Of the three commercial channels, Ch7 have kept their cards closest to their chests. Most likely because once The X Factor Australia kicks off, there’s not gonna be an awful lot of room for too much else in the schedule. It’ll be all “NatBass this” and “Ronan that”. There’s some good other stuff coming though… but will it take to long to get here? Settle in, people – this could be a long ride.

What: THE AMAZING RACE AUSTRALIA Season 2
When: Monday 13 – Wednesday 15 August, 7:30pm (final three episodes).
Who: Grant Bowler (host), the remaining racers.
Worth it?: It’s managed to improve on an already successful American formula by delivering great challenges and spectacular casting. Hiding it away during the Olympics was pretty much all Ch7 could do so bringing it back as soon as they can is a good thing, but as they’ve gotta clear the decks for their next big thing it’ll be over and done with pretty quickly. Set your PVR’s – you don’t wanna miss it now.

What: COUGAR TOWN Season 3
When: Tuesday 14 August, 10.30pm (weekly).
Who: Courtney Cox, Busy Phillips, Dan Byrd, Christa Miller, Josh Hopkins.
Worth it?: Fans will be pleased. Everyone else will simply avoid it. Not unreasonably, either – Cougar Town isn’t a spectacular example of anything television. It’s not a good sitcom, it’s not a good drama… it’s not even a good copy of Desperate Housewives. But as we were reminded by David Leckie, then boss of Ch7 – “Cougar Town is a shit show, but we promote it and get nearly 1.4 million watching it”. Not sure if it’ll fly so low this time, tiger.

What: HUNG Season 3
When: Tuesday 14 August, 11pm (weekly).
Who: Thomas Jane, Jane Davis, Anne Heche, Eddie Jemison.
Worth it?: The subject matter of this drama/comedy is curious, but it works – High School Coach Ray (Jane) is short on cash and falls into prostitution for female customers to help make ends meet, thanks in part to his significant penis. It hasn’t been a smooth road either, what with his female pimp not really knowing how to market him and Ray not really knowing how to please women. It’s enjoyable enough, and it’s late timeslot and subject matter delivers nudity as one would expect. If you’re a fan you’ve likely already seen it, and if not it’s worth catching but not at the cost of sleep.

What: MRS BROWN’S BOYS
When: Thursday 16 August, 8:30pm.
Who: Brendan O’Carroll, Dermot O’Neill, Jennifer Gibney, Fiona O’Carroll, Danny O’Carroll.
Worth it?: People like this and I’ve no idea why. If you long for the comedy stylings of On The Buses, you’d be better off watching that than encouraging this. Benny Hill would be lodging claims for copyright breach from his grave. It saddens me that the same country that brought us Monty Python and The Office now consider this to be export-worthy.

What: THE X FACTOR AUSTRALIA Season 3
When: Monday 20 August, 7:30pm (multiple episodes weekly).
Who: Luke Jacobz (host); Mel B, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Ronan Keating, Guy Sebastian (judges).
Worth it?: It’s back and with the positivity of The Voice, Ch7 will be pushing this one hard. There’s been some slight retooling, with some of the world’s biggest stars who will be mentoring our contestants through to the live shows, including Alicia Keys, Usher, Ke$ha and THE X FACTOR UK super group One Direction. Will they find the new Reece Mastin? It’ll be on often enough we’ll all get to find out.

What: GCB
When: To be advised.
Who: Kristin Chenoweth, Leslie Bibb, Jennifer Aspen, Marisol Nichols, Annie Potts, David James Elliott.
Worth it?: We, like the US, will only get the first season of this controversial comedy as that’s all that got made. The original title “Good Christian Bitches” has caused quite the stir around the world, particularly with conservative Christian types who suggested the title was inappropriate. It’s actually bang on, set in the bible belt of America (in Dallas) it looks at cultural Christianity and how some people treat being a Christian as a “Sunday only” past time.

What: SMASH
When: To be advised.
Who: Debra Messing, Jack Davenport, Katharine McPhee, Christian Borle, Megan Hilty, Anjelica Huston.
Worth it?: Smash has already rolled season one out on Foxtel, so to offer it now on free-to-air television is a little spurious but it should go gangbusters. The promos are already rolling and it’s very, very good (especially if you’re a fan of shows like Glee). The show follows the casting of two ladies vying for the same role in a Broadway musical and all the background machinations and politics involved along the way. More prime-time soap drama for Ch7 to sink it’s teeth into.

What: THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH
When: To be advised.
Who: The Chaser.
Worth it?: The episodes have been filmed, and this series based on that in the UK created by Graeme Garden is just waiting to be rolled out. It’s basically a panel show where the team (including celebrity contestants) have to deliver an impromptu speech on a topic containing a mix of lies and truth, and the other players have to buzz in when they identify a truthful statement. Sound engaging? Ch7 are hoping so.

What: BEAUTY AND THE GEEK AUSTRALIA Season 4
When: To be advised.
Who: Bernard Curry (host), Geeks & Beauties aplenty.
Worth it?: This divine little show is back for a fourth season, and like last season there’s a twist – this time, one of the geeks is a millionaire. Will he find love, or at least very compliant lust, in the BATG house? Who cares as long as the geeks are socially inept and the beauties are… well… as long as they are beautiful. Who doesn’t love a good makeover, too – BATG now have it down to a fine art. Can. Not. Wait.