While the broadcast networks prepare to fill their summer schedules with reality shows, viewers will be ale to find plenty of dramatic TV shows on cable. USA Network has announced their summer plans — including the returns of Royal Pains (season four, June 6th), Necessary Roughness (season two, June 6th), Burn Notice (season six, June 14th), Suits (season two, June 14th), White Collar (season four, July 10th), and Covert Affairs (season three, July 10th).

In addition, USA is premiering a new political drama starring Sigourney Weaver. Political Animals will air on Sunday nights in July but the cable channel hasn’t specified a premiere date yet.

If It’s Summer, It’s On USA
USA NETWORK OWNS SUMMER WITH THE MOST POWERFUL LINEUP OF ORIGINAL SERIES AND THE TELEVISION EVENT OF THE SEASON “POLITICAL ANIMALS”

NEW YORK – April 17, 2012 – USA welcomes summer with its most ambitious slate of originals across five nights a week. In addition to six returning audience and critic’s favorites and a series premiere, the network ushers in a new breed of characters in the provocative mini-series event POLITICAL ANIMALS. From Hollywood heavyweights Greg Berlanti and Laurence Mark, the complex and nuanced family drama, coming Sundays in July, stars two-time Golden Globe(R)-winner Sigourney Weaver.

As summer’s most beloved brand, USA officially kicks off the season with the most-watched series ROYAL PAINS and last year’s rookie hit NECESSARY ROUGHNESS on Wednesday, June 6 at 9/8c and 10/9c. The momentum heats up with returns of BURN NOTICE and the acclaimed drama SUITS on Thursday, June 14 at 9/8c and 10/9c followed by all-new seasons of WHITE COLLAR and COVERT AFFAIRS on Tuesday, July 10 at 9/8c and 10/9c.

ROYAL PAINS: In the exciting fourth season premiere of USA’s highest rated series, Hank Lawson (Mark Feuerstein) embarks on a fresh start with his medical practice and separates from his brother Evan (Paulo Costanzo), who also starts his own venture. As Divya (Reshma Shetty) attempts to reconcile the brothers, HankMed teams up once more in the face of a Hampton’s emergency. Wednesdays at 9/8c, premiering June 6.

NECESSARY ROUGHNESS: Starring Golden Globe(R)-nominee Callie Thorne as a Long Island therapist Dr. Dani Santino, the sophomore season picks up with the aftermath of football superstar TK’s (Mehcad Brooks) shooting by a crazed fan. Also tackling football during the off-season, viewers will get a peek at the “backstage” drama that comes with training camp, scouting and drafting. Wednesdays at 10/9c, premiering June 6.

BURN NOTICE: Season six of this summer favorite picks up after Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) turned herself in on charges of terrorism to save Michael (Jeffrey Donovan) from an extreme case of blackmail. With Fiona in federal custody, Michael and his crew must band together to rescue their friend from a lifetime prison sentence. Thursdays at 9/8c, premiering June 14.

SUITS: The sophomore season of the critically acclaimed drama jumps back into the fast-paced, high-stakes world of Manhattan corporate law. The future of brilliant, but not-technically-legal, associate Mike Ross (SAG Award nominee Patrick J. Adams) hangs in the balance when a friend threatens to expose him. Legendary law partner Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) attempts to guard his secret from the firm’s top suit Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres) while she faces even bigger problems when the other half of Pearson Hardman reemerges on the scene. Thursdays at 10/9c, premiering June 14.

WHITE COLLAR: The unique partnership between slick con man Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) and FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) was upended in the highly buzzed about season three finale when Neal fled the country with Mozzie (Willie Garson). The critically acclaimed series returns for a dramatic fourth season exploring Burke’s fate with the FBI, the whereabouts of Caffrey and whether or not their relationship will ever be the same again. Tuesdays at 9/8c, premiering July 10.

COVERT AFFAIRS: The hit international spy drama returns for its third season after Annie’s (Golden Globe(R) nominated Piper Perabo) mission in Stockholm turned deadly and she returns to the one person who has always been there for her – Auggie (Christopher Gorham). However, his mind is elsewhere as he sets out to follow his new girlfriend to Eritrea and leaves Annie wondering if her feelings run deeper than she thought. Tuesdays at 10/9c, premiering July 10.

POLITICAL ANIMALS: From renowned storytellers Greg Berlanti and Lawrence Mark comes a provocative six-hour event series about a high-profile political dynasty seduced by influence and crippled by the lust for power. Starring multi-award winner Sigourney Weaver in her television series debut, Carla Gugino, Ciaran Hinds, James Wolk, Sebastian Stan and Brittany Ishibashi, the fictional look at a former first family exposes what the public doesn’t see behind the polished facade of public life. Coming Sundays in July.

The countdown to USA’s biggest summer ever begins with the new original series COMMON LAW, premiering on Friday, May 11 at 10/9c.

The #1 network in all of basic cable, USA Network is seen in 115 million U.S. homes. USA is a leader in scripted programming with a powerful stable of originals including POLITICAL ANIMALS, SUITS, NECESSARY ROUGHNESS, WHITE COLLAR, ROYAL PAINS, BURN NOTICE, PSYCH, COVERT AFFAIRS, COMMON LAW, FAIRLY LEGAL and IN PLAIN SIGHT. The network offers 52 weeks of spectacular live television with WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW and is home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, a broad portfolio of acquired series and entertainment events. A trailblazer in digital innovation and storytelling, USA is defining, driving and setting the industry standard for Social TV. USA is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. The award-winning website is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.

What do you think? Which of these returning USA TV series are you looking forward to seeing the most? Will you check out Political Animals?