Dregs of Summer

“Geeks Who Drink”
Thursdays (Syfy)
New Series: The version of “Geeks Who Drink” you play at the local bar can be fun, but would you watch it? What if it was hosted by the guy who used to be “Chuck” (Zachary Levi) and featured a smattering of semi-celebrities? Yeah, it’s still not a show — but Syfy disagrees. The trivia questions pose as much of a challenge to the contestants and viewers as naming a favorite Wookie, and the drinking is strictly Lightweight Division (at least by, ahem, my standards).

“WAGS”
Tuesdays (E!)
New Series: And another slice of genius from E!, an acronym-skirting reality show about the “Wives and Girlfriends of Sports Stars” for viewers unaware of VH1’s entire programming lineup. They’re sassy, they’re catty, they’re everything the writers and producers have fabricated for them to occupy their time with while their husbands are explaining in the locker room.

“Reactor”
Thursdays (Syfy)
New Series: No network, not even originator E!, has figured out how to replicate the snarktastic magic of Joel McHale and “The Soup.” They make stinging commentary on news and pop culture of the past week look easy; the sci-fi- and geek-culture-centric “Reactor” gets it wrong on every conceivable (and inconceivable) level. The host (David Huntsberger, reportedly a comedian) has a personality and presence undetectable to even “Ghost Hunters,” the featured newsbites and clips are Twitter-ancient by airtime, and the “jokes” are seemingly written by … let’s say … leftover interns from “The Wil Wheaton Project.”

“Stewarts & Hamiltons”
Sundays (E!)
New Series: Kimberly Stewart is … famous? … for being the daughter of Rod and Alana Stewart, who were last relevant 40-odd years ago. Alana’s husband prior to Rod was George Hamilton, whom I believe was a silent-film actor prior to the Great Depression. There are also some random sons in the mix (Ashley Hamilton, Sean Stewart and others who make Robin Thicke look like a boon to culture and society). E! is somehow squeezing eight(!) one-hour(!!) episodes out of this barely-damp gene pool. The Stewarts and the Hamiltons are at least more active than the Kardashians and Jenners, if not more orange.

“Fashion Police”
Monday, Aug. 31 (E!)
Return: If it seems like I’m picking on E!, you’re right. In a programming sea of absolute crap, the network has exactly two shows worth a byte of DVR space: “The Soup” and scripted drama “The Royals.” “Fashion Police” used to make it three, but then Joan Rivers assumed room temperature. The show should have joined her, but instead E! ignored that giant sucking sound of the talent void and has now handed the show over to Melissa Rivers (understandable), Giuliana Rancic (the living personification of “Meh”) and Catty Gay Dude No. 457 (because Fashion). Joan is rolling over in her velvet shoebox crypt. CV

Bill Frost writes about television for Salt Lake City Weekly, talks about it on the TV Tan Podcast (Tuesdays on iTunes and Stitcher), and tweets about it at @Bill_Frost.