We know you're probably preparing yourselves for the
season finales of some of your favorite shows, but there's plenty of new and returning series premiering this summer to not just tide you over until the fall, but completely entertain you.From "
True Blood" Season 5 to the premiere of TNT's new "Dallas" reboot to the TV return of
Charlie Sheen in FX's "
anger management" to the beginning of the end of fan-favorite shows "
The Closer" and "
Damages," we've got you covered with all of the most important summer TV premiere dates. For those who think summer TV is just filler, this lineup proves otherwise: HBO's new
Aaron Sorkin series
"The Newsroom" will make its debut, as will USA's ambitious and star-studded "
Political Animals"; comedy fans have new seasons of "Episodes," "
Louie" and MTV's "
Awkward."; and reality TV addicts will get more "
Big Brother," "
The Bachelorette" and "
Bachelor Pad," "
Snooki &
Jwoww" and all the
Gordon Ramsay you can handle.We've got the scoop on the over 80 series premiering this summer, broken down by month over the next three pages (navigate the pages by clicking the page numbers 1-4 below) and listed in chronological order -- the perfect way to go down the list and start setting some season passes on your DVRs. Happy viewing!
Click to Page 2 for May premieres---pagebreak-->
MAY 2012 PREMIERES"Sherlock" Season 2 premiereSun., May 6, 9 p.m. ET on PBSThis sleek
BBC update on the classic tales of Sherlock Holmes was nominated for an Emmy and won the BAFTA Award for Best Drama Series -- and for good reason. If you missed Season 1, it's easy to catch up: The
three 90-minute episodes are streaming on Netflix.
"Around the World in 80 Plates" series premiere Wed., May 9, 10 p.m. ET on BravoIf "
top chef" contestants were sent on a trip around the world, you'd have something as frenetic and fascinatingly food-filled as "80 Plates." First stop: London.
"Common Law" series premiere Fri., May 11, 10 p.m. ET on USAPolice partners Travis Marks (
Michael Ealy) and Wes Mitchell (Warren Kole) can work together, they just can't get along. So their captain orders them to couples therapy with Dr. Ryan, played by
Sonya Walger.
"Sister Wives" Season 3 premiereSun., May 13, 9 p.m. ET on TLCKody Brown, his four wives and their 17 children are back, and this season finds them trying to get settled in Las Vegas while Kody looks for a home big enough for all of them.
"The Bachelorette" 90-minute Season 8 premiere Mon., May 14, 9:30 p.m. ET on ABCIt's single mom
Emily Maynard's turn to date a bunch of men, go on fabulous dates and hopefully, find everlasting love ... or at least someone to propose to and then break up with.
"Pregnant In Heels" Season 2 premiereThurs., May 15, 10 p.m. ET on BravoPregnancy concierge extraordinaire Rosie Pope is pregnant (in heels, naturally) with her third child when Season 2 kicks off, but that doesn't make dealing with her demanding clients and growing empire any less hectic.
"Duets" series premiereThurs., May 24, 8 p.m. ET on ABCKelly Clarkson,
John Legend, Jennifer Nettles and
Robin Thicke aren't just judges or mentors for this new reality singing competition -- they're partners with their wannabe contestants. The best amateur duet partner wins a recording contract with Hollywood Records.
"So You Think You Can Dance" two-hour Season 9 premiere Thurs., May 24 8 p.m. ET on Fox; moves to regular time slot on Wed., May 30, 8 p.m. ETLess is more in the case of "SYTYCD" this season. No,
we won't have an extra elimination show each week, but maybe that'll make the one episode a week that we do still get even more of a must-see.
"Rookie Blue" Season 3 premiere Thurs., May 24, 10 p.m. ET on ABC"Rookie Blue" is the little summer cop show that could. Now in its third season, here's hoping the action and emotion for these rookie cops gets kicked up a few notches to really get noticed.
