With June right around the corner and temperatures on the rise, it’s the perfect time to get that TV lineup geared up for those air-conditioned summer nights inside. Here’s the latest scoop on shows, new and old, that are generating a lot of buzz for the 2009 summer season: 

“Kendra” June 7, 9 PM CST, E! If you can get past her obnoxious laugh, I think this show may be the guilty-pleasure hit of the summer. In this spin-off from The Girls Next Door, this reality show will document Kendra Wilkinson’s life after the Hef and Playboy era on her quest to establish herself as a (*ahem*) domesticated, mature adult about to be married. Oh, the laughter bestowing from my belly, as the teaser for the first episode clearly shows her installing a stripper pole in her new home. Domesticated indeed. I’m up for giving this one a whirl. 

“Nurse Jackie” June 8, 9:30 PM CST, Showtime. With a tagline like, “Life is full of little pricks”, I’m sold on the idea of a dark comedy featuring Edie Falco, aka Carmella Soprano. The premise of the show is to show how ER nurse Jackie Peyton handles everyone from crooked doctors to villainous patients. While she tries to right every wrong throughout the day, she’s got a few secrets of her own; one of which is compulsive pill-popping. This show also stars Peter Facinelli, of “Twilight” fame. I personally was a huge “Sopranos” fan, so I’ll definitely be tuning in to watch Nurse Jackie just for Falco.

“Hung” June 28, 9 PM CST, HBO. My initial thought was, “Oh my god, that tool from American Idol got his own show.” Luckily, that is not the case. Hung is about a high school gym coach who is down on his luck after being humiliated time and time again, but it’s all good because he has a big, you know, down there. After he was told he was horrible in bed but indeed well-endowed, this coach embarks on a new path in life: male escort. Determined to help him market his penis, his friend becomes his pimp and the two enter an alternative lifestyle in hopes to get rich. This show stars Thomas Jane and Jane Adams, and is expected to be HBO’s next biggest hit.

Some returning shows this summer that are a must-see:

“Weeds” June 8, 9 PM, Showtime. This show has been a rollercoaster of events from season to season, and this time around The Hemptress, Nancy, is pregnant with the drug kingpin a.k.a. her boyfriend’s child in this Season Five premiere.  Jennifer Jason Leigh will join Mary-Louise Parker and cast this year as Nancy’s sister. No word yet how her sister will feel about her greenery.

“True Blood” June 14, 8 PM, HBO. In a world where humans and vampires co-exist, living and breathing Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) returns for Season Two and her relationship with 173-year old vampire, Bill, deepens. Characters from the first season are to be incorporated much more this time around and a new character, played by Evan Rachel Wood, will join the cast as a tough-as-nails vampire. If you liked Twilight, you may want to check out True Blood for your vampire fix while waiting on the New Moon release.

 “Entourage” TBD, Sundays, HBO. E, Vince, Ari, Turtle and Johnny Drama will return for Season Six of the show that glamorizes fame and makes us all want to pay to have our friends follow us around all day. While sometimes I think Entourage relies a little too much on its A-list star power and the storylines tend to become dull from time to time, Entourage is still nonetheless entertaining with Ari and Lloyd’s razor-sharp banter. And deep down, we all really do want to know what it’s like to be a hot young actor in Hollywood. While the upcoming storyline for the season is under wraps, guest stars set for the new season include Tom Brady, Lil’ Wayne and LeBron James. Oh, and Vince is going to date the hot bikini babe and 2004 Miss Israel, Gal Gadot. Hot!

Ahh… a boob tube full of feisty nurses, drug trafficking and sexy vampires. All that’s left on the checklist is upgrading to HDTV to ensure I see every. last. inch. of that Hung show.

 

***Editor’s Note: No, HBO did not sponsor this article. They just have really good TV.