Summer is rerun time on TV, the time when the people who never watch during the winter get a second chance to not watch and the people who were glued to the tube all season discover that most of what they saw isn't worth a second look. A few benefit, however: fans who missed a segment of their favorite series the night the house burned down, virtuous husbands stuck in the city while their wives and children are vacationing at the beach, baseball addicts too bemused by beer to switch off when the game is over, and other misfits.
For this motley assortment of summer viewers, there are occasional items of interest. There is, for example, a chance to check out some of the new show business faces without actually risking an entire evening or bankroll—many of the new nightclub names appear on summer variety programs, while the latest acting sensations often turn up on new interview or old dramatic shows. And since television reviews almost always appear after the fact, sometimes praising specials or particular episodes of series when it's too late to see them, the TV nonregular can catch up on worthy ones he missed.
Wednesday, August 12 ESPIONAGE (NBC, 9-10 p.m.).* This series, which was time-slotted against ABC's Ben Casey and CBS's Beverly Hillbillies last season, was one of the year's biggest ratings flops, although it was often good and occasionally excellent. This episode is about an American jazz musician arrested in the U.S.S.R. for spying while on a Government-sponsored tour. Repeat.
Friday, August 14 BURKE'S LAW (ABC, 8:30-9:30 p.m.). Each week Millionaire-Detective Gene Barry rounds up a collection of murder victims and suspects played by veteran actors, contemporary celebrities and/or glamor girls of recent vintage. This week the line-up includes Chill Wills, Ed Wynn and Broderick Crawford. Repeat.
INTERNATIONAL BEAUTY SPECTACULAR (NBC, 8:30-9:30 p.m.). Girls from 46 countries arid 44 states will compete for the title of Miss International Beauty and the $10,000 that goes with it, telecast live from Long Beach, Calif.
THE DEATH OF STALIN (NBC, 10-11 p.m.). Not to be confused with Playhouse 90's controversial, fictionalized account of Stalin's death, which got CBS News kicked out of the U.S.S.R. in 1958, this NBC White Paper, aired early in 1963, is a straightforward documentary, but the Russians kicked NBC News out anyway. (CBS News was reinstated in 1960, but NBC is still banned.)
Saturday, August 15 ABC's WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS (ABC, 5-6:30 p.m.). The Women's National A.A.U. Swimming Championships in Los Altos, Calif.; the Women's National A.A.U. Diving Championships in Los Angeles; and the Isle of Man Motorcycle Races.
NBC SPORTS SPECIAL (NBC, 5:30-6 p.m.). Highlights of a polo match on the royal polo field at Windsor Castle with Prince Philip's Windsor team playing the Jersey Lilies.
HOOTENANNY (ABC, 7:30-8:30 p.m.). A chance to catch a new nightclub star, Trini Lopez, who whangs at his guitar and sings.
SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES (NBC, 9-11 p.m.). The Journey, MGM's 1959 movie about a small group of Western civilians trying to get out of Hungary during the 1956 revolt, features expert, vigorous performances by the entire cast which includes Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner, Jason Robards Jr., Robert Morley and E. G. Marshall. Color.