Summer TV's Guiltiest Pleasures

Despite being cheesy, risqué and even ridiculous, these shows are guaranteed to keep you glued to the tube all summer long.

Jersey Shore
Season 2 finds the self-described Guidos and Guidettes far from Seaside Heights as The Situation’s abdominal situation, Snooki’s ferocious fingernails, Ronnie’s boardwalk brawls, Sammi’s alienating accent, Vinny’s fist-infused dance moves, J-Woww’s tacky trucker hats, and Pauly D’s sky-high hairdon’t return to wreak havoc on the shores of South Beach like only their sun-kissed selves could. I suggest you get your GTL (gym, tanning, and laundry) taken care of before 10 p.m. on July 29 in order to sit back, relax, and watch TV’s greatest train wreck take off.

True Blood
Alan Ball’s fang-enhanced gothic fantasy always finds a way to suck me back in. It definitely bites on occasion, but thanks to the super sexy ensemble (including a new pack of shirtless werewolves) and the writing team’s perverse plotlines, I refuse to remove this guilty pleasure from my DVR.

Big Brother 12
By no means is “BB” (what true devotees lovingly call it) the best-produced reality show on TV. It is, however, the most addictive program ever invented. With three episodes in primetime, an unedited, 3-hour nightly program that airs on Showtime, and the ability to watch the houseguests competing, fighting, and flirting on a 24-hour Web feed, the Julie Chen-hosted show takes up the majority of my free time every summer, and I love every shameful minute of it!

Wipeout
Big Red Balls. 'Nuff said.

Next Food Network Star
Now, in addition to watching every food show under the sun, I also have to admit to watching Iron Chef Bobby Flay and Season 6 mentor Giada De Laurentis coach wannabe cooks every Sunday evening. Guilt never tasted so good.