Here are 10 reasons to love TV right at this moment, during the months formerly doing business as “Rerun Season’’:
1. Because “Orange’’ is the renewed “Orange.’’
Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black’’ lost its mojo in the third season, as the plots — many of them silly — petered out. I had to push myself to start season four, which was released in June, as Piper’s panties business dominated the story line. But by episode seven, with the back story of Lolly and the unforgettable branding scene, the series grew a pair of wings and took flight. The group portrait of women in extremis got great again, with themes involving mental illness and racial politics.
2. Because payoff is coming.
If I could make this story do a happy dance, then you’d see how very excited I am about watching the first debate of the general election, which will air on Sept. 26. It will be epic TV, like one of those messy “Game of Thrones’’ battle sequences. After having suffered through what has seemed like decades of primary debates and talking-head conjecturing, we will finally get this gift of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, live TV, and the demand for substance.
3. Because John Oliver and Samantha Bee.
We lost two giants of news comedy, “The Colbert Report’’ and Jon Stewart, in the last two years. And Larry Wilmore and Trevor Noah haven’t filled the gap. But if you watch HBO’s “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’’ and TBS’s “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee,’’ you can still get a satisfying dose of sanity, rage, fact-checking, media criticism, and laughs. Neither show is nightly, which is too bad, especially now that we’re in the weeds of the presidential election. But then HBO keeps promising to bring back Stewart before the election, which would surely add plenty to the mix.
4. Because there is reprieve.
“Maya & Marty’’ ends next week.
5. Because you never, ever need to resort to “Big Brother.’’
When TV seems to be on pause for a week or two, usually around holidays, and the hunger for a show to watch threatens to push you into season 18 of the pit of existential quicksand that is “Big Brother,’’ hold on. You can still unearth plenty of gems to watch through streaming and On Demand services. You can take in the dark British crime drama “The Fall,’’ the fiery family-identity drama “Transparent,’’ Maria Bamford’s hallucinogenic comedy “Lady Dynamite,’’ or some obscure series that TV critics have been crowing about. You can even rewatch TV’s best drama: “The Sopranos.’’ OK, I meant “The Wire.’’ OK wait, I meant “Breaking Bad.’’ No: “The Sopranos.’’
6. Because one of TV’s best sick shows returns on Tuesday.
It’s called “Difficult People,’’ and it makes “Seinfeld’’ look compassionate. The comedy stars Billy Eichner and Julie Klausner as a pair of self-absorbed, catty, nasty friends who are trying to be comedians in New York City. He’s a waiter, she’s a TV blogger, and their conversations are crammed with pop cultural allusions. They’re the pettiest Will and Grace you’ll ever meet. Obviously, to like “Difficult People,’’ which is on Hulu, you have to enjoy watching the spectacle of high-octane narcissists trying to match each other. And they do have a redeeming quality, which is that they know precisely how awful they are. Last season’s guests included Martin Short, Rachel Dratch, Fred Armisen, Andy Cohen, Debbie Harry, Amy Sedaris, Seth Meyers, Kate McKinnon, and Kathie Lee Gifford. Let’s see who shows up this time around.
7. Because “Mr. Robot’’ can only get trippier.
Last summer’s breakout series, which is probably going to get a few Emmy nominations when they’re announced on Thursday, returns to USA on Wednesday. And it has some explaining to do, after the big reveal in last season’s finale — that (spoiler alert) Mr. Robot is one of Elliot’s hallucinations. According to creator Sam Esmail, the new episodes will provide a lot of back story to help explain Elliot’s psychological issues and his isolation. I came late to this stylized, murky, techie, operatic drama set in a coldly awesome New York, which is a lot better than never.
8. Because there is no place for shame about “Ray.’’
The Showtime drama “Ray Donovan’’ is currently thugging its way through a fourth season, and I am watching every single episode of the LA noir despite its many flaws, which include actors who turn the Bawston accent into an aural felony and a story line that tries too hard to mimic “The Sopranos.’’ I’m watching it, and the fine work of supporting actor Jon Voight, and I don’t care what you think.
9. Because Lifetime is keeping it real.
“UnREAL,’’ currently in its second season on Lifetime, is a high-strung drama that takes on reality TV — and human nature — without blinking. Like “Difficult People,’’ “UnREAL’’ is about crass folks who do awful things — but “UnREAL’’ is far from funny. It takes place on the set of an insipid “Bachelor’’-like dating show, and we see the producers — who include interesting characters played by Constance Zimmer and Shiri Appleby — doing everything in their power to manipulate the contestants into emotional eruptions. The goal: Good TV. This is a smart and incisive look at the dark side of American pop culture, with a tinge of Aaron Sorkin-esque intelligence (if a lot less optimism).
10. Because you don’t have to watch season two of “Bloodline.’’
Netflix’s “Bloodline’’ had a mixed first season. It was inert and overbaked, but good enough, largely thanks to the riveting performance by Ben Mendelsohn, to inspire a return for season two. Yeah, don’t bother. I love Kyle Chandler as much as the next soccer mom, but really, don’t bother.
Matthew Gilbert can be reached at gilbert@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewGilbert.
