The doldrums of summer

We have officially reached the slow weeks of summer for TV entertainment. Obviously, the best thing to do this time of year involves booze and being outside. However, there are times you just want to sit on the couch and be lazy. So I bring you the 6 best things running on television to watch and keep entertained every week.

6) Old shows in syndication: (Evenings: USA, TNT, TBS, Comedy Central)
Seinfeld, Family Guy, South Park, Law & Order. Even shows you wouldn't usually watch like Just Shoot Me, Spin City, Everybody Loves Raymond or Scrubs. There is a good chance that you have already seen the episode, but it is still awesome.

5) Tosh.0: (Thursdays: 10pm Comedy Central 30min)
Daniel Tosh is finally making it into mainstream media. The brilliant comedian showcases random web video and precedes to mock them. Consider this like America's Funniest Home Video's.... only funny.

4) Entourage: (Sundays: 10:30pm HBO 30min)
Entering their 6th season, the show has managed to get back to what made it best. Hysterical quotes from Drama and Ari coupled with Vinnie banging lots of different girls and living the Hollywood life. That was the premise that made the show great in the first place. They tried to add failure and create additional drama (not Johnny) to the show over the last 2 seasons, but realized to go back to the Gold-en formula.

3) Hung: (Sundays: 10pm HBO 30min)
A new show this year staring Thomas Jane as a guy down on his luck. He is a divorced high school history teacher/basketball coach. A phenomenal athlete while in high school, injuries cut his career short and he ended up working for the school. After his house catches on fire, his kids move out to live with their mother and her new husband. After running out of options, he decides to become a male escort because of his "best asset".

2) Royal Pains: (Thursdays: 10pm USA 60min)
Another new show this year, USA decided to piggy back off the idea of our #1 TV show. An emergency room doctor, Hank, on the cusp of marriage has a freak death happen under his supervision. He is let go from the hospital in Manhattan, left by his fiance and begins a downward spiral of self-loathing. His younger brother swoops in and takes him to the Hamptons for a Memorial Day Weekend get away. Hank ends up saving a life at a party and becomes the concierge doctor for the rich in the Hamptons. His intelligence and impromptu use of everyday items to save lives works as the overall premise of the show, along with comedy relief from his brother.

1) Burn Notice: (Thursdays: 9pm USA 60min)
The best show on television no matter what time of year showcases action, drama, comedy and intelligence with some sex sprinkled in. Former spy Michael Westin helps everyday people in extraordinary situations (kidnappings, thefts, murders) using everything from C-4 to automatic weapons to duct tape. Its MacGyver meets James Bond. Now in the third season, they have made their second strong change in the plot and it continues to maintain the same level of entertainment. Great writing, great acting, great action.

What this really shows is the lack of effort that network television puts forth in the summers. To be honest, their regular line-ups have really put up a poor showing recently. It appears that cable and premium channels have managed to tip the scales in their directions. Shows such as Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Rescue Me and Dexter are showing that people are tired of censorship and just want TV to be good again.