Summer TV Totally Worth TiVo-ing

The three month long writer’s strike this winter left us cold, lonely, and without our favorite shows. The strike ended in February, but it took the writers and showrunners a while to get back in the swing of things. We had stunted seasons of shows like The Office to compensate for the time off, and while we support the writer’s, that made us very sad. Thankfully this summer there’s more than enough new shows to hold our procrastinating attention.

These shows are worth your TiVo time this summer:

Swingtown (CBS, Thursdays – 10pm) Think Mad Men with sex and drugs in place of sexual harassment and martinis. This new CBS show takes place in a suburban town in the the mid-1970s, where a new couple befriends their neighbors who like to enjoy themselves with some kinky sex practices, namely partner swapping and foursomes.

The Factory (Spike, Sundays – 10pm) – Spike TV’s first original television series takes a comedic look at four bored small town factory workers. This is a good program for those who like the shipping guys on The Office. The show was written by and stars Mitch Rouse, co-creator of Strangers With Candy.

Secret Diary of a Call Girl (Showtime, Mondays – 10:30pm) – This show about a twenty-something legal secretary by day, call girl by night has already garnered good reviews. A UK import, this show might be all about sex, but it’s surprisingly un-sleazy.

Shows to avoid:

Don’t bother with…

Hurl (G4) – People eat a lot and then throw up. Yeah… that’s the whole show. What’s happened to our country when this is considered entertainment?

Living Lohan (E!) – I watched the pilot episode of this show about Dina Lohan and her not-famous daughter Ali because I thought it was be voyeuristic fun. It’s not. It’s just depressing (Dina and Ali care about nothing but being famous) and boring.

American Gladiators (NBC) — If you like steroids, spandex, and foam rubber, watch this. If not, steer clear. It’s just not as fun as the early 90’s original

[Any other shows you recommend? Hate? Let us know!]