Summer gets such a bad wrap.  In ages past, summer programming and “boring” went hand in hand.  There has been a definite shift in recent years, though, to some really quality TV during the hot summer months…some shows that even overshadow their big-boy, fall season counterparts.  Here are some shows to check out this summer…you may just like what you find.

Kyle XY - ABC Family - Mondays 8/7c

I like ‘Kyle XY’ alot.  It’s not the deepest show on TV, it doesn’t have the best acting and it’s not the most well-written thing around.  But it’s got a really fun storyline, which follows Kyle (Matt Dallas) as he struggles to find out why he can’t remember anything before the point when he woke up naked in the forest, and why he has these amazing supernatural abilities.

‘Kyle XY’ is a great summer family show, in that it offers something for everyone…for the girls you’ve got the cute guys; for the dudes there’s the sci-fi storyline.  If you’re a fan of either of those, check this one out.

The 4400 - USA Network - Premieres Sunday, June 17 9/8c

The 4400 was Heroes when Heroes wasn’t cool.  See, the 4400 were ordinary people who, over the course of history, were somehow abducted.  They all return at once, completely unaware of the time that has passed, and all manifesting different abilities.  Rather than focus on the “secret abilities” angle that ‘Heroes’ used this season, ‘The 4400′ brought the powers right out in the open, so the question of what to do with these potentially dangerous people brings a great political aspect to the story that ‘Heroes’ only hinted at this season. 

If you’re a fan of ‘Heroes’, check out ‘The 4400′.

Monk - USA Network - Premieres Friday, July 13 9/8c

At one time a detective working for the San Francisco Police Department, obsessive-compulsive Monk retired from the force after his wife was killed in a car bomb attack.  He now consults for the department on some of their more difficult investigations.

Tony Shaloub was born to play the role of Adrian Monk.  He can go from side-splittingly funny to touchingly pathetic in a heartbeat.  I urge you to check this one out, if only to see his performance.

Rescue Me - FX - Wednesdays 10/9c

‘Rescue Me’ is consistently the roughest, most envelope-pushing drama on television today. Dennis Leary plays Tommy Gavin, a New York fireman battling with the bottle, a family that’s spinning out of control around him…oh, yeah, and the whole fire thing. And he’s hooked up with Sheila, the wife of his late cousin, who died in the World Trade Center on 9/11. Oh, and his cousin appears to him from time to time.

If you’re looking for a bright, happy hour of television, look elsewhere. But if you want fantastic drama, tremendous performances, and are not easily offended by a steady stream of “how far can we go without getting fined”, ‘Rescue Me’ is the best show you’ll find this summer.