Usually, TV takes a summer vacation (hence the programming dead zone we're currently enduring). But occasionally, our favorite sitcoms take us with them to the beach when they return in the fall.

To honor the arrival of the greatest season of all, AOL TV rounded up a list of our absolute favorite summer TV episodes -- the ones that remind you of the beach, of fireworks or of hanging out with friends.

Though we encourage you to spend your holiday weekend outside, preferably grilling and/or swimming, marathoning these summer-themed TV episodes indoors with the AC on full blast is an acceptable alternative. After the jump, AOL TV's list of our favorite quintessentially summer TV episodes.

Gordon Ramsay fans will be delighted to know that soon they'll be getting back-to-back doses of the potty-mouthed British chef, Monday nights on Fox. And antiques fans can set a date with the Keno twins for the launch of their new show.

Following disappointing ratings for the Season 2 premiere of 'MasterChef' earlier this week, Fox execs have tweaked the summer schedule to give the cooking show a boost. It will now air before ratings powerhouse 'Hell's Kitchen,' which returns for its ninth season in July.

According to Deadline.com, Fox had originally planned to air 'MasterChef' Mondays and Tuesdays at 8PM ET, an hour earlier than last summer. But, after ratings plummeted a whopping 33 percent on Monday, and went up only 10 percent the following night, Fox is moving the series to the 9PM ET slot, which is where it aired last year behind 'Hell's Kitchen.'

The move on Monday will be made right away, with a 'MasterChef' rerun airing Monday June 13 at 8PM ET, leading into a new episode at 9PM ET. Come July, Fox hopes that 'Hell's Kitchen' viewers will stay with the network for a second helping of Ramsay.

As the new season of 'White Collar' gets underway it's been announced that three more actors have booked guest spots on the series.

According to 'The Hollywood Reporter' 'Gossip Girl' alums Mädchen Amick and Robert John Burke, plus Amick's 'Twin Peaks' co-star Dana Ashbrook, will all be stopping by the F.B.I. dramedy this summer.

Amick will play "sultry femme fatale" Selena Ellis in the episode titled 'Veiled Threat' airing July 5. Selena's suspected of marrying wealthy men for money, and the real question is: Will she catch Neal's (Matt Bomer) eye?

Ashbrook will guest star on the July 12 episode, 'Scott Free,' together with Hutch Dano ('Zeke and Luther'). He'll play Carlisle, a status-conscious millionaire playboy "who loves to spend big bucks on extravagant, over-the-top objects."

It's no secret that the networks pad their summer schedules with cheap-to-produce reality fare. And we're fine with that -- who wants to spend the summer indoors glued to the TV waiting for the next suspenseful episode of 'The Good Wife,' anyway? Instead we can come back from the pool/beach/watering hole of your choice and turn on some fun, mindless reality competition series.

One problem -- with a wealth of shows to choose from, how do we decide which ones to add to the DVR queue? From wannabe dance divas to house-bound roommates, here's a guide to the reality competition series vying for your viewership during the summer months. Which ones will you watch?

"For the past six weeks the acts have been battling it out for your votes." - Nick Cannon

Honestly Nick, it's felt like 60 years. My interest in "AGT" has seriously waned over the past few weeks, and my boredom transformed into anger when the semi-finals were delayed for two whole weeks by obnoxious YouTube and Wild Card specials (yes, not even little Jackie Evancho could compensate for all the tedium). On Tuesday night we finally made it to the semi-finals. But even though host Nick Cannon boasted that "the ultimate prize is closer than ever," all this episode was going to do was inspire viewers to pick five acts out of 12 amongst the 24 still eligible to make it to the final 10. It's exhausting even thinking about it.

I went into "AGT" with an open mind Tuesday, really I did. But even the judges didn't seem all that impressed by the performances. Still, during the occasional thrilling act, I was reminded why I liked this show in the first place.

(S12E04) Tonight was the big night -- the first eviction from the 'Big Brother 12' house. Not only that, but the eagerly awaited reveal of the saboteur, too. Plus, there's the Head of Household competition. Did I mention that this is all live?

If you combine 'BB' hamsters, Julie Chen, a live audience and a slew of things that have to get done, does it all go like planned? Well, kind of, sort of. The show finished up on time with the saboteur revealed, the eviction completed and a new Head of Household along with some other tidbits thrown in. But that doesn't necessarily mean all went as planned by production.

(S12E02) Between 'Big Brother 12' and 'Persons Unknown,' I feel like I'm living my summer in a 'Clue' game video -- either that or an Agatha Christie cozy mystery. If you haven't heard, those lovable house guests have been infiltrated with a saboteur this season. Complete with altered video appearances and shenanigans, the saboteur is out to wreak havoc on the house.