"Men at Work" series premiereThurs., May 24, 10 p.m. ET on TbsA sitcom about four best buds and coworkers -- Milo (
Danny Masterson), the recent dumpee; Gibbs (James Lesure), the ladies man; Tyler (Michael Cassidy), the sophisticated one; and Neal (
Adam Busch), the one with the girlfriend -- who help each other navigate life.
"Hemingway & Gellhorn" original movieMon., May 28, 9 p.m. on HBO This made-for-TV movie follows the
love story of Ernest Hemingway (Clive Owen) and Martha Gellhorn (Nicole Kidman), one of America's most famous literary couples, from their meeting in 1936 through their exciting and tumultuous five-year marriage.
"Hatfields & McCoys" premiere Mon., May 28, 9 p.m. ET on HistoryHistory goes Wild West for this three-part miniseries, all about one of the most infamous rivalries in American history, starring
Kevin Costner as "Devil" Anse Hatfield and
Bill Paxton as Randall McCoy.
"The Catalina" series premiereTues., May 29, 8 p.m. ET on The CWA new sun-soaked reality series about the hot young staff at The Catalina hotel in Miami's sexy South Beach neighborhood.
"Workaholics" Season 3 premiereTues., May 29, 10:30 p.m. ET on Comedy CentralCo-workers, roommates and friends Blake, Adam and Ders are back for more partying on this underrated offbeat
Comedy Central sitcom.
"Dogs in the City" series premiereWed., May 30, 8 p.m. ET on CBSA different kind of dog whisperer, expert Justin Silver will be helping New York City dog owners with their various canine conundrums.
"Melissa & Joey" one-hour Season 2 premiereWed., May 30, 8 p.m. ET on ABC FamilyMel and Joe are back for more family hijinks and sexual tension in this throwback sitcom.
"Breaking Pointe" series premiereThurs., May 31, 8 p.m. ET on The CWThis new reality show takes place at Ballet West in Salt Lake City, Utah, one of the most intensely competitive dance companies in the country. They have dance moms there too, don't they?
Click to Page 3 for June premieres---pagebreak-->
JUNE 2012 PREMIERES"Secret Millionaire" Season 3 premiereSun., June 3, 8 p.m. ET on ABCSunday's most uplifting reality show is back with even more millionaires rewarding deserving people and heroes of their communities with cold hard cash.
"Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition" Season 2 premiereSun., June 3, 9 p.m. ET on ABCGet ready for more inspiring total life makeovers as ABC's weight loss show returns with all new stories of obese people ready to make major life changes on TV.
"The Glades" Season 3 premiereSun, June 3, 9 p.m. ET on A&EThere's an endless supply of mysterious murders in the Everglades, and it's up to Jim Longworth to solve them.
"Longmire" series premiereSun., June 3, 10 p.m. ET on A&EA modern take on both
Westerns and crime thrillers, "Longmire" follows a small-town sheriff in Wyoming (Robert Taylor) as he tries to rebuild his life after being widowed, with help from a new deputy (
Katee Sackhoff) and his oldest pal (
Lou Diamond Phillips).
"Hell's Kitchen" two-night Season 10 premiereMon., June 4, 8 p.m. ET & Tues., June 5, 8 p.m. ET on FoxHe's ba-ack! Let's hope the wannabe chefs have been working on their Beef Wellington recipes. We know how picky
Gordon Ramsay can be ...
"MasterChef" two-night Season 3 premiereMon., June 4, 9 p.m. ET & Tues., June 5, 9 p.m. ET on FoxAnd for even more Gordon goodness -- and the added bonus of his fellow judges, Graham Elliot and Joe Bastianich -- "
MasterChef" is heating up this season with the most promising and talented bunch of home cooks yet.
"Push Girls" series premiereMon., June 4, 10 p.m. ET on SundanceAn inspiring, refreshing look at why life in a wheelchair doesn't have to handicap you, these "Push Girls" are strong, fearless, take-no-prisoners badasses.
