10 "Chick Shows" That Guys Will Enjoy

For centuries, there has been a line in the sand that even the most sexually secure man has feared crossing. On one side, shows for guys: the kind of stuff you routinely see on Spike TV, fiercely dedicated to muscle cars, bloody warriors, and women on trampolines. On the other side, shows for girls: the kind of stuff that dominates the Lifetime network, lethargic dramas, improbably romantic scenarios, and shirtless dudes with abs that put your doughy Goodyear to shame.

This line, which in the past was dutifully maintained, has signs of fading, and is slowly becoming irrelevant thanks to shows like HBO's Girls. Helmed by indie phenom Lena Dunham (Tiny Furniture) and comic superproducer Judd Apatow, Girls tells the story of four young women (Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, and Zosia Mamet) who remind you of ladies you actually know (or want to) as they take on the big city, struggling to be recognized and to make ends meet with all kinds of awkwardness.

Think of Dunham's project as a way to wiggle yourself through to the other side. After all, there's a large divide between men who openly confess their love to Rainbow Dash (male fans of My Little Pony, called Bronies) and a guy who's confident enough to watch whatever entertains him, regardless of the label it happens to fall under. Or, one who's smart enough to recognize that a female lead doesn't equate with a dainty drama, and that watching the same shows that women do makes an excellent conversation starter. Consider this your in: 10 "Chick Shows" That Guys Will Enjoy.

Written by Shanté Cosme (@ShanteCosme)

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Network: HBO
Stars: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgård, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley, Nelsan Ellis, Kristin Bauer, Deborah Ann Woll, Chris Bauer, Jim Parrack, Todd Lowe, Carrie Preston, Marshall Allman, Kevin Alejandro, Joe Manganiello

True Blood debuted at the height of Twilight-frenzy, so we understand your reservations, but think twice before you toss it into the fire with the rest of the squishy, teen-friendly vampire material. Aside from an occasional gratuitous scene of Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgård) shirtless, and the soap opera come-ons, the show explores a darker side of vampire/human relations, using the rift between the living and the undead (along with a slew of other supernatural beings) to delve into issues of prejudice, drug use (vampire blood, referred to as "V" can get humans high), and kinky vampire liaisons (think: really rough sex) that would makes the sex scenes on Game of Thrones look as sterile as National Geographic.

Network: ABC
Stars: Courteney Cox, Christa Miller, Busy Philipps, Dan Byrd, Josh Hopkins, Ian Gomez, Brian Van Holt

The name may invoke ravenous packs of 40-something females marauding a suburban town for 20-something studs, but if you tune in, that's not what you'll see. Sure, Cox is middle-aged and single, but instead of embodying Stifler's mom, she plays Jules, an awkward, recently-divorced (and now, newly committed) woman who chugs wine and chirps inappropriate jokes at her friends. Jokes that are actually funny, despite being a network sitcom. Even Abed from Community is down with it, and if a celebrity has endorsed it, you have to watch. It's a rule.

Network: VH1
Stars: Chrissy Lampkin, Olivia Longott, Somaya Reece, Emily Bustamante, Kimbella Vanderhee, Yandy Smith, Teairra Mari, Erica Mena

Reality TV is generally wack, especially shows that thrust women into the spotlight just for being married to, or having been knocked up by, the right person (see all of those "wives" shows). And we'll be honest, VH1's pièce de résistance, Love & Hip Hop, does exactly that, giving us a look in the lives of rapper's wives (or more often, ultra-long-term girlfriends), but it departs from its predecessors by actually giving insight into the repercussions of being someone's side-piece (uh, we mean side-kick), rather than a legitimate star in your own right, a topic the Kardashians would never be witnessed delving into.

Compelling social commentary aside (which is probably more accidental than anything, anyway), Love & Hip Hop is also as drama-rife as you'd expect it to be, with hair-yanking, attitude clashing, and unfounded jealousy a-plenty.

Next season, the inevitable chick-on-chick combat will go down in Atlanta, and we can't say whose lady will be in the spotlight, but we do know that the disgruntled divas VH1 rounds up make for an embarrassingly addictive watch.

Network: PBS
Stars: Hugh Bonneville, Jessica Brown-Findlay, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Siobhan Finneran, Joanne Froggatt, Thomas Howes

Period costumes, engagement drama, and polite decorum? We understand your reservations here. But this World War I drama is actually a deliciously soapy scandal, and the historically accurate trappings it's bound by only serve to keep the melodrama balanced and believably in line.

Much like Mad Men, it thoroughly transports you to another era, but unlike conflicted characters like Don and Pete, there is very little about British aristocracy that's actually relatable, and that's exactly the point. Think of it as a trip across the pond (and back in time) without the hefty airfare (or the DeLorean). And if anyone has anything to say about it, just claim you're in it for the history lesson and the lovely ladies.

Still on the fence? Maybe Kenny Powers' visit to Downton Abbey will convince you.

