Game shows, competitions dominate summer TV

This summer, prime-time TV is going to look a lot like daytime TV.

Or at least a lot like daytime TV did in the 1980s.

ABC has assembled new versions of the Whammy-hating “Press Your Luck” (8 p.m. June 12), hosted by Elizabeth Banks, as well as “Card Sharks” (9 p.m. June 12) with Joel McHale. They’ll join its stable of throwback game shows that includes “Celebrity Family Feud” (8 p.m. June 9), “The $100,000 Pyramid” (9 p.m. June 9), “To Tell the Truth” (10 p.m. June 9) and “Match Game” (10 p.m. June 12).

The network, which rose to ratings dominance by introducing “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” 20 summers ago, also is betting big on “Holey Moley” (8 p.m. June 20). The series, described as “an extreme miniature golf competition,” features executive producer Steph Curry as the resident putt-putt pro. Sure, he’s known for making spectacular shots, but not once this postseason has the Golden State Warriors star been guarded by a windmill.

Competitions once again are taking over the airwaves this summer, starting with the return of two shows with local ties. “America’s Got Talent” (8 p.m. Tuesday, NBC) routinely features Las Vegas-based specialty acts. The finals of “American Ninja Warrior” (8 p.m. Wednesday, NBC) will return to town, with taping dates set for June 18 to 21 and June 23. (For ticket information, see on-camera-audiences.com.)

Two more local traditions return next month with “Penn &Teller: Fool Us” (8 p.m. June 17, The CW), in which the Rio headliners attempt to guess how a variety of illusionists pull off their favorite tricks, and “Masters of Illusion” (8 p.m. June 7, The CW), which always pulls from the city’s deep roster of magicians.

Elsewhere, “So You Think You Can Dance” (9 p.m. June 3, Fox) will continue to scout new performers. “Songland” (10 p.m. Tuesday, NBC) puts the focus on songwriters. “Bring the Funny” (10 p.m. July 9, NBC) will spotlight up-and-coming comedians, judged by the only-on-TV pairing of Kenan Thompson, Chrissy Teigen and Jeff Foxworthy. And “The Big Stage” (9 p.m. June 7, The CW) is just looking for new talent any way it can get it.

Amateur cooks will square off in Season 10 of “MasterChef” (8 p.m. Wednesday, Fox) and the new series “Family Food Fight” (9 p.m. June 20, ABC), in which family recipes are judged by Cat Cora, Graham Elliot and host Ayesha Curry.

Strangers will cohabitate in new seasons of “Big Brother” (8 p.m. June 25, CBS) and “Bachelor in Paradise” (8 p.m. July 29, ABC).

And the games continue with new seasons of “The Wall” (8 p.m. June 20, NBC) and “Hollywood Game Night” (9 p.m. July 11, NBC), along with the new series “Spin the Wheel” (9 p.m. June 20, Fox). Co-created by Justin Timberlake and hosted by Dax Shepard, “Spin the Wheel” will give contestants the chance to leave with $20 million by solving complex quadratic equations.

Just kidding. They spin a wheel.

Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4567. Follow @life_onthecouch on Twitter.