"Pretty Little Liars" Season 3 premiereTues., June 5, 8 p.m. ET on ABC FamilyNow that
we know who "A" is, what does that mean for our favorite liars? After a (thankfully) very short break between seasons, we
can't wait to see who their next big enemy is.
"Jane By Design" Season 1 summer premiereTues., June 5, 9 p.m. ET on ABC FamilyJane is back, and we'll finally get to meet
Jane's long-lost mother, played by Teri Hatcher.
"Rizzoli & Isles" Season 3 premiereTues., June 5, 9 p.m. ET on TNTThe ladies are back, but can they fix their broken relationship? After last season's insane finale, we wonder ...
"Franklin & Bash" Season 2 premiereTues., June 5, 10 p.m. ET on TNTWe're not sure we'd actually hire Franklin and Bash to defend us, but that doesn't mean we wouldn't have fun watching them try.
"Royal Pains" Season 4 premiereWed., June 6, 9 p.m. ET on USAHank, Evan and the gang are back for more quirky medical cases in the tony Hamptons.
"Necessary Roughness" Season 2 premiereWed., June 6, 10 p.m. ET on USAFootball season has begun and the doctor is in -- Dr. Dani (Callie Thorne) and the ever-plagued Hawks players are back for more unconventional therapy sessions. Now if only Dani can get her own personal life in check.
"Love in the Wild" two-hour Season 2 premiereThurs., June 7, 8 p.m. ET on NBCPeople find love in some pretty unexpected places, so why not in the middle of nowhere? With new host
Jenny McCarthy, this adventure dating show is back for another summer of love.
"Saving Hope" series premiereThurs., June 7, 10 p.m. ET on NBCA new hour-long medical drama series with an ensemble cast that includes "
Smallville's"
Erica Durance and "
The Vampire Diaries'" Daniel Gillies.
"Comedy Bang! Bang!" series premiereFri., June 8, 10 p.m. ET on IFCBased on
Scott Aukerman's award-winning podcast, this offbeat sitcom is about a
Late Night Talk Show-within-the-show, peppered with sketches and featuring an insane list of some of the biggest names in comedy as guests.
"Bunk" series premiereFri., June 8, 10:30 p.m. ET on IFCTake a classic TV game show, make celebrities sing, dance, draw and improv as the contestants and give them bizarre prizes, then you've got something resembling this new IFC show, hosted by Kurt Braunohler.
"True Blood" Season 5 premiereSun., June 10, 9 p.m. on HBOWaiting sucks, but the wait is almost over for
Season 5, which picks up right where the shocking Season 4 finale left off. One thing we're especially excited for: finally flashing back to see how Eric turned Pam.
"Our America With Lisa Ling" Season 2 summer premiereSun., June 10, 10 p.m. ET on OWNLisa Ling continues to shed light on those facets of American life that aren't always publicized, from faith healers, polygamists and sex offenders to veterans of war.
"Tia & Tamera" Season 2 premiereMon., June 11, 8 p.m. ET on StyleThese "
Sister, Sister" twins are all grown up, but they're still pretty in sync. Last season was all about Tia's pregnancy and Tamera's wedding, and this season, it's
Tamera's turn to prepare for motherhood.
"The Secret Life of the American Teenager" Season 5 premiereMon., June 11, 8 p.m. ET on ABC FamilyWith a new season ending just a week after the Season 4 finale, it's anyone's guess where Amy and her fellow teenagers will be, but the third episode of this season marks their 100th -- a huge milestone and a first for any ABC Family series.
"Bunheads" series premiereMon., June 11, 9 p.m. ET on ABC FamilyMichelle (Sutton Foster) goes from sexy Vegas showgirl to small-town ballet instructor in this new series from "
Gilmore Girls" creator Amy Sherman-Palladino.
"Dallas" series premiereWed., June 13, 9 p.m. ET on TNTWelcome back to Southfork Ranch, where the "
Dallas" alum and some fresh blood are still scheming and backstabbing for the rights to that black gold bubbling under the surface in their own backyard.
