Couch Potato: Going ‘Greek’

There is no network that appeals more to the inner teenage girl in me than ABC Family.

The channel has been serving up guilty pleasure fare like the gymnastics drama “Make It Or Break It” and the high school comedy “10 Things I Hate About You” all summer long, and now it’s flagship series, “Greek,” is back with a new batch of episodes beginning at 9 p.m. Aug. 31.

(I refuse to acknowledge that awful “Secret Life of the American Teenager,” which is actually ABC Family’s highest-rated show — for reasons that escape me entirely.)

“Greek” follows a group of college students involved in an Ohio college’s fraternity and sorority system: polar opposite siblings Casey, a social butterfly and sorority leader, and Rusty, a geeky engineering major, (Spencer Grammer and Jacob Zachar); their respective best friends Ashleigh (Amber Stevens) and Calvin (Paul James); Rusty’s Bible-thumping roommate, Dale (Clark Duke); and Casey’s two exes, the often jerky Evan (Jake McDorman) and loveable slacker Cappie (Scott Michael Foster). Can you tell which guy I’m rooting for?

The last we saw, everyone was in a tizzy during Kappa Tau’s “End of the World Party” — life is, after all, just one party after another for these kids.

Casey had just confessed her love to Cappie (yay!), who turned her down because he didn’t want to be the reason things didn’t work out between her and boyfriend Max (nay!). Brokenhearted over Cappie’s decision, Casey broke things off with Max anyway and went home to sulk.

Elsewhere, Dale came close to breaking his purity pledge with cougar Sheila; Rusty bailed out on an extra credit assignment to party with girlfriend Jordan; and Calvin locked lips with one of his fraternity’s pledges.

When the new episode begins, everyone’s dealing with the aftermath — and the hangovers — from the party. 

Max is gone, and Casey’s waiting by her phone, hoping Cap has changed his mind (me too, girl, me too!).

Rusty is on the verge of being kicked out of his honors engineering program for not finishing his assignment, while Dale is feeling guilty, and Calvin can’t even remember most of his night.

Things progress from there, in “Greek’s” typical easy, breezy way. I just don’t know how anyone could not love this show.

And the writers handle the Casey/Cappie situation as well as can be expected. Sure, we all want them together. But it’s almost better if they drag it out just a little bit longer.

Similar couplings exist on both “Make It or Break It” and “10 Things I Hate About You.”

The former has gymnast Emily Kmetko and her pizza shop coworker Damon; the latter high school student and feminist Kat and frequent sparring partner Patrick.

Cappie, Damon and Patrick are all variations on that bad boy type, who, in real life, you should most definitely stay away from.

But on our TV screens, they sure are irresistible. Just like the network itself.