Let the summer games begin! Once the laziest time of the year, the weeks following the May sweeps have become as competitive as Stephen Harper at an Ottawa press conference.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire changed the rules seven years ago by becoming a summer obsession. A year or two later, Survivor proved Millionaire was no summer fluke. Recent hits like Canadian Idol and Rock Star: INXS have been especially strong summer players in Canada.

Like the weather, things are heating up again this week with last night’s return of Last Comic Standing and tonight’s premiere of Gameshow Marathon (CTV, CBS, 8 p.m.). Based, like a lot of this reality nonsense, on a British success, Gameshow Marathon features six C-List celebrities. In this case, they are former N’Sync warbler Lance Bass, Saturday Night Live Ladies’ Man Tim Meadows, Canadian comedy god Leslie Nielsen, King Of The Hill voice actress Kathy Najimy, perky Trading Spaces host Paige Davis and former Baywatch floater Brande Roderick. What, Danny Bonaduce and Rob “Rob Father” Mariano were booked?

Gameshow Marathon is an elimination tourney, with U.S. viewers getting a chance to play along by text messaging trivia answers during each show. Former talk-show host/pound-shedder Ricki Lake hosts.

In tonight’s hour-long opener, the gang will “come on down” to the set of The Price Is Right. Tomorrow night, they slip into zany costumes for Let’s Make A Deal. Over the next few Wednesdays and Thursdays, they’ll play Beat The Clock, Press Your Luck, Card Sharks, Family Feud and, everybody’s favourite, Match Game.

The original version of Match Game, seen in the late ’60s and ’70s (and still re-running late nights on GSN), worked because most of the regular panelists — especially loopy upper deck mates Charles Nelson Reilly and Brett Somers — always seemed to be half in the bag.

While they won’t say if the new cast is juiced, the producers have taken pains to recreate the original look of all of the defunct game shows in this mix. Good thing orange shag carpeting is making such a comeback. Listen for those familiar theme song jingles, too.

Celebrity panelists are just the latest blasts from the past in a TV season that has seen the return of prime-time roller derby, Saturday night wrestling and no end of TV talent shows. Is this 2006 or 1956? And when will CBC bring back Front Page Challenge?

Exactly four years after this trend fizzles. As for the other summer distractions coming your way, here is a heads up:

* Canada’s Next Top Model (premiering tonight at 8 p.m. on City-TV). Like America’s Next Top Model, except these fabulous babes are 100% Canadian. Tricia Helfer hosts.

* Canadian Idol (Mondays at 8 p.m., CTV; expanding to multiple nights week of June 19). Returned with over 1.8 million viewers Monday.

* So You Think You Can Dance (Wednesdays/Thursdays, 9 p.m., CTV, Fox). Returned for a second season with over 10 million U.S. viewers last week.

* Hell’s Kitchen (Mondays at 9 p.m., Fox, City-TV). Cranky UK chef Gordon Ramsay returns for a second season.

* Treasure Hunters (June 18, 8 p.m., Global, NBC; moving to Mondays). Described as Indiana Jones meets The Amazing Race.

* Rock Star: Supernova (July 5, 8 p.m., Global, CBS). Heavy metal troublemakers Tommy Lee (Motely Crue), Jason Newstead (Metallica) and Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses) are looking for a designated driver who can sing.

* America’s Got Talent (June 21, 8 p.m., NBC; CTV TBA): Everyone from acrobats to animal acts are judged in this new talent show from Simon Cowell. Regis Philbin hosts.

* Big Brother All-Stars (June 21, 8 p.m., CH, CBS). Fans vote on the Top 20 players from seasons past. Name two! Series really begins July 6.