"Burn Notice" Season 6 premiereJune 14, 10 p.m. ET on USAThe gang's all back -- except Fiona. Is she really gone for good? And what does that mean for Michael Westen?
"Suits" Season 2 premiereThurs., June 14, 10 p.m. ET on USA "Suits" was a surprise hit last summer with some of the best chemistry on TV, and we can't wait to see what Mike and Harvey pull off next in their unlikely legal partnership.
"Falling Skies" Season 2 premiereSun., June 17, 9 p.m. ET on TNTSeason 2 picks up three months after Tom (
Noah Wyle) went aboard that alien ship, and his kids are still searching for him while helping to lead the 2nd Mass alongside Captain Weaver (Will Patton).
"Baby Daddy" series premiereWed., June 20, 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC FamilyThis
new sitcom follows twentysomething Ben, who finds a baby on his doorstep left by an ex and instantly becomes a new dad. Ben decides to raise the child with help from his mom, brother, best friend and gal pal who might be more.
"Inside Men" series premiereWed., June 20, 10 p.m. ET on BBC AmericaThis thrilling drama follows three security company employees who are planning a multi-million dollar heist, with the story all told from their perspectives.
"The Soul Man" series premiereWed., June 20, 10 p.m. ET on TV LandIn this
"Hot In Cleveland" spinoff, R&B singer Boyce "The Voice" Ballentine (Cedric "The Entertainer") leaves the glitz and glamour of being a soul superstar in Vegas to take over preaching duties as Reverend of his father's church in St. Louis, with his reluctant wife Lolli (
Niecy Nash) and family in tow.
"The Exes" Season 2 premiere Wed., June 20, 10:30 p.m. ET on TV LandWhat'll happen next with Holly (
Kristen Johnston) and Phil (
Donald Faison)? And can we please get
Ken Marino back to guest star as Holly's ex?
"Snooki & Jwoww" series premiereThurs., June 21, 10 p.m. ET on MTVSnooki and JWoww are leaving the "Jersey Shore" house to move into their own place together, and
Snooki's big baby and engagement news means that this is kind of their last hurrah to live it up as single best friends.
"The Newsroom" series premiereSun., June 24, 10 p.m. on HBOAaron Sorkin's latest TV drama takes a look
behind the scenes at a nightly cable news show just trying to put out the best show possible with an unpredictable anchor (
Jeff Daniels), a demanding boss (
Sam Waterston), a flighty producer (
Emily Mortimer) and the show's largely unmotivated staff (
Olivia Munn,
Dev Patel and
Alison Pill).
"The Great Escape" series premiereSun., June 24, 10 p.m. ET on TNTTNT's first reality competition show, executive produced by
Ron Howard, will follow three teams each week as they fight for a big cash prize by making it through Hollywood blockbuster-style challenges in unique locations.
"Aqua Teen Hunger Force" Season 9Sun., June 24, 11:45 p.m. on Adult SwimAt this point, they're just calling it "Aqua Something You Know Whatever" ... which is fitting, don't you think?
"Craft Wars" series premiereTues., June 26, 10 p.m. ET on TLCTori Spelling hosts this new TLC crafting competition show that pits three crafters against each other each week for challenges in all areas of crafting.
"Wipeout" Season 5 summer premiereThurs., June 28, 9 p.m. ET on ABCWill the big balls ever stop being funny?
"anger management" series premiere with back-to-back episodesThurs., June 28, 9 p.m. ET on FXYep,
Charlie Sheen's back on TV with this re-imagining of the 2003
Jack Nicholson/
Adam Sandler movie of the same name. Sheen will play an
anger management therapist with unconventional methods who needs just as much counseling as his patients.
