Best and worst silly season shows

TELEVISION'S non-ratings period has long been derided as the graveyard where terminally ill sitcoms, dramas and soaps are sent to die.

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TELEVISION'S non-ratings period has long been derided as the graveyard where terminally ill sitcoms, dramas and soaps are sent to die.

Commercial TV networks are making a small attempt, however, to convince us that their December-January "silly-season'' programming is worth a look.

CHANNEL 10

The new year can't come quickly enough after the dreadful showing of The Renovators and Junior MasterChef. It's a Knockout is its big summer hope.

Worth a Look: Friday nights it's Jamie Oliver in Jamie's Great Britain. There are new episodes of the excellent Merlin, Aussie Matt Passmore in US crime drama The Glades, and Terra Nova. American Horror Story on Eleven is a ripper... literally.

Give it a Miss: Ringer, which was trumpeted as the big return of Buffy's Sarah Michelle Gellar, is a Christmas turkey.

CHANNEL 7

Has blitzed all opposition this year and will cruise into 2012.

Worth a Look: You can't go past tennis and The Australian Open from January 16. Seven is also hopeful Happy Endings, starring Elisha Cuthbert, will build a following and be a prime-time player in 2012.

Give it a Miss: Steer clear of Bones, Castle and Criminal Minds. A TV executive once said "it's not a repeat if you didn't see it the first time'', but watching re-runs of these shows will only dilute your interest in new episodes coming in 2012.

CHANNEL 9

Nine, which had had its success stories and fizzers in 2010,  has a few shows in the summer schedule to keep you off the streets.

Worth a Look: Nine's cricket coverage could go either way, depending on the Aussies' efforts at the crease. The Middle, starring Patricia Heaton, is a much underrated sitcom.

Give it a Miss: Mike & Molly. A blubbering mess.

FOXTEL

If you think the commercial TV network bears have gone into summer hibernation, Foxtel offers some terrific viewing.

Worth a Look: FOX8 has Last Man Standing, the new comedy from Tim Allen. New seasons of Boardwalk Empire and Damages are also in the schedule.

Give it a Miss: Kourtney & Kim Take New York. Here's hoping the over-exposed Kim falls flat on her voluminous buttocks.

ABC

The ABC isn’t as affected by the end of ratings but there are a few changes.

Worth a Look: The Upstairs Downstairs remake is nowhere near as boring as it sounds.

Give it a Miss: Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Christmas. Foul-mouth Ramsay is yesterday's news.

SBS

Business as usual.

Worth a Look: Bollywood Star, which is a four-part series about Australia's search for you guessed it, a Bollywood star.

Give it a Miss: Haven't we had enough of Bear Grylls and his wizz-drinking antics on Man vs Wild?