By Rick Gables
CBS gets back to reality this summer with a 90-minute, 23rd season premiere of Big Brother on Wednesday, July 7, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, hosted by Julie Chen Moonves. An all-new group of houseguests move into the newly redesigned house. The guests are in for a high-stakes summer full of big risks and big rewards, where one wrong gamble could cost them everything.
Get ready to dash through the snow during the heat of summer with Hallmark Channel’s annual programming event, Christmas in July. Joining the festivities is the original movie premiere of Crashing Through the Snow, on Saturday, July 10, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Starring Amy Acker and Warren Christie, the movie centers around a Christmas getaway to Aspen, with interesting circumstances. When Maggie’s (Acker) ex-husband, Jeff (Kristian Bruun), and his new girlfriend, Kate (Brook Nevin), spontaneously invite Amy on the Aspen getaway, she jumps at the chance to spend a Yuletide holiday away with her two daughters, risking feeling like a third wheel crashing their Christmas. However, joining the group is Kate’s brother, Sam (Christie). Blended family challenges and feelings lie ahead.
HGTV will premiere its new competition series, Battle on the Beach, Sunday, July 11, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Ty Pennington, Alison Victoria and Taniya Nayak will mentor three skilled teams of up-and-coming flippers. This seaside home improvement clash will play out in picturesque Gulf Shores, Alabama, across three identical 1,500 square foot properties. Each week, the teams will execute a renovation challenge with results that impress star judges Mike Holmes and Mina Starsiak. Launching with a kitchen redo challenge, the series premiere will showcase the teams as they improve the heart of their property’s homes. Ultimately, the team who adds the most property value will win $50,000.
truTV will premiere its new series, Backyard Bar Wars, on Thursday, July 8, at 10:30 ET/PT. This is most definitely not your average build show. Based on the rising trend of DIY at-home bars, the series is a send-up of your classic home reno show combined with hilarious moments of comedian and host, Chris Distefano, roasting the builders in a way that only he can. The one thing that is not a joke is the bars themselves. Viewers can expect jaw-dropping reveals that will leave everyone watching thirsty for a second round.