"Wilfred" Season 2 premiereThurs., June 28, 10 p.m. ET on FXSometimes man's best friend is just another man in a dog costume. This trippy take on the hit Australian comedy returns with Jason Gann back in the shaggy Wilfred suit and
Elijah Wood's character's life falling apart because of it.
"Awkward." Season 2 premiereThurs., June 28, 10:30 p.m. ET on MTVAre you Team Matty or Team Jake? We're totally Team Jenna and can't wait for this delightful show to return.
"Louie" Season 3 premiereThurs., June 28, 10:30 p.m. ET on FXLouis C.K. is back with more brutally honest comedy, loosely based on his real life. Last season was a revelation, and we're happy the show has really found its stride.
"Brand X with Russell Brand" series premiereThurs., June 28, 11 p.m. ET on FXRussell Brand is tackling late night with this new comedy show, which looks nothing like a traditional
Talk Show (thank god) -- it's basically six half-hour comedy specials featuring Brand's signature style of stand-up, shot in front of a live audience.
Click to Page 4 for July & August premieres---pagebreak-->
JULY & AUGUST 2012 PREMIERES"Weeds" Season 8 premiereSun., July 1, 10 p.m. ET on ShowtimeYou don't screw over as many people as Nancy Botwin has and not have a few enemies out to get you. So who shot at Nancy and her family at the end of last season? (Hint: It's someone we know from her past.) And was anyone hit? We long for the simpler days in Agrestic, but at this point, we're curious if Nancy will ever get what's coming to her.
"Episodes" Season 2 premiereSun., July 1, 10:30 p.m. ET on ShowtimeYou might've written off
Matt LeBlanc playing "himself" as just another stunt, but his
Golden Globe win helped legitimize this role a bit for doubters. The fact that he plays an insanely self-absorbed, clueless version of himself whose well-endowed nature is frequently referenced? Well, that's just a bonus.
"Web Therapy" Season 2 premiereMon., July 2, 11 p.m. ET on ShowtimeLisa Kudrow's online therapist Fiona Wallice just makes us feel so ... sane. In
Season 2's 10 episodes, we'll see patients played by
Meryl Streep,
Conan O'Brien,
Rosie O'Donnell,
Molly Shannon,
Minnie Driver and
Selma Blair, among others.
"The Closer" Season 7 summer premiereMon., July 9, 9 p.m. ET on TNTWrapping up its final season with a bonus six episodes to launch the spinoff, "Major Crimes" (more on that in August premieres), get ready to say goodbye to sassy, sweet-eating Brenda Leigh Johnson forever.
"Perception" series premiereMon., July 9, 10 p.m. ET on TNTEverything isn't always what it seems, and this new drama proves that one man's perception is another man's truth ... and possibly another man's hallucination.
Eric Mccormack returns to TV as Dr. Daniel Pierce, a slightly unhinged professor and neuroscientist who helps the FBI out with tough cases.
"Opening Act" series premiereMon., July 9, 10 p.m. ET on E!A new reality series from "American Idol" producer
Nigel Lythgoe, this one plucks musical acts from online obscurity, giving them the chance to open huge concerts for artists like
Rod Stewart,
Brad Paisley and
Nicki Minaj.
Mary J. Blige will be helping Lythgoe choose the lucky groups.
"Trust Us With Your Life" series premiereTues., July 10, 9 p.m. ET on ABCImprov is back on TV with this new show, from the creators of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?," hosted by
Fred Willard. Celebrities like
Ricky Gervais and
Florence Henderson tell funny life stories while the cast of improvisers reenacts them.
"White Collar" Season 4 premiereTues., July 10 at 9 p.m. ET on USAWith a sunny new locale to kick things off (they shot in Puerto Rico), "
Smallville" and "V" alum
Laura Vandervoort joining the cast, likely as a new love interest for Neal (
Matt Bomer), and
Mekhi Phifer stopping by to play a federal agent,
this season sounds especially steamy.
