At USA Network, as the slogan insists, characters are welcome. Established stars? Not so much.
The most-watched cable channel for five straight years, USA follows a very specific playbook. Standout dramas such as “Burn Notice,” “Covert Affairs” and “In Plain Sight” all possess a quirky, light-hearted vibe, and a so-called “blue-sky” quality.
They also are pegged to lead actors who didn’t arrive at the network with big names.
“We allow viewers to discover new faces,” says USA programming chief Bill McGoldrick of a strategy that has produced home-grown stars such as Jeffrey Donovan (“Burn Notice”) and Mary McCormack (“In Plain Sight”). “They don’t bring the baggage that (pre-fab) stars do. There are no formed opinions in the viewers’ minds. We’d rather bring in a familiar face — someone you’ve seen do great episodic work and made you wonder: ‘Why don’t they have their own show?’”
McGoldrick is counting on that approach to pay off again this summer. At a time of the year when the broadcast networks typically scale way back on original programming, USA is touting its “biggest summer ever,” with fresh episodes of nine original series. The lineup includes two new dramas — “Necessary Roughness,” about a female therapist who counsels pro football players, and “Suits,” a buddy legal series that pairs a genius slacker with a high-powered New York attorney.
“It’s all about mass impact ... and it definitely speaks to the health of cable TV,” says McGoldrick, acknowledging that several other cable channels, including TNT, ABC Family and Syfy, are producing more original summer fare than ever this year.
Callie Thorne, the featured performer in “Necessary Roughness,” is a prime example of USA’s create-a-star philosophy. Yes, she’s a familiar face, having turned in standout work as Denis Leary’s unhinged girlfriend on “Rescue Me.” She has also appeared on “Homicide: Life on the Street,” “The Wire,” “ER” and “Prison Break.” But this is her first chance to headline a show — something that wouldn’t have happened had she listened to a dismissive casting director back in 1991.
“This woman, who shall go unnamed, told me that I better shoot for the theater because I’d never make it in TV or the movies,” Thorne recalls. “It wasn’t because I wasn’t talented, she said, but basically because I had an ethnic look. I remember my face turning a thousand shades of red. It made me incredibly angry. I thought: ‘I’m going to prove her wrong. I’m going to bust that lady.’”
In “Necessary Roughness,” which debuts June 29, she plays Dr. Dani Santino, a Long Island psychotherapist and mother whose personal life unravels when she finds her husband cheating. Diving headlong into her work, she takes on the challenge of rehabbing a football star (Mehcad Brooks) with a bad-boy reputation.
The series is based on the real-life story of Dr. Donna Dannenfelser, who broke through gender barriers to forge a successful career in pro sports.
“I’m drawn to tough-minded women, and I’ve been lucky enough to have played a lot of them,” says Thorne. “With this character, I was attracted to learning more about this kind of life and intrigued with all the chaos that suddenly hits her.”
“Necessary Roughness” is somewhat of a departure for USA. “It’s a new genre for us,” says McGoldrick. “It’s not about cops and lawyers. And it’s actually kind of nice to read scripts that don’t have a body on a gurney.”
McGoldrick insists that some change is necessary for a channel recently dubbed as the “happy-time network” by the Wall Street Journal. Though the sunny and upbeat tone of its shows have served USA well — its top shows often beat broadcast fare — the network has to be concerned about a feeling of sameness setting in.
“It’s something we’re very cognizant of,” McGoldrick says. “We’ve talked about it for the past two years, and we think we’ve gotten ahead of it. But we have to be careful to keep the changes from being too dramatic. We don’t want the audience to look at a show and say, ‘Omigod, that’s not my USA.’”
Here’s a look at what’s coming this summer from USA and other networks:
Drama queens (and kings)
“Single Ladies” — A fashion mogul and her gal pals seek love in Atlanta. (9 p.m. May 30, VH1).
“Franklin and Bash” — Two offbeat lawyers (Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer) work in a buttoned-down law firm. (9 p.m. June 1, TNT).
“Teen Wolf” — A dark take on the 1980s campy comedy about a high school kid who becomes a werewolf. (11 p.m. June 5, MTV).
“Switched at Birth” — Two teen girls learn they were accidently swapped as newborns at the hospital. (9 p.m. June 6, ABC Family).
“The Protector” — A divorcee (Ally Walker) juggles her parental duties with her job as a homicide detective. (10 p.m. June 2, Lifetime).
“The Nine Lives of Chloe King” — A young girl develops heightened abilities and learns she’s being pursued by a mysterious figure. (9 p.m. June 14, ABC Family).
“Falling Skies” — Embattled Earthlings struggle to survive after an alien invasion. Noah Wyle (“ER”) stars. (9 p.m. June 19, TNT).
“Combat Hospital” — A war-zone medical drama set in Afghanistan. (10 p.m. June 21, ABC).
“Suits” — A high-powered lawyer (Gabriel Macht) and a genius slacker (Patrick J. Adams) team up in a Manhattan law firm. (10 p.m. June 23, USA).
“Necessary Roughness” — Callie Thorne (“Rescue Me”) plays a therapist to pro football players. (10 p.m. June 29, USA).
“Alphas” — A team of investigators with awesome mental and physical abilities solves crimes. David Strathairn stars. (10 p.m. July 11, Syfy).
“The Lying Game” — Identical twin sisters swap identities with dire consequences. (9 p.m. Aug. 15, ABC family).
