‘Stranger Things,’ ‘BrainDead,’ ‘The Last Ship’ great summer TV shows

Far from being a wasteland for television shows, this summer featured three series (two new and one returning) that I loved: “Stranger Things,” “BrainDead” and “The Last Ship.”
“Stranger Things” premiered with an 8-episode first season on Netflix on July 15. It quickly became one of the Internet TV network’s most talked-about and popular shows. A second season is in the works.
“Stranger Things” is a love letter to 1980s youth-oriented science-fiction and horror movies. It involves the disappearance of a 12-year-old boy, a Department of Energy lab doing dangerous experiments and a group of boys who befriend psychokinetic girl who escaped from the lab.
“BrainDead” is a political satire, science-fiction comedy-drama about a Capitol Hill aide who discovers that Washington, D.C., has been invaded by extraterrestrial bugs, which are eating the brains and taking control of people in power, including members of Congress.
The CBS show received generally positive reviews from critics, but has gotten low ratings. So its chances for a second season are slim.
“The Last Ship” is wrapping up its third season on TNT tonight. It centers on the crew of a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer after a global viral pandemic wipes out over 80% of the world’s population.
“The Last Ship” is a great combination of intense action scenes, military strategy and political intrigue with a host of compelling characters.
TNT has renewed the show for two more seasons.