The Boys of Summer II: The hotties of summer's scripted TV

Summer TV has traditionally been a wasteland of reruns and reality shows. But lately the warmer months have become a time when the cable networks roll out their signature scripted series and the broadcast nets air edgier or quirkier fare. In the tradition of my earlier look at the men of the summer movies, here are some of the guys bringing the heat to the small screen.

Matt Keeslar
on: The Middleman (currently airing, ABC Family)

Alright, so Keeslar has been on my gay pop culture radar for some time for his roles in films like Splendor, Psycho Beach Party and Urbania. (And then there's that Dune mini-series....) For a little while, we didn't see much of Keeslar, but he's hard to ignore on the ABC Family series The Middleman. With a rapid-fire wit that rivals Buffy's best moments, The Middleman's quickly become one of those shows I can't wait to see and Keeslar only gets sexier for me when I realize what great comedy chops he has.

Frederick Weller and Christian De La Fuente
on: In Plain Sight (currently airing, USA Network)

I was surprised when USA's latest procedural series (about US Marshalls working the witness protection program) turned out to be far more addicting than most of USA's shows. Maybe it's the guest stars, which have included the likes of Dave Foley and Missi Pyle. But a definite part of it is getting to see Weller and De La Fuente (who gay audiences probably remember best for playing gay on The Class) in supporting roles every week.

Grant Show
on: Swingtown (currently airing, CBS)

Alright, the pornstache really should be a turn-off, but there's something about Show's performance on Swingtown that totally makes me look past it. And I'm certainly looking forward to seeing how far his character goes when his wife's ex-boyfriend comes to town.

Dillon Casey and Lucas Bryant
on: MVP (currently airing, SOAPNet)

Business-wise, I have no idea why SOAPNet is airing this Canadian hockey soap opera, which got canceled after ten episodes. On the other hand, a quick look at the guys makes me understand why they couldn't resist airing it. Much like the Brit sports soap Footballers' Wives, there are good number of locker room scenes on MVP and that means plenty of scenes with Casey in a towel. Anything less would be a waste of a good six-pack!

Sterling K. Brown and Drew Fuller
on: Army Wives (currently airing, Lifetime)

I don't usually tune in to Lifetime, but Army Wives got me hooked in its first season, partly due to Brown's cerebral Roland and Fuller's big-hearted Trevor (I hear there are some Charmed DVDs I need to rent for him).

Jeffrey Donovan
on: Burn Notice (debuts July 10, USA Network)

Wearing a suit on the sizzling beaches of Miami should make you look silly, but Donovan looks so good, he manages to make his discredited spy look cool (it helps that he doesn't look like he knows what he's wearing is far too warm for the weather).

Jason Momoa and Joe Flanigan
on: Stargate: Atlantis (debuts July 11, Sci-Fi Channel)

Okay, so it's no Doctor Who, but Stargate: Atlantis can certainly satisfy a sci-fi itch every now and then. I've suffered through a lot of bad TV for the Honolulu-born Momoa (who got his start on Baywatch and then moved on to Fox's deservedly short-lived North Shore) so it's certainly nice to see him on a series that doesn't consistently leave me wincing. Plus, I get to enjoy Jewel Staite on my TV again.

Chris Bisson
on: Shameless (debuts July 20, Sundance Channel)

Shameless is one of my favorite shows on television for its richly drawn characters, episodes that move so quickly they often feel like movies, and ability to mix drama and comedy. I also appreciate that the relationship between gay Muslim shop owner Kash Karib (Bisson, above) and young Ian Gallagher doesn't take a backseat to the other couples of the Chatsworth Estate area. Kash and Ian certainly have an interesting relationship, as Kash's more conservative and religous wife knows about their relationship. And based on the peek I've taken of the third season, they've got a few more interesting challenges ahead.

Jon Hamm
on: Mad Men (debuts July 27, AMC)

While I decided to pass on Mad Men after checking out the premiere (I just didn't enjoy watching a reminder of how everyone who wasn't a heterosexual white male used be much more oppressed then than they are now), lead actor Jon Hamm's handsome visage is tempting me to give the show a second chance. Visually, Hamm is perfectly cast for a show set in Mad Men's era, and he looks fine in a suit.

Colin Ferguson, Neil Grayston, and Ed Quinn
on: Eureka (debuts July 29, Sci-Fi Channel)

Once Doctor Who's fourth season ends on August 1 (and from what little I've read it sounds amazing), I'll be needing a show that can offer science fiction with a mix of silliness, imagination and adventure. Thus, I'll be glad that Eureka returns for its third season a few days earlier. Happily, Eureka also brings the eye candy whether that be Ferguson's hunky everyman quality, the tall and dark Quinn or the adorkable Grayston (who's come a long way from being the mouthbreather on Wonderfalls, hasn't he?).

James Murray
on: Primeval (debuts August 9, BBC America)

I've had a frustratingly mixed history with BBC America's Saturday Sci-Fi series, but I've got my hopes up for Primeval, which is about a team of scientists trying to figure out why extinct predators are suddenly showing up in the modern day. Among the team is Stephen Hart, who apparently spends the time when he's not fighting monsters "perfecting his six-pack abs." I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that the series doesn't disappoint me the way most BBC America sci-fi shows have (sorry, Hex and Robin Hood fans).

Matthew Horne
on: Gavin & Stacey (debuts August 26, BBC America)

Fans of Catherine Tate probably recognize Horne as the patient grandson of the foul-mouthed Nan on The Catherine Tate Show. In the critically-praised romantic comedy Gavin & Stacey we finally get to see Horne take on a leading role. Hopefully, the adorably goofy side of Horne we sometimes see on The Catherine Tate Show will get a full showcase on Gavin & Stacey.

That's just a taste, though, of who'll be gracing the small screen this summer. Which actors are you looking forward to seeing?