It's the start of summer ... TV

I don't mean to harsh your mellow from this fine stretch of spring weather we've been having. But you should know that in the parallel universe each of us inhabits seven hours a day -- yes, that's how long the average person watches television -- it's officially summertime.

  Last week, “American Idol” and “Lost” went out in their respective blazes of glory, marking the end of the 2006-07 season as measured by Nielsen, the ratings people. We are not upon the summer season. It's the time of year when cable channels bring out many of their best new programs in order to woo viewers over from the big networks. The networks, in turn, will shift to a cost-saving lineup of reruns, reality shows and something aptly called “burnoff.”

  In the next few weeks, cable will bring us the return of TNT's “The Closer” (June 18), “Footballers Wives” to BBC America (June 6), ABC Family's “Kyle XY” and HBO's “Big Love” (both on June 11), as well as new shows “Meadowlands” on Showtime (June 17), “House of Payne” on TBS (June 6), “John from Cincinnati” on HBO (June 10), “Army Wives” on Lifetime (June 3) and “The Starter Wife” on USA (May 31).

  Maybe you're not into quality TV. It's so demanding! Well, bunky, that's why God gave us Jerry Springer. He's the new host of “America's Got Talent,” starting 8 p.m. Tuesday on NBC.

  But if you're looking for TV watching to match the summer heat, cable couldn't be hotter.