(Photo courtesy of Creative Commons)

Summer can be tough: barbeques, pool parties, trips to the
beach, kickball games and other sun-related activities. Sometimes you just need a
break. And air conditioning...

For those craving a vacation from the UV rays and some
quality time on the couch with the blinds closed, read on. 

Here's a quick guide
of what to watch this summer now that many beloved scripted television series -
24, 30 Rock, 90210, Accidentally On Purpose, The Big Bang Theory, Bones,
Brothers & Sisters, Castle, Chuck, Community, Cougar Town, Criminal Minds, CSI,
Damages, Desperate Housewives, Flash Forward, Fringe, Glee, The Ghost
Whisperer, Grey's Anatomy, The Good Wife, House, How I Met Your Mother, Human
Target, LOST, Law & Order, Law & Order SVU, The Mentalist, Melrose
Place, Modern Family, The Office, One Tree Hill, Parks and Recreation, Private
Practice, Rules of Engagement, Smallville, Trauma, Two And A Half Men, Ugly
Betty, V, The Vampire Diaries - have seen their season finales. 

Five Returning Scripted Series

Welcome back! Here's a shortlist of hot shows you might remember
from previous summers.

• Burn Notice - Fourth Season

Burn Notice (USA, 9 p.m. Thursdays) hit the airwaves on June
3. This series, set in Miami, revolves around a former U.S. spy named Michael Westen (Jeffrey
Donovan) who uses his Special Ops training to help those in need while trying
to dodge his enemies from the past.

What to watch for this season: new cast member, Coby Bell

• True Blood - Third Season

Alan Ball's latest drama set in rural Louisiana, True Blood, adds
some much needed sex, drugs and rock 'n roll to the vampire craze. Last season
ended with the mysterious vampire Bill (Stephen Moyer) going missing after
proposing to the human, telepathic heroine, Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin).

What to watch for this season: new cast members Lara Pulver and Denis
O'Hare. Also, a guest appearance by Michael Steger (90210).

• Mad Men - Fourth Season

Mad Men (AMC, 10 p.m. Sundays) focuses on life in one of the
top New York ad agencies in the early 1960s by chronicling one of the firm's
greatest and elusive executives, Donald Draper (Jon Hamm). yes"> 

What to watch for this season: Not many details have been released about
the upcoming season, but it follows two crucial twists in Draper's life from last season.

• Entourage - Seventh Season

Entourage (HBO, 10:30 p.m. Sundays) will premiere on June
27. For those un-Hollywood types who have been without a TV since 2004,
Entourage is a glimpse into the "glamorous" world of the entertainment
industry. It follows a pretty boy actor named Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier),
his crew of best friends and his soulless agent Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven), whose
character is based on the real-life talent agent bigwig, Ari Emmanuel (William
Morris Endeavor Entertainment).

What to watch for this season: Season seven picks up with life after Chase
suffers an accident while working on his latest action film; meanwhile, Gold tries to
expand his talent agency business through a branding opportunity with the NFL. 

• Hung - Second Season

Hung (HBO, 10:00 p.m. Sundays) is a comedy about a former
high school sports star (Thomas Jane) who now works as a basketball coach
during the day and, in order to raise some extra cash, a male prostitute at
night.

What to watch for this season: new cast member, Lennie James.

Five Brand New Scripted Series

Here's a shortlist of some exciting shows premiering this summer. 

• The Hard Times of RJ Berger (MTV)

RJ Berger is an obscure scripted gem on
MTV that premiered on June 6. It follows high school sophomore and scrawny
outcast RJ Berger (Paul Iacono) who finds his popularity dramatically increases
after a shorts "incident" at a basketball game. Sometimes losing your pants in
front of the entire school has its perks, Berger found out on the first episode.

Why do we care: It's about time MTV brought back
scripted television amidst their world of un-serious reality programming! 

• The Good Guys (Fox)

Oh boy, another buddy cop show premiered on June 7. The Good
Guys centers around Jack (Colin Hanks) and his partner
Dan (Bradley Whitford); one is a by-the-book, straight-laced detective and the
other is, you guessed it, a drunk who used to be a hero.

Why do we care: Who doesn't love a moustache?

• Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family)

Liars premiered June 8 and
stars Lucy Hale, Ashley Benson, Shay Mitchell and Troian Avery Bellisario. It's set in a fictional small town
called Rosewood. One year ago, the Queen Bee, Alison, disappeared. Her four
best friends all swore they would never tell what really happened that night.
But now the mystery is starting to unravel and they are trying to keep their
secrets hidden.

Why do we care: Pretty, mean girls plus dirty secrets and
lies promises to be a worthy filler for any CW fan who loves Gossip Girl and
90210.  

• Rubicon (AMC)

Rubicon premieres on June
13. This conspiracy thriller stars James Badge Dale as a New York City analyst
whose life appears to be nothing like it is.

Why do we care: Big television / film thriller names attached
to this one. The pilot was Arial;color:#414141">directed by Allen Coulter (The Sopranos, Hollywoodland,
Damages, Nurse Jackie) and produced by Kerry Orent (Michael Clayton,
Rescue Me). 

• The Gates (ABC)

Here's another vampire show to add the list. This time
they're located in a quiet suburban neighborhood in a private mountain
community. The Gates premieres on June 20 and centers around Nick Monohan
(Frank Grillo), the new police chief of The Gates, and his family.

Why do we care: The Gates might just be for the avid
vampire enthusiast, but hopefully the mystery in this supernatural show will
entice the average viewer.