Ahhh...summer t.v. So much to love.

Remember how, back in the day, we only got "new" t.v. shows in the fall? Back in those days, the t.v. was rarely on during the steamy days of summer. It was reserved for movie nights, and rainy days when the kids were driving me apeshit and I'd finally break down and let them watch one of the four or five battered VHS tapes they'd watch over and over and over (anyone else remember the "There Goes A..." series? Dave and Becky? Where are they now? I'd like to see the E! True Hollywood story, please). In fact, I'll still loudly bellow Dave's tag line now and then ("I shouldn'ta done that!!"), much to the joy chagrin of my children.

Anyways. Those days are over. Thanks to the prolific non-network cable channels, we are now gifted with several fresh t.v. shows every summer. And of course, I've been watching some of them.

Here's a sample of what I've been watching, what I wish I was watching, and naturally, what I think of them:


Wilfred (FX, Thursdays 10/9 central): Starring Elijah Wood, all growed up but forever Frodo to me, this is an American remake of an Australian show bearing the same name and of course, the same premise. An awkward, introverted man begins seeing his neighbor's dog as a human dressed in a dog suit. A human in a dog suit who smokes a ton of pot, drinks beer and dry humps a giant stuffed bear. Doesn't sound like much, does it? To be honest, when the previews began airing I was skeptical. But then I watched the pilot, and became an instant believer. Wilfred is funny, like laugh out loud funny. And now I've developed yet another oddball crush, this time on an Aussie wearing a dog suit and using a Gatorade bottle as a bong. Go figure. When I watch Wilfred, I sometimes wish I was back in my old Uptown apartment, getting completely baked and sitting on the couch next to the love of my life, Andy. Gotta love a show that does that, huh?

The Closer (TNT, Mondays 9/8 central): I love Kyra Sedgwick for many reasons. She's married to the Bacon-ater, first of all, and has been for something like 20 years. I remember really liking her in one of my all time favorite movies, "Singles", especially in the scene where she scrubs her toilet with her bastard ex-boyfriend's t-shirt. Priceless. But, back to The Closer. Kyra plays southern belle Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson of the Los Angeles Major Crimes division. They call her "The Closer" because of her talent for closing cases. Her character is fabulous, and so very real. She's a closeted binge eater (the first few seasons she had a desk drawer filled with candy and baked goods), she's a cat lady, she has crazy parents. The show is predictable, because by now pretty much every single crime show has covered every possible crime scenario ad nauseum, but it's served up with some good writing and some very good acting. The supporting cast is awesome, and aside from one chick, the entire cast has stayed the same since the start. I don't like change, so this is a bonus for me.

True Blood (HBO, Sundays 9 p.m.) I miss HBO. I miss True Blood. But most of all, I miss seeing Alexander Skarsgard's butt. I'm just starting the book series that True Blood is based upon (thank you Beth!!!!), written by Charlaine Harris. So far, I love it, and since I don't see HBO giving out scholarships any time in the near future, it will have to do for now.


Rescue Me (FX, Wednesdays 10 p.m.) One of my all-time favorite shows. I will always be grateful for that one awful, sad date I had with the eHarmony winner Angry Steve, because he stopped bitching about his ex-wife long enough to say, "You ever watched Rescue Me? It's a great show". Thank you, Angry Steve. Rescue Me is simply stunning. It's raw, it's over-the-top, it's intense. It covers an amazing range of relevant topics: divorce, raising teenagers, alcoholism, race relations and so many more. It also serves double duty as sex-dream fodder for me, so I'm very happy that it's back on. This is the last season, and I'm sure I'll be a weepy mess when the last episode airs. Denis Leary is brilliant, and this show is proof. Bonus: they used my all time favorite Pearl Jam song in the ads for this season. I was verklempt before the season even started.

And here's one that I'm almost embarrassed to admit watching:

Teen Wolf (MTV, Sundays 10/9 central) Ok, I can blame this one on the fact that I have teenagers, right? God help me, I'm hooked. It's cheesy, it's smarmy, it's full of D-list actors, but I love it. I am patiently waiting for Sunday night to arrive. Who is the Alpha Wolf? They want us to think it's Scott's boss, but I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. Molly thinks it's Allison, Henry thinks it's the lacrosse coach. Personally, I think it's the a-hole hipster teacher Mr. Harris, but we shall see.

And of course, what kind of stalker would I be if I didn't mention my beloved:

Louie (FX, Thursdays 10:30/9:30 central) What can I say? I think this is one of the best shows on television, and not just because I have a pretty creepy obsession with the star. I love the bareness of this show, I love the random guest appearances by some fabulous comedians, I love seeing New York from an "everyday" kind of perspective. I won't mention that I watch this show with the lights dimmed and a body pillow locked firmly between my thighs. Sigh.

There are a few other summer shows that I'd watch if I had the time, the right channels and a DVR: Breaking Bad (I know, Danielle, I know!) starring the fabulous Bryan Cranston, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Men of a Certain Age (I've watched the first season of this one, and it's awesome). I'm sure there are more I've missed but for God's sake, a girl has to take some time to parent and use the bathroom, ya know.

What are your favorite summer shows? Or are you one of those "outdoorsy" type of people who fill my facebook feed with inane blurbs about getting outside and how awesome the hot weather is (hi Faith ♥)? Tell me what you're watching...I'd love to know. In four months it's going to be cold as hell outside and I won't have any guilt about sitting on my ass watching t.v. I need to get my Netflix queue stocked, y'all!