A slice of reality
“4th and Forever” — Series chronicles the highly successful football program at Long Beach Polytechnic High School. (9 p.m. May 26, Current).
“Platinum Hit” — Former “American Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi presides over competition for aspiring songwriters. (10 p.m. May 30, Bravo).
“Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition” — Like “The Biggest Loser,” only without the fancy ranch and mouthy trainers. (10:01 p.m. May 30, ABC).
“Million Dollar Decorators” — High-end interior designers do their magic for famous clients. (10 p.m. May 31, Bravo).
“Haunted Collector” — A family of paranormal investigators seek haunted items. (9 p.m. June 1, Syfy).
“Love In the Wild” — An “adventure-dating” series plops couples in the jungles of Costa Rica. (10 p.m. June 1, NBC).
“NY Ink” — Miami tattoo artist Ami James takes on Manhattan. (10 p.m. June 2, TLC).
“Rocco’s Dinner Party” — Chefs create meals to be judged by Rocco DiSpirito and his hand-picked guests. (11 p.m. June 15, Bravo).
“Countdown With Keith Olbermann” — The outspoken host takes his political tirades to a new channel. (8 p.m. June 20, Current).
“101 Ways to Leave a Game Show” — An “insane” competition in which contestants are ejected in spectacular fashion. (9 p.m. June 21, ABC).
“Expedition Impossible” — Contestants trek across Morocco and compete in challenges. (9 p.m. June 23, ABC).
“The Franchise: A Season With the San Francisco Giants” — Cameras go behind the scenes to capture life with the World Series champs. (10 p.m. July 13, Showtime).
“Legend Quest” — A globe-trotting archeologist hunts for remarkable artifacts. (10 p.m. July 13, Syfy).
“Take the Money and Run” — Elements of a spy thriller are blended with an “Amazing Race”-like format. (9 p.m. Aug. 2, ABC).
“Karaoke Battle USA” — Wannabe singers compete. Again. (10 p.m. Aug. 8, ABC).
Spotlight on celebrities
“The World According to Paris” — Paris Hilton offers a voyeuristic glimpse into her life. (10 p.m. June 1, Oxygen).
“Finding Sarah” — The Duchess of York shares her personal story with viewers. (9 p.m. June 12, OWN).
“Ryan & Tatum: The O’Neals” — Father and daughter try to rebuild their relationship as we watch. (10 p.m. June 19, OWN).
“Same Name” — Celebrities trade places with regular folk who happen to share the same name. (9 p.m. July 24, CBS). Some comic relief
“Love Bites” — A romantic comedy anthology series tied to love, sex, marriage and dating. (10 p.m. June 2, NBC).
“Happily Divorced” — Fran Drescher plays the ex-wife of a gay man (John Michael Higgins) who still lives with her. (10:30 p.m. June 15, TV Land).
“The Great State of Georgia” — Raven-Symone is Georgia, an aspiring actress in New York. (8:30 p.m. June 29, ABC Family).
“Wilfred” — Elijah Wood stars as an introvert whose best friend is his neighbor’s dog. (10 p.m. June 23, FX).
“Web Therapy” — Lisa Kudrow plays a therapist who counsels clients via webcam (11 p.m. July 19, Showtime).
* * *
RETURNING FAVORITES
May
26 — “So You Think You Can Dance” (8 p.m., Fox)
30 — “Basketball Wives” (8 p.m., VH1)
31 — “America’s Got Talent” (9 p.m., NBC)
June
1 — “Men of a Certain Age” (10 p.m., TNT)
3 — “Whale Wars” (9 p.m., Animal Planet)
5 — “Food Network Star” (9 p.m., Food Network); “Ice Road Truckers” (9 p.m., History); “The Glades” (10 p.m., A&E)
6 — “MasterChef” (8 p.m., Fox)
7 — “White Collar” (9 p.m., USA); “Covert Affairs” (10 p.m., USA)
12 — “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” (10 p.m., E!)
14 — “Memphis Beat” (9 p.m., TNT); “Pretty Little Liars” (8 p.m., ABC Family); “Hawthorne” (10 p.m., TNT); “Gene Simmons Family Jewels” (10 p.m., A&E)
15 — “Hot In Cleveland” (10 p.m., TV Land)
19 — “Drop Dead Diva” (9 p.m., Lifetime)
20 — “Hoarders” (9 p.m., A&E); “Intervention” (10 p.m., A&E)
23 — “Burn Notice” (9 p.m., USA); “Rookie Blue” (10 p.m., ABC); “Louie” (10:30 p.m., FX)
26 — “Leverage” (9 p.m., TNT); “True Blood” (9 p.m., HBO); “The Marriage Ref” (10 p.m., NBC)
27 — “Weeds” (10 p.m., Showtime); “The Big C” (10:30 p.m., Showtime)
29 — “Melissa & Joey” (8 p.m., ABC Family); “Royal Pains” (9 p.m., USA)
July
7 — “Big Brother” (9 p.m., CBS)
10 — “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (10 p.m., HBO)
11 — “The Closer” (9 p.m., TNT); “Rizzoli & Isles” (10 p.m., TNT); “Eureka” (8 p.m., Syfy); “Warehouse 13” (9 p.m., Syfy)
12 — “Rescue Me” (10 p.m., FX)
13 — “Ghost Hunters International” (9 p.m. July 13, Syfy)
15 — “Haven” (10 p.m. July 15, Syfy)
24 — “Entourage” (10:30 p.m. HBO)
August
8 — “Bachelor Pad” (8 p.m., ABC)
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