Summer is the perfect time to burn off episodes

Remember when summertime meant TV was all reruns, all the time, and we did things like play softball and ride bikes and hang out at the snow cone stand?

OK, cool people still do all of those things. But we have to set our recorders first, thanks to successful summer series like Damages and Mad Men. Many networks now have a “summer season” with premiers of new shows and new seasons of returning shows.

Networks also use the summer months to air leftover shows from cancelled series. Sadly, some of my favorite shows are in that category this year and I sure don’t want to miss the chance to share their last days.

ABC, guilty on at least four counts of canceling great shows, is airing the three remaining Pushing Daisies episodes at 10 p.m. ET Saturdays (the first aired over the weekend and is available for viewing at the ABC website).

I can think of few shows that always make me smile. This one does. I will miss you, Pie Hole gang.

Once Pushing Daisies is laid to rest, the final four Eli Stone episodes will dance their way to oblivion, starting June 20.

The story of the lawyer-cum-prophet had its ups (plenty of Natasha Henstridge) and downs (not enough Loretta Devine), but Eli Stone seemed to be gaining momentum just as ABC shot it down. Quelle surprise.

Starting July 18, the last four episodes of Dirty Sexy Money will air.

Dirty Sexy Money, a creation of out gay producer Greg Berlanti, was notable for casting a transgendered woman (Candis Cayne) to play a transgendered woman — and to treat the character with respect rather than mockery. I never really got into the show, but certainly will miss my gay male friends reenacting it.

ABC announced today that the seven remaining Samantha Who? episodes will air Thursdays, starting June 25 at 8 p.m. ET. My fingers are still crossed that another network will step in and pick up the Christina Applegate series.

E! Online has a summer TV schedule on its website to help you get your DVR programming sorted. You’ll have to pencil in Samantha and the return of Better Off Ted (which starts June 23 at 9 p.m. ET), since they were announced after the calendar was published. We’ll do our best to help you keep track of any changes to the schedule.

Meanwhile, take a look at Xyiko’s list of shows that ended in 2009. What unaired episodes would you like to see? What cancellation are you still fuming about?