At last, the long wait is over! HBO's sexy vampire drama "True Blood" is finally kicking off a new season on Sunday.
In honor of Eric, Sookie and Alcide's return, we take a look at some of the other steamy shows on TV. And before you get all hot and bothered by the omissions on this list, relax. We've purposely excluded the programs that are explicitly about sex.
'Mad Men'
Who knew the advertising business could be so sexy! Yes, the mysterious and perennially depressed Don Draper (Jon Hamm) is easy on the eyes and has more intimate scenes than a lot of TV's leading men, but the show's sex appeal goes beyond him and his escapades. There's his wife Megan (Jessica Pare), who apparently likes to clean their apartment in her delicates and get all the men hot and bothered by singing a lusty French tune; the dapper Roger Sterling (John Slattery), who gets his own admirable amount of action; and of course Joan (Christina Hendricks). The secretary-turned-business-partner proves you don't have to be a size 0 in skimpy clothing to make it work. Joan's always appropriately covered up, yet gets plenty of attention -- probably more than she'd like.
'Scandal'
Sex and politics often go hand in hand, and that is definitely true of the ABC drama starring Kerry Washington as crisis manager Olivia Pope, and Tony Goldwyn as President Fitz. Yes, the two have had many steamy sex scenes together, but that's not all that makes the show so hot. The pair often sets the small screen on fire with nothing more than their crazy chemistry, longing looks and a few choice words.
'Game of Thrones'
When you think of "Game of Thrones," you might imagine dragons, deceit and death -- lots and lots of death. But it's not all dark and dreary in the Seven Kingdoms. Heck, even in the coldest Westeros winter couldn't counteract the heat coming from residents. As with other HBO original dramas (such as "True Blood" and … well, pretty much every other one the network's put out), sex and nudity aren't in short supply -- just pay a visual visit to Littlefinger's brothel to see evidence of that stuff. And beyond those graphic images, there's still plenty to satisfy viewers. With so many easy-on-the-eyes characters (Hello, every Lannister sibling!), sexiness isn't hard to find.
'The Borgias'
If you didn’t watch Showtime's “The Borgias” because you thought it would be religious and pure, you were so wrong. The epic saga of the 16th century Borgia dynasty rivaled “Game of Thrones” and “True Blood” in the sex department with its full-frontal nudity, explicit sexual situations and hot bodies. There was straight sex, gay sex, extramarital sex and even incest. Where “Game of Thrones” was more animalistic and power-driven in its depiction of brother-sister sexual attraction, Cesare (Francois Arnaud) and Lucrezia Borgia (Holliday Grainger) lingered in their passionate lovemaking. It was as hot as it was uncomfortable, and yes, we will miss all of it when the series finale airs Sunday night.
'Dancing With the Stars'
Sequins! Spray tan! A giant mirror ball! OK, at first glance, ABC's reality TV competition seems more cheesy than anything else. But loyal viewers know better. Between the women who hit the floor in barely there costumes and the toned and often-shirtless gents that join them, there's plenty to appreciate -- especially when you pair them up for some of the ballroom's sexiest routines (think paso doble, tango or the dance so often referred to as "the vertical expression of a horizontal desire," the rumba). While the sex appeal of the stars changes each season, the reliable stable of eye-catching pros (including the particularly eye-catching Chmerkovskiy brothers) means fans will always have something to look forward to.
'The Bachelorette'
While viewers never see any actual sex on “The Bachelorette” -- what happens in the Fantasy Suite stays in the Fantasy Suite! -- the show still serves up plenty of lusty moments. From romps in the hot tub to frisky beach makeout sessions, the show never fails to supply steamy moments, in addition to ample amounts of bathing -suit-clad eye candy for its viewers. Current “Bachelorette” Desiree Hartsock has done her job to ensure a sexy season, admitting to TVGuide.com that she wanted her guys to be shirtless as much as possible, insisting her dates include “hot tub, pool, any outdoor activity that requires shirts off!” The ladies of America thank you, Des!
'Vampire Diaries'
Wait, is this CW hit really about vampires and other supernatural beings? More often than not, the drama seems to focus on the love triangle among vampires Stefan (Paul Wesley), Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Elena (Nina Dobrev), with a nice sprinkle of sexy bad boy Klaus (Joseph Morgan). Not that we're complaining. While there are indeed grand adventures during the gang's endless battles against evil, "Vampire Diaries" quite often takes a nice long detour to focus on Damon's intense eyes, charming smirk and fantastic physique during his shirtless scenes, whether he's dancing at a party or just stepping out of the shower. And here we thought bloodsuckers were supposed to be cold as ice.
With additional contributions from Maria Elena Fernandez and Ashley Majeski.