Character Diana Barrigan on White Collar.

By Magdalena Burnham

It’s pretty safe to associate the summer season with guilty pleasure TV. Sure, this season is giving us The Newsroom and the return of Breaking Bad, but a lot of summer TV is stuff like the Dallas reboot, that trashy reality dating show that’s also a parody of The Voice and Charlie Sheen’s return to television. In that spirit, I’ve decided to write about summer TV with appropriate depth and analytical insight. So, I present to you the ten hottest characters of the summer.

10. Diana Barrigan (White Collar)

Played by: Marsha Thomason

It’s an indisputable fact that there’s nothing hotter than a beautiful FBI agent. Diana nails that irresistible combination of sexy and badass.  She’s smart enough to be one of the only agents that Peter completely trusts and she has a tendency to solve the cases while the actual protagonists of the show are busy worrying about other things.

White Collar will return to USA on Tuesday, July 10^.

9. Emily Fields (Pretty Little Liars)

Played by: Shay Mitchell

Beautiful, beautiful, tall, beautiful Emily is going through a hard time this season and it’s breaking my heart. All I want is for her to be happy so I can see that glowing, bright smile light up my TV again. Let’s get through this together, Emily.

Pretty Little Liars airs Tuesdays on ABC Family.

8. Alicia Lowe (The L.A. Complex)

Played by: Chelan Simmons

In the beginning of The L.A. Complex’s first season, Alicia stood out as the character that was consistently nice to everyone. That was what made it so heartbreaking watching her slip from stripper to porn actress as she wondered if it was time to give up on her dream of being a dancer. Through it all, Alicia stayed one of the most likable characters to cross my TV screen in a long time.

The L.A. Complex will return to The CW on Tuesday, July 17.

7. Abby Vargas (The L.A. Complex)

Played by: Cassie Steele

Abby’s confidence and how comfortable she is with her body make her incredibly sexy. Beyond the fact that she walks around in a torn-up tank top and denim shorts all of the time, Abby is funny and honest and full of determination. Watching her is possibly the best part of this excellent show.

6. Neal Caffrey (White Collar)

Played by: Matt Bomer

It’s easy to think that Matt Bomer probably reached peak sexiness playing a stripper in Magic Mike, but even though he keeps his clothes on relatively often, Neal Caffrey is an incredibly sexy character. Matt Bomer finds the perfect balance of suave sophistication and adorable cuteness to make audiences swoon.

5. Peter Burke (White Collar)

Played by: Tim DeKay

At first Neal seems like the sexier half of the main duo of White Collar since his face is too perfect to believe, but Agent Peter Burke’s adorable smile, street smarts and strong morals are a winning combo. Plus, he secretly has the body of Captain America. Don’t be fooled by all the button-down shirts and jackets.

4. Kaldrick King (The L.A. Complex)

Played by: Andra Fuller

There have been a lot of failed attempts to dramatize hip-hop culture, but Kaldrick King truly embodies the masculinity and aggression of the rappers that the character is inspired by. It’s a character type that TV doesn’t pull off often and the gorgeous and charming Andra Fuller truly brings him to life.

3. Travis Marks (Common Law)

Played by: Michael Ealy

Travis could probably have the personality of a potted plant and he’d still make this list because he looks like Michael Ealy. But, instead of coasting on Michael Ealy’s incredibly blue eyes and perfect bone structure, the writers made Travis charming, intelligent and just vulnerable enough. Thanks, Common Law.

Common Law airs Fridays on USA.

2. Jessica Pearson (Suits)

Played by: Gina Torres

There is no describing Jessica in a way that does her justice. Gina Torres is stunningly beautiful with a bonkers body. As a character, Jessica commands respect and possesses a strength that is rare to see on TV. She puts the rest of humanity to shame as we all bask in her glow each week.

Suits airs Thursdays on USA.

1. Harvey Specter (Suits)

Played by: Gabriel Macht

Before the pilot of Suits introduced Harvey Specter, I didn’t believe any TV show would ever be capable of creating a perfect man. His face is so beautiful that every time he comes on screen, I feel surprised as I remember how beautiful he actually is. He’s always well dressed, always charming, always the best at everything he does. He is Harvey Specter.

By Magdalena Burnham

Summer might be the time when a lot of your favorite television shows go away, but networks are pumping out plenty of interesting new shows to fill the void. Here is a rundown of the most buzzed about new summer programs.

Dallas
Get out your “I Shot J.R.” T-shirts—someone has decided to reboot that show you heard about where the last season turned out to be a dream. Patrick Duffy returns to his Dallas roots, joined by newcomers Jesse Metcalfe, from Desperate Housewives, and Jordana Brewster. The previews TNT has released make the show look dead serious, but it would be nice if it were cheesy fun and focused on Metcalfe’s abs. Premieres June 13 on TNT.

The Newsroom
This is easily the most anticipated—and prestigious—show of the summer, so be sure to watch it if you want to have opinions on this year’s Emmys or talk to your pretentious nephew. The Newsroom was created by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, Sports Night) and stars Jeff Daniels (Terms of Endearment, The Squid and the Whale) as a news anchor. It will go behind the scenes of the cable news world; the previews promise the signature Sorkin dialogue his fans have become accustomed to. Premieres June 24 on HBO.

Duets
Duets is a reality show in which four alleged superstars search for a talented unknown artist to compete with them in a singing competition—not the most original idea a network ever tossed out. The talents involved are Kelly Clarkson, Robin Thicke, Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and John Legend. They all seem like perfectly nice people, but you’d think ABC would get a bigger variety of stars to draw a wide audience. Compared to the careful musical diversity on display in The Voice’s panel of judges, this show seems like it really only cares about the mom audience. Premieres May 24 on ABC.

Dogs in the City
When you start to feel exhausted by shows like The Newsroom, where you have to think and pay attention, flip over to this CBS reality show. Hopefully, it’ll be mostly footage of cute dogs; the only way it could go awry is if it gives us too much of the human star of the show, dog trainer Justin Silver. Premieres May 30 on CBS.

Anger Management
Exactly what Charlie Sheen’s new series on FX will be like is a bit of a mystery, since none of the trailers have included any actual footage from the show. But reports say that the show tested very well, so Sheen might just get his victorious comeback. The cast also includes Selma Blair. Premieres June 28 on FX.
Magdalena Burnham studied television writing at New York University. She currently resides in the East Village.