Now, from a viewer's point of view, it's just darn funny. The intrigue! The mystery! The fear in those little hamster eyes as yet another video is shown! The saboteur is supposed to be good for five weeks' time. What will they do after that? Or, more importantly ... what went down tonight?

(S12E01) It's the moment we've all been waiting for ... the season premiere of 'Big Brother 12' complete with a saboteur in the house! Everything is in place for yet another summer of guilty pleasure voyeurism. Our favorite ChenBot (Julie Chen) is back hosting, yet without glitter for this season's premiere. Some things never change, though. I clocked her first "but, first ..." of the season two minutes into the show.

Ah, but we need to get into the skinny, don't we? The first impressions of the new hamsters in action, the first Head of Household competition and, but of course, that saboteur twist. Read on!

Yes, the big "reveal" went down. New hamsters, new show logo, new house and a new twist. Yesterday, we gave you a quick rundown of the cast, along with the video clips and photos. But now let's delve into this cast, rip 'em apart and spit 'em out! I'm here to trash the twist and mock the beach design of the house. I'm here to wreak havoc! Oh wait. That's the twist.

Anyway, I want to know how I'm spending my summer, don't you? I want to have at least an inkling of what's in store for me. After all, they're going to be my roommates for the next three months. While I won't be in the house itself (never!), this group of strangers will end up being a part of my life. So, let's get into it ...

While our favorite TV shows take a summer break that doesn't mean our televisions cool down. Let's be honest -- it's nice to give our brains a break deciphering Easter eggs. So kick off the flip flops and enjoy a glass of lemonade with our summer TV premieres. There are some brand new shows to look forward to on all network fronts, including new episodes of 'Wipeout,' 'Mall Cops: Mall of America,' 'Scoundrels' and new seasons of "Toddlers and Tiaras' and 'Weeds.'

Check out the entire schedule after the jump!

It's not really possible that every summer premiere on the great American broadcast TV schedule crashed and burned, is it?

But, out of all the original programs that premiered on the major networks after the completion of the fall 2008 season, not a single one got traction.

According to analysis reports, you can take your pick from any of the following shows: Defying Gravity, The Superstars, The Listener, Mental, The Philanthropist, Hitched or Ditched, Merlin and Great American Road Trip. All of them bombed -- each hovering just above a one market share.

In fact, you don't need numbers to prove that the fall crop crapped out. Ask your friend what his/her favorite summer replacement show was. You'll be waiting awhile.

About a month ago, I mentioned my television summer project. The West Wing was such an excellent series that I stampeded by way through the episodes and am done already. In fact, if you summed up the quality of every reality show on television, it wouldn't come close to the quality of The West Wing (thus furthering the argument that writers are mandatory for good television).

I agree with most of the critics that the series took a drop in quality in Season 5. With the departure of Sorkin, the characters began to make decisions that seemed inconsistent with the first four seasons (I'll write more about that in a separate article). Seasons 6 and 7 saw an upswing in quality, mostly due to the change in the whole premise of the show (making it about the Presidential Election rather than the Presidency).

The West Wing was a very deep and intelligent program and probably better than we deserve. Next up: Aaron Sorkin's other television contributions, Sports Night and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

I'm not gonna lie: 'NYC Prep,' Bravo's reality take on 'Gossip Girl' in which a bunch of teenagers battle real-life Upper East Side drama, is my most-anticipated show of the summer -- especially now that I've seen the preview clip floating around the internet.

Watch it after the jump ...

Kyra Sedgwick was once best known for playing Julia Roberts' sister in 'Let's Give Them Something to Talk About.' But that was before Sedgwick found 'The Closer' (new season starts Mon., June 8, 9PM), the hit TNT crime drama in which she stars as Brenda Leigh Johnson, an Atlanta transplant heading up a special crimes task force in L.A. Think Columbo, with a much nicer trench coat and a desk drawer full of sugary treats.

We caught up with Sedgwick to discuss the new season, the secret to her long and happy union with Kevin Bacon ... and which stripper role she desperately wanted to play.

Yes, summer's guilty pleasure voyeur television is just around the corner! CBS has announced that Big Brother 11 will premiere on Thursday, July 9 at 8 PM ET/PT. In addition to the Thursday night show, BB11 will also air at 8 PM ET/PT on Sundays and 9 PM ET/PT on Tuesdays. Phew ... no Wednesday show this season. That never worked out last season -- rush, rush, rush, then bored hamsters for four days.

The casting for the show is in its final stages according to Kasting Inc.'s recent twitter. The finalists have been notified and the process should be finished within a few weeks. Of course, once news on the new hamsters is known, we'll let you know right here on TV Squad.