Network: ABC
Stars: Madeleine Stowe, Emily VanCamp, Gabriel Mann, Henry Czerny, Ashley Madekwe, Nick Wechsler, Josh Bowman, Connor Paolo, Christa B. Allen

OK, we're not going to tiptoe around this one: Revenge is practically a soap opera. A modern day take on the The Count of Monte Cristo, Revenge centers around Emily (VanCamp), a meddling girl who's focused on finding the people responsible for framing her father for terrorism, intent on ruining their lives with an almost sociopathic intensity. Instead of playing out in a predictable way, Emily's plotting makes for a darkly campy mystery that plays out in an unlikely, posh Hamptons setting.

It's over the top, but also surprisingly well acted. Madeline Stowe, even managed to snag a Golden Globe nom for her role as the ruthless queen bee, Victoria. But the ultimate selling point is the fast pace at which twists, turns, and cliffhangers are unveiled, leaving you like an adrenaline junkie, helplessly returning for your weekly fix.

Network: Food Network
Stars: Giada De Laurentiis

Even if you've never cooked something outside of your microwave (no, putting your Hot Pocket in the oven so it gets extra crispy doesn't count), you'll enjoy Everyday Italian. Upon the sight of the scrumptious Giada De Laurentiis, even a half-starved man can become oblivious to his growling stomach.

Of course, Giada can cook (and cook well) and she can cheerfully walk you through concocting a veal saltimbocca, but the chances of you ever learning anything when her decollete looks so damn delicious are pretty slim. I mean, people have written haiku to those things:

A summer sausage
Mesmerized by olive breasts
Forgot what she baked

---

The colander rests
Filled with Spring pasta
- Is she lactating?

See, Giada's culinary pursuits inspire poetry! We rest our case.

Network: ABC
Stars: Jeremy Sisto, Jane Levy, Ana Gasteyer, Rex Lee, Carly Chaikin, Allie Grant, Alan Tudyk, Cheryl Hines

Remember those snarky one-liners that made Mean Girls so awesome? (Don't even deny you liked it.) Well, Suburgatory also revolves around a new-to-school redhead, but she has more wit in a single scarlet ringlet than Lindsay Lohan ever did.

Uprooted from the city when dad (Jeremy Siston) finds an (unopened) box of condoms, Tessa is thrust into a suburban hell (well, purgatory, according to the portmanteau) stuffed with vapid people that she can't help but spew vitriol on. Plus, it's right before Modern Family, so it gives you a completely legitimate excuse to be caught watching.

Network: HBO
Stars: Lena Dunham, Adam Driver, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, Allison Williams

In refreshing contrast to the chick shows of yesteryear, creator-writer-producer Lena Dunham's (Tiny Furniture) refreshingly apathetic take on Girls doesn't sink into mindless banter about shoes or make the mistake of glamorizing 20-something sex. Instead, it portrays young women who live like actual young women.

They're bored with being loved, they have to deal with dudes whose lackluster sexual skills thrust sheet time into the realm of circus arts, and they endure being undervalued in the workplace, and other cringe-inducing experiences of girls in their 20's living in New York City. Pay attention to Dunham's keen observations and not only will you get laughs but also a voyeuristic glimpse into the urban-dwelling, majored-in-the-arts, female mind. What you do with that insight is up to you.

Network: CBS
Stars: Julianna Margulies, Matt Czuchry, Archie Panjabi, Graham Phillips, Makenzie Vega, Alan Cumming, Josh Charles, Christine Baranski

For a show that's likely flying under your radar, The Good WIfe has snagged a lot of awards (14), with its leading lady Julianna Margulies taking home an Emmy (2011), a Golden Globe (2009), and Screen Actors Guild Awards (2010 and 2011) for her amazing portrayal of Alicia Florrick.

You'll be happy to hear that the titular "good wife" isn't a wife at all, but in the midst of a divorce from her d-bag husband, a state attorney involved in one of those sordid sex scandals that politicians always find themselves in, forcing her to return to a career in litigation. The twist? Alicia isn't a self-pitying, weak woman who forgives her husband for his dirty deeds (see: the wives of Bill Clinton, Eliot Spitzer, and Anthony Weiner, who stuck by their men). She's not a good wife at all, which is exactly what makes her (and the show) so intriguing.

Network: Fox
Stars: Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Lamorne Morris, Hannah Simone

Most people fall in to one of two camps: they either get woozy with Deshanel's eccentric antics, or can't wrap their heads around her indie allure. If you happen to be firmly planted in the latter camp, watch a few episodes of the quirky sitcom, and you'll likely see what the fuss is about.

Zooey's heavy charms and penchant for spontaneous songs aside, the young sitcom has been rapidly developing thanks to the genuine chemistry between her and roommates Nick (Jake Johnson) and Schmidt (Max Greenfield), and the trio's talent for physical comedy.

There is a fair share of Jess' (Deschanel) and her roomies dating catastrophes, but they stray from typical, formulaic sitcom material and increasingly strike more relatable notes (although they play out in outlandish scenarios). Plus, Schmidt is easily the most loveable douche on television. How often do you hear those words together? Exactly. Watch this show already!