in the Season 2 finale.

Plus you can always watch old episodes of "Friday Night Lights" and "The Americans" if the new and returning series let you down.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why it's a bad summer for TV (and not because of the writers strike)