Fall TV Preview

Although the CW got a bit of a jump on the other networks, the fall TV season starts in earnest around the end of the month through early October. So that means it's the time of year for me to look at my weekly viewing plan for new and returning shows. Here's how things look to be shaping up for me after checking out Entertainment Weekly's preview issue.


SUNDAY

This is an easy day to figure out - keep watching animation on Fox. That means The Simpsons, American Dad, Family Guy, and King of the Hill. That means watching The Amazing Race on tape delay at 10, or maybe the other way around depending on how good a season it is (MORE hippies? Not promising.). I also may try a taped viewing of CW's Valentine, where a family of Greek gods live in Los Angeles. I'm a sucker for anything with mythological characters, so it deserves at least one look.


MONDAY

As much as I tried to resist it, The Big Bang Theory really picked up steam with Penny facing off against Sheldon, so I'll keep watching. How I Met Your Mother should really start off strong - imagine all the laughs to be milked from Robin and Barney doing it! HIMYM is definitely the show I'm most looking forward to having back in my life. Although it really tanked last season, I have heard so much talk about a Heroes revitalization that I'm going to give it at least a temporary reprieve. As for CBS's new comedy Worst Week, I think I'll let the jury (i.e. critics and viewers) give it a try first and let me know.


TUESDAY

With nothing at all on my plate for this day, I am going to try the premiere of Fringe. It's the newest drama from J.J. Abrams, which means my chances of liking it are automatically better than even. It may be too creepy/scary for my tastes, but we'll see. Beyond that, I'm holding out for the return of Reaper mid-season.


WEDNESDAY

Project Runway is drawing to a close, and America's Next Top Model is just starting up. On top of those, we'll be taping Pushing Daisies, which is a show I'm sad dropped off our schedule last year. ScottE may yet convince me to start watching Dirty Sexy Money. And perhaps in reruns I'll watch some of The New Adventures of Old Christine, which is usually fun, and has a "marriage of convenience" subplot happening this year.


THURSDAY

NBC's comedies are generally something I'll watch, but catch in reruns if I miss them - The Office especially. Kath & Kim is one that I'll be trying out, because I love Molly Shannon. I also love Niecy Nash, so at least one episode of Do Not Disturb will be on my schedule. I really, really don't want to get back on the Survivor bandwagon (I stopped watching after the first All-Star season), but they are trying to lure me back with the siren song of another season in Africa! Convince me to stay away, people!


FRIDAY

This is never a good night for TV, so I applaud ABC's decision to move Supernanny here. It's just the right show for that slot, because I don't care if I watch it several days late. Fridays are also a good day to catch up on other shows that we've taped (like those from my super-packed Wednesdays).


SATURDAY

If we're home? It's Netflix night.

So that's the plan for me. What will you be watching? What are you most looking forward to? And where on this schedule do you think I've missed the boat?

On a side note, I know I haven't mentioned Lost, which we know won't be back until mid-season at the earliest, as will Battlestar Galactica. They're going to be my "clear everything from my schedule" shows when they do return!

Rounding Out Premiere Week

After watching Monday night's shows, here's how the rest of my TV week went.

On Tuesday we tried out the new CW show - Reaper. It was fun - a little bit quirky, with some laugh out loud moments. And how can you not love his schlubby best friend with a name like Sock? So we enjoyed it, and I plan to keep watching.

Wednesday after Top Model (which I'll write about later), I tried Private Practice. Was it great? No. But it wasn't bad either. I like enough of the actors well enough to give it a few more weeks to come into its own. It also helps that Paul Adelstein (who plays a nymphomaniac) is totally hot and was naked in the first five minutes of the show! (Yes, I'll wait while you go watch that part in slow-mo.)

And then there was Thursday. Rather than watch The Office premiere (I'm sorry, Jim and Pam - don't look at me that way!), I tried being loyal to Grey's Anatomy. Wrong move! The show has been going downhill for awhile, but the premiere was the end for me. Without Addison to be saucy, and without Burke to be stoic, everyone else wanders around with nothing to do. Izzy and George continue to be pathetic. Christina is a ghost of her former self. McDreamy and McSteamy say boring things to each other. And by making Callie the new chief resident, the Chief has neutered Bailey to the point that she can't even save the show.

Thus, I'm sad to say that I canceled my season pass to Grey's Anatomy. We broke up. It's over. No break-up sex, either. My loyalty on Thursdays now belongs to The Office, where it should be!

Stay tuned for the Top Model recap for this week! It's a good one!