LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- Spike TV will take on giant swamp rats in its new reality series "Rat B*stards," premiering Tuesday, July 31 at 10:30/9:30c.

The half-hour project, from Studio Lambert and American Chainsaws Entertainment, follows "a pack of industrious guys dubbed the 'Cajun Commandoes' in Louisiana who hunt these elusive 40-pound menaces both to sell and to eat." Eli Holzman, Stephen Lambert, Royal Malloy, Duke Straub and Colt Straub are the executive producers. The network commissioned six episodes back in January (read the story).

Meanwhile, the cable channel has also booked a return date for fellow freshman entry "Big Easy Justice." The 10-episode series, which follows legendary New Orleans bounty hunter Tat-2, will resume with back-to-back episodes on Monday, July 23 at 11:00/10:00c. The show previously ran for two weeks in April - Tuesday, April 10 (600,000 viewers across two episodes) and April 17 (489,000 viewers) at 10:00/9:00c - before getting the hook.