5 Awesome TV Shows to Watch This Summer

It's almost time for summer, which means that you may already be mourning the loss of many of your favorite shows as they go on a long hiatus. So if you're shedding a tear that "Community" is out of session, that "The Vampire Diaries" is retreating into its coffin, or that "How I Met Your Mother" is folding up the ducky tie, then here are five awesome summer shows that you can enjoy in the hot months:

"True Blood"

Summer is synonymous with "True Blood," as the HBO supernatural drama/soap opera is heading into its fifth season. The trailer is already out, and it looks to be an eventful season with all-new, all-powerful baddies in town. And probably a lot of nudity and sex, too. Fair bet.

"True Blood" premieres Sunday, June 9 at 9PM on HBO.

"Breaking Bad"

If you haven't been watching "Breaking Bad," now is the time to start. Like, literally right now. What are you waiting for? The first few seasons are available on Netflix, and the fifth season premiere won't be until July, so you have plenty of time to catch up. Yes, you may have to watch a couple of episodes per day, but trust me when I say that you won't mind. "Breaking Bad" is truly one of the best, most heart-stopping shows on TV.

The fifth season will also be the final one, and will be split up into two parts, with the second part airing in 2013. So even if you don't manage to catch up by July, you can catch up before the second half of what is sure to be a nail-biter of a final season.

"Breaking Bad" has not set a premiere date, but will begin at some point in July, airing on Sundays on AMC.

"The Newsroom"

What makes "The Newsroom," which is a brand-new, unproven show, a must-watch this summer? Two words: Aaron Sorkin. The "West Wing" creator and "The Social Network" scribe created this drama about a cable news anchor (Jeff Daniels) who must do damage control after an outburst and keep his show running. If Aaron Sorkin isn't enough for you, here's one more word: HBO. Okay, that's more of an acronym.

"The Newsroom" premieres Sunday, June 24 at 10PM on HBO.

"Futurama"

"Futurama" has been around a long time, but like a fine wine, it has only gotten better with age and goes down better with a dash of Torgo's Executive Powder. It seems that "Futurama" has seen many deaths and rebirths at the hands of television executives, but with a home (and contract) at Comedy Central, it should be around for at least another year. And that's a reason for a Zoidberg-esque "hooraaaay!"

"Futurama" premieres Wednesday, June 20 at 10PM on Comedy Central.

"Louie"

Created by and starring comedian Louis C.K., "Louie" has quietly become one of the best shows on television, and perhaps the single best comedy. A show that takes on the absurdity of life and relays it to us as only Louis C.K. can, "Louie" is a prime example of the fine work that the FX network is doing in selecting their talent for comedy shows. "Wilfred" gets a nod here as well, and will air on the same night. Consider them required watching. They're that good.

"Louie" premieres Thursday, June 28 at 10:30PM ("Wilfred" airs at 10PM).

Honorable Mentions:

"Political Animals"

This new Washington-based political drama will be a short one--there will only be six episodes in this miniseries run--but it could pack a major punch. The show has pulled together a cast that includes Sigourney Weaver, Carla Gugino, Ellen Burstyn, Adrian Pasdar and James Wolk, all of whom have the talent to make this show a winner. Even if the script supports them just a little, we could see fireworks.

"Political Animals" premieres Sunday, July 15 at 10PM on USA.

"Snooki & JWOWW"

Admit it. You're at least a little bit curious as to what will happen on this "Jersey Shore" spinoff that follows besties Snooki and JWOWW as they get up to their usual antics (read: drink a lot and get in fights while sporting irrational cleavage). That curiosity, and the chance to collectively shake our heads even more at the fact that Snooki is going to be a mother, should turn at least a few eyes in the direction of this train wre--I mean, TV show.

"Snooki & JWOWW" premieres Thursday, June 21 at 10PM on MTV.

"Falling Skies"

The first season of "Falling Skies," which aired last summer, was a bit uneven. There were points of actual excitement, but in general the characters acted so brainless and so oblivious to the solutions to the alien threat in front of them that it was a bit frustrating to watch. It took an 8-year-old kid to think up the idea to make bullets out of the super-strong metal from the alien robots, so that gives you an idea of what we're dealing with.

But, there's potential here for a pretty good show, and while there are weak spots in the cast, there are strong ones as well. You might watch to catch up on season one and give "Falling Skies" a try this summer.

"Falling Skies" premieres Sunday, June 17 at 9PM on TNT.