• by Wayne Friedman , April 9, 2009

The summer now starts in May for many broadcast networks. Where June or later premiere periods had signaled the start of the summer programming season for the networks, a bunch of new and returning shows will debut in May.

ABC will launch three returning reality shows and one new comedy. Fox will launch a new, highly anticipated comedy.

Returning ABC shows starting up in May include "The Bachelorette", a new two-hour version of the show (premièring May 18, then regularly scheduled 8 p.m. on Monday starting May 25), and "Wipeout," the athletic competition for the every man and women, with those big red balls (May 27, Wednesdays, 8 p.m.), and relationship reality effort. "Here Come the Newlyweds" (May 25, Mondays, 10 p.m.) In addition, the network will start up new half-hour animated comedy "The Goode Family" (May 27, Wednesday, 9 p.m.).

After that ABC will wait about another three to four weeks later to launch its next round of shows -- "The Superstars," a takeoff on the old ABC Sports" "Wide Worlde of Sports Superstars," where pro athletes compete with one another in different sports.

ABC then offers up the second season of "I Survived a Japanese Game Show" starting up July 8th, Wednesday at 9 p.m.).

Twelve days after that, in another spin on a relationship/dating show, ABC will run "Dating in the Dark," where young dating hopefuls live in a house together but never get the chance to see members of the opposite sex in the light of day -- only in the dark.

Also in the summer, ABC will finish out a bunch of unaired original episodes of Pushing Daisies," "Eli Stone" and "Dirty Sexy Money". Fox will start up "Glee" on Tuesday at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19 after part one of the season finale of "American Idol".