Your Gay Guide to Summer TV
This weekend marks the official beginning of summer and the official end of regular season TV – but don’t despair! Our favorite big-budget dramas and first-class sitcoms might be on hiatus, but summer TV is an entirely different kind of treat. A guilty pleasure kind of treat.
Sure, Grey’s Anatomy and Glee are taking a breather, but there are still plenty of lesbian shenanigans to keep you occupied. Here’s a run-down of shows we think you’ll want to tune in for this summer.
What: Pretty Little Liars
When: Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. starting June 14
Where: ABC Family
Why you care: Your #7 Hot 100 pick, Shay Mitchell, plays lesbian teen Emily Fields. And in Rosewood, PA, every day is a fresh chance for murder, mystery, mayhem, vampires, werewolves, robots, bank heists, fun houses, illicit affairs, brown-bag portraits and extraordinary hats.
What: White Collar
When: Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. starting June 7
Where: USA
Why you care: Lesbian FBI Special Agent Diana Barrigan’s girlfriend will finally be making an appearance this season. Adding to Diana’s general badassery, the oft-mentioned Christie will “bring out Diana’s lighter side with her sweet smile.” Awesome. As long as she gets to keep her gun.
What: True Blood
When: Sundays at 10:00 p.m. starting June 26
Where: HBO
Why you care: Kristin Bauer‘s Pam De Beaufort is one of our favorite vampires ever, and that’s saying something. The lesbian bar owner has a morbid sense of humor and a lethal brand of charm. Plus, Bauer says the real question is “How strong is Pam? This season … she’s really tested.”
What: Rizzoli & Isles
When: Mondays at 10:00 p.m. starting July 11
Where: TNT
Why you care: Angie Harmon‘s Detective Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander‘s medical examiner Maura Isles are the most lesbian not lesbian couple on TV. They’re so very (un)gay, that you demanded subtext recaps last season, and we were happy to provide them. They bicker, they cuddle, they solve crime. Bonus: Angie Harmon’s incomparable voice.
What: The Glee Project
When: Sundays at 9:00 p.m. starting Jun 12
Where: Oxygen
Why you care: Ryan Murphy and Dante Di Loreto are producing the reality show in which they they plan to find a new castmember for the third season of Glee. Murphy says if a guy wins, he’ll likely be a love interest for Mercedes. And if a girl wins? Well, Santana is single. And we wouldn’t mind a lesbian love triangle to occupy our fan fic for the summer.
What: Single Ladies
When: Mondays at 9:00 p.m. starting May 30
Where: VH1
Why you care: VH1’s first scripted drama is being produced by Queen Latifah, and it boasts a colorful cast, including Stacey Dash (of Clueless fame) and LisaRaye McCoy. It’s a Sex and the City-esque take on friendships and sex, written by women.
What: Exes & Ohs
When: Wednesdays at 7:30 starting Jun 29
Where: Logo
Why you care: Jen’s search for Ms. Right is still as lesbian as can be. Jealous exes with whom she’s still friends? Check. New, rapid-pace romances? Check. The threat of a sex tape? Oh, wait – that’s brand new! You’ve got our attention now, Exes and Ohs.
Honorable Mentions (Returning shows with female leads):
So You Think You Can Dance – Premiered May 26 on Fox. Mia Michaels, Mary Murphy and Cat Deeley. Also, probably some dancing.
HawthoRNe – Starting June 14 on TNT. Jada Pinkett Smith is back for the third season of TNT’s medical drama, which stars Vanessa Lengies as lesbian nurse Kelly Epson.
Hot in Cleveland – Starting June 15 on TVLand. That’s right, Betty White is still accomplishing more in one afternoon than you do in a month.
Weeds – Starting June 27 on Showtime. Nancy is in prison in New York. At least she’s got Olga Sosnovska to keep her company.
The Big C – Starting June 27 on Showtime. Hopefully Cynthia Nixon will return to Laura Linney‘s side this season.
The Closer – Starting July 11 on USA. Do you think Kyra Sedgewick has just started using that southern accent by default after all these years?
Covert Affairs – Starting on June 7 on USA. Piper Perabo and guest star Lena Headey. ‘Nuff said.
What show are you most excited about this summer?