Since Entertainment Weekly kindly released their Summer TV guide, I decided that I’d that the opportunity to share with you, what I’m going to try to catch this summer.

John from Cincinnati – I’m pretty much a sucker for anything on HBO. Part of me wants to boycott this show because I was a huge fan of David Milch’s previous HBO effort Deadwood, but I’m enamored enough in his work to give this show a shot. It got good grades from EW and it’s on HBO, so my expectations are pretty high.

Big Love – I have to admit that I really kind of dig this show. The drama is there. The characters are there. It’s got all of the components that I need to keep me interested. Last seasons cliffhanger was a good one (the family is exposed?!) so I’m really looking forward to seeing how the status quo is restored.

Rescue Me – I missed the first season of this show, but much like HBO, I’ll pretty much watch anything that FX airs. Last season had a decent cliffhanger, but I’m just really more interested in seeing the characters again. This is a show that I’m not too concerned with the story arcs, I’m just more about character interaction.

Meadowlands – I know nothing about this show other than it’s on Showtime. But I enjoyed Huff, Weeds, Brotherhood and Dexter so I’m giving it a chance (The Tudors left me flat). Yup this one of those shows that I’m jumping in headfirst not knowing what I’m getting in to. No preconceived notions, no expectations. Should be interesting.

Flight of the Conchords – I’ve seen their act a few times and it’s funny. I’m glad that HBO is giving them a chance to get a wider audience. Plus I dig accents, music and comedy and this show promises all three. I’m so there!

Burn Notice – Jeffery Donovan first caught my eye in a guest stint on Homicide: Life on the Street and since then I’ve pretty much been a fan. I enjoyed his last outing on USA (Touch of Evil) so I’m eager to see him leading a show again. Plus the premise of a former spy who has all of his bridges burned sounds kind of neat.

Eureka – I watched a handful of last seasons episodes (it aired on an odd night, so remembering it was on was a chore), but I figured that I’d give the show a second chance. It was usually enjoyable, though I’m not really one for sci-fi action. Yeah, that’s about it. I’m going to give it another go.

Mad Men – I’m watching this one mostly out of curiosity. Here’s what the blurb in EW said “We will be in a fantasy world where people have unprotected sex, drink, smoke, and eat steak as much as they want.” It’s a show set in 1960 and the above quote makes it seem like a paradise. Except, for me this seems like the whole Archie Bunker idealized world where (Black) people knew their place. I’m very interested in seeing what society this show paints or if it’s just an idealized version of the white man’s heyday.

The Kill Point – I can’t really explain why I’m going to try to watch this show. It probably has something to do with me curious about John Leguizamo and Donnie Wahlberg going head to head and criminal and cop. But it’s on Spike, which has a rather huge stigma in my eyes.

Damages – Again, this goes to my willingness to give anything on FX a shot. I can’t say that I’m Glenn Close’s biggest fan, but her guest stint on The Shield a couple seasons back was some pretty powerful stuff. And I’m curious to see what FX does with a legal drama.

Weeds – This is probably the show that I’m looking forward to the most. I love Weeds. It’s one of my favorite shows on television. And last season’s cliffhanger was a humdinger. Plus EW seemed to imply that Peter’s fate is still in question. Really? Because I’d completely written him off. How is it possible that he’s not dead? I must know!

Californication – Apparently this show is going to feature naked women. Prominently. Color me curious.

Yeah that’s what I’ll be watching. That and the last three episodes of Smallville, the rest of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and the majority of NBC’s Thursday night comedy line up.