The GofG Guide To Summer TV

Are you lost after Lost finally departed our screens? Have nothing to gossip about until the new Gossip Girl season? About to tear your hair out with the lack of Tyra on the tube? Never fear, Guest of a Guest is here to give you the lowdown on the summer TV favorites for those times when despite the sunny weather, you just can't get off the couch.

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Mad Men

It's back! The fantastic set pieces, the perfect period pieces, the witty office banter, the smoking, the whiskey during the work day (just another day in the GofG offices really) and all the hidden affairs and secrets. It's been a long winter, waiting for the brooding Don Draper and gang to return.

Sunday 25 July will mark the highly-anticipated return of television's best drama on AMC, when we will see the aftermath of Betty's divorce proceedings against Don and see how the new Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce agency is faring.

Royal Pains

Coming back for a second season (Season 1 posted the highest series premiere for the USA Network since Psych in 2006), the show set in our favorite playground - the Hampton's returns on June 3 with a familiar sitcom face, Henry 'The Fonz' Winkler.

Royal Pains follows Hank, a young doctor on the fast track to success who falls from grace when he is blamed for the death of a hospital trustee. After retreating to the Hampton's, he inadvertently stumbles into the world of private medical service for the elite. With the encouragement of his younger brother and an ambitious young women who volunteers to be his assistant, Hank reluctantly agrees to be a "Concierge Doctor" for the summer -often using guerrilla doctor techniques in order to fix the medical problems he encounters on the way.

Check out the Season Deuce rap promoting the new season http://video.usanetwork.com/series/royal_pains /web_extras/season-deuce-rap-video/v1231534

True Blood

There seems to be many a vampire obsessed freak running around, what with Twillight, The Vampire Diaries etc. but True Blood is the considered the best, most dark, sexy of the lot, showing the intertwining lives of vampires and humans in the fictional Louisiana town of Bon Temps.

Of course, we mainly watch for the simmering sensual relationship between human (but also telepathic) Sookie Stackhouse and Civil War vampire Bill Compton. Played by real-life fiancees Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer we look forward to seeing more of our favorite "fang-banger" and her war veteran and how their relationship shows all the various laws of the vampire universe (who knew being a vampire was so complicated?!).

"Fang-banger" - Term popularized by the HBO hit show True Blood. Refers to a male or female who enjoys being bitten by and/or having sex with vampires.

Season 3 begins Sunday 13 June on HBO.

The Downtown Girls

Having started this week, we are not too sure about this new 'reality' offering which is touted to be the next Sex and the City/crossed with/The Hills/The City/<INSERT ANY OTHER REALITY SHOW ABOUT A BUNCH OF GIRLFRIENDS IN A CITY TALKING ABOUT SHOPPING, CAREER ISSUES, BITCHING AND MOST IMPORTANTLY BOY DRAMAS>.

But like a good car crash, we are sure we wont be able to look away! Following the lives of a group of 20-somethings living and going out in downtown NYC, we will be watching if only to mock the various true-isms depicted of the downtown area (yeah right!)

Breakthrough with Tony Robbins

The show that the office at GofG are looking most forward to is the upcoming Tony Robbins reality show! Pure pumped-up - if you dream it- it can happen - genius!

For those who can't place who Tony Robbins is, he is the original motivational speaker, with a severe case of ADD. This guy was jumping on couches when Tom was still with Nicole.

Tony who has been on TV before, during 2am infomercials, is now set to star on prime-time NBC from June 27. The network describing the show as an:

“Inspirational, hour-long series starring Robbins and his team of experts who will help participants and their families overcome complex challenges and personal obstacles, and turn their lives around.”

Entourage

Season 7 (my, how time flies) of the tongue in Hollywood cheek, Entourage is back on HBO on June 27.

Surprisingly, HBO seems to have put all their marketing dollars behind Season 3 of True Blood, the fact that their one time juggernaut Entourage is even coming back in just a couple of weeks has us floored.

Yes, the show is losing it's edge and doesn't contain the same witty in-joke repartee, in fact, I'm afraid to admit, it's just a bit tired. But with Ari now running his own agency, with (yippee!) Lloyd now promoted to an official Agent, E organizing a wedding to fav-Entourage gal Sloan, and the rest of the boys shooting a Ferrari film in Rome, we look forward to see if Season 7 can improve the slump of the last few seasons.

Celeb cameos expected for the upcoming season include: John Stamos, Mike Tyson, Bob Saget (still best cameo-as-self  on TV ever!), Jessica Simpson and porn star Sasha Grey, as no doubt another Vince fling.

Toddlers and Tiaras

No, this isn't an episode of High Society but rather a show highlighting all the trials and tribulations that go behind the scenes at children pageant shows.

All the glitter, hair extensions, tears, tantrums, spray tans, crowns are captured for the cameras. Yes, these are toddlers we are talking about!

The producers elected to not provide narration for the show, in order to, and we quote: "not to pass judgement". Hmm, well the fact this even airs, shows a rather twisted sentiment, a sorta Jon Benet memorial type craziness.

Yet, we must admit, the show is highly addictive, like purchasing the newest issue of US Weekly just to look at the photos of stars with cellulite...it provides a sick sort of satisfaction.

Wednesday at 10/9c on TLC.

Last, but definitely not least (did you think we could leave it out), the show the epitomizes summer fun...drum roll please...

Jersey Shore

Let's take a bridge..let's take a tunnel.. it's time to revisit our favorite Guido's! Sure, the cast may be more aware now, more jaded, acting for the cameras (like they weren't before?!), but they should be able to find more willing guido's/guidette's on the beach to hook up with them and to get their own tanned face on to TV - which sounds like great viewing to us!

Get me to the solarium pronto, boof my hair into a 'Snookie', the new season premieres on Thursday 29 July on MTV.