"Covert Affairs" Season 3 premiereJuly 10 at 10 p.m. ET on USAThis sexy summer spy drama is back, and now that Annie's finally found her footing as an agent, with her first kill under her belt, the action can only get bigger. Rumor has it, they've shot episodes in Istanbul, Stockholm and Jordan already this season.
"Final Witness" series premiereTues., July 10, 10 p.m. ET on ABCA new true crime series that takes a different look at some very shocking murder cases, all told from the victim's point of view.
"Damages" Season 5 premiereWed., July 11, 10 p.m. ET on DirecTVThe
fifth and final season of this onetime FX hit that made the move to DirecTV last year is sure to be explosive. We may never get all the answers about Patty Hewes (
Glenn Close) and Ellen Parsons (
Rose Byrne), but we sure love to watch them spar.
"The Franchise" one-hour Season 2 premiereWed., July 11, 9 p.m. ET on ShowtimeMajor League Baseball just got a little sexier: This sports doc series is going behind the bullpen with the Miami Marlins this season.
"Beverly Hills Nannies" series premiereWed., July 11, 9 p.m. ET on ABC FamilyFrom the people who brought us "
The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills" comes a
new reality docuseries about the nannies who work in La-La-Land's most exclusive zip code.
"Big Brother" Season 14 premiereThurs., July 12, 9 p.m. ET on CBSWe don't know what the season's big twists will be yet, but we'll bet it's something big -- after 13 season, it has to be.
"The Real L Word" Season 3 premiereThurs., July 12, 10 p.m. ET on ShowtimeShowtime's hit "The L Word" told stories of lesbians living in Los Angeles, but no matter how dramatic things got, they could never rival the real thing -- these ladies are completely uninhibited, making this a fascinating guilty pleasure. Plus, this summer, they're adding some New York lesbians.
"Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse" Season 2 premiereFri., July 13, 9 p.m. ET on TbsBased on
Tyler Perry's "
Why Did I Get Married"? movies, this show stars Tasha Smith and
Michael Jai White as a married couple just trying to juggle it all while keeping their marriage intact.
"Leverage" Season 5 premiereSun., July 15, 8 p.m. ET on TNTThere are plenty of cop shows on TV, but for those who like to see things from the thieves' perspectives, this show sets up new heists each week.
"Political Animals" series premiereSun., July 15, 10 p.m. ET on USAThis six-part Washington, D.C.-based drama series boasts an impressive ensemble cast -- including
Sigourney Weaver,
Carla Gugino,
Ellen Burstyn,
Adrian Pasdar and James Wolk -- and an incredibly intriguing story full of scandal and political corruption.
"Sullivan & Son" series premiereThurs., July 19, 10 p.m. ET on TbsFrom executive producer
Vince Vaughn, this new sitcom stars comedian Steve Byrne as Steve, a guy who takes over his family's Pittsburgh bar.
"3" 90-minute series premiereSun., July 22, 9 p.m. ET on CBSBased on a hit Israeli reality dating show, "3" follows three very different women as they meet hundreds of men who could possibly be their soul mates.
"Bachelor Pad" Season 3 premiereMon., July 23, 8 p.m. ET on ABC As long as there are people willing to look for love on "
The Bachelor" and "
The Bachelorette," there will plenty of cast-offs to fill the "Bachelor Pad" house.
"Design Star" Season 7 premiereTues., July 31, 9 p.m. ET on HgtvTwelve new designers from all over the country will be vying for the ultimate reality TV prize: their own
Hgtv show. We've missed judges Genevieve Gorder and Vern Yip's brutally honest banter and, of course, Season 1 winner David Bromstad's charm.
"Major Crimes" series premiereMon., Aug. 13 at 10 p.m. ET on TNT; moves to regular timeslot Mon., Aug. 20, 9 p.m. ETThis much-anticipated spin-off of "The Closer" will hopefully make the loss of that fan-favorite show a little easier on viewers with continuing characters, including
Mary McDonnell's Captain Sharon Raydor ...