What's a TV addict to do?

It’s an odd time of year—so much anticipation, so many tears, and now…so much waiting.

Oh, summer. It’s hot and sticky and the days are long and—worst of all—there’s nothing new on TV.

Or is there?

I know you’re all like me—you’re dying to know how long it will take the She-Shephard to find out about Meredith and McDreamy. You want to know what Kendall Casablancas had in the briefcase. But there are other shows too—great shows. And just in case you haven’t been watching them, isn’t now the best time to start?

-HOUSE—I always knew I’d probably like this show, but I held off on watching it for a long time simply because I didn’t think I had room for it in my repertoire. Then, that blasted USA network started showing season one episodes on Friday nights and I got sucked in. It’s a great show with a GREAT character. Oh boy, what I wouldn’t give to write one like him.

-MEDIUM—Sure, I’m not usually supernatural girl, but for some reason I buy this show about a woman who sees images of crimes and then works with the police and DA to solve them. I think it’s because she actually calls the police when a killer needs to get tracked down, and when they tell her “stay in the car” she stays in the car. Now that’s my kind of heroine.

-WITHOUT A TRACE—are you watching this? If not, why not? Great cases. Amazing actors. And it’s another one you can get into right away.

-BONES—Is it just me or is FBI-agent-former-sniper David Boreanaz hotter than vampire-with-a-soul David Boreanaz? I’m thinking he might just be!

-VERONICA MARS—okay, regular readers know how I feel about this. It’s a great show. How many ways and in how many different forms do I need to say it. Rent season one on DVD and watch two episodes if you don’t believe me. Summer is the time to give shows like this a chance, people.

And then, thanks to the gods of cable, we also get some original programming in the summer! Yippee!

-MONK—I just love this show. Again, great characters make the world go round. It’s a series where you don’t worry about what you missed last time, which I like.

-THE CLOSER—wow. This is a great show by any standards if you ask me. Keira Sedgwick deserves an Emmy. No doubt about it.

-RESCUE ME—I want to hate this show. I want to hate the guys on it. I want to be offended and repulsed, but I can’t because it’s just too true, too right, to dead-on and interesting to do anything but set the Tivo and enjoy.

-CELEBRITY POKER—Yes. I admit it. One of my goals in life is to be a major enough minor celebrity to be on Celebrity Poker Showdown.

Oh, and you could read. May I suggest a couple of books called CHEATING AT SOLITAIRE and I’D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU BUT THEN I’D HAVE TO KILL YOU?

--Ally