• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – This show grew on me last season and although it’s still basically a make fun of the geeks (or academic geniuses) show, Sheldon is the funniest geek around, and pretty Penny makes a decent straight man for them to play off of.
• Community (NBC) – Joel McHale’s character might be a little too smug, but I have to say I like it, and though the rest of the hodgepodge Spanish study group characters aren’t as well developed yet I like the way they are going, and they make me laugh pretty consistently bringing out new sides of each other.
• Cougar Town (ABC) – This show started off a little rough with Cox as the bumbling new single mother (reminds me a bit of Old Christine), but her inappropriateness is getting more natural and the supporting cast is all pretty amusing.
• Glee (Fox) – I don’t know that I would normally characterize this a comedy but its hour stories have some hilarious as well as touching moments, soapy drama, and very fun musical numbers, it is about a glee club after all, though we’re all ready to get rid of the wife.
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – Although Barney alone would make this show worthwhile it’s a good ensemble piece with some nice layered characters, and the contrived storytelling to Ted’s future kids allows for some creative uses of info in the flashback stories, and I don’t care who the mother is.
• The Middle (ABC) – Heaton is funny heading her slightly odd family muddling through life in middle America, although it’s gotten a little repetitious with the weekly struggles I’m still checking in.
• Modern Family (ABC) – The documentary style show mixes three related and disparate families, father with new young hot Latin wife and son, uptight daughter with her geeky trying-to-be-hip husband and father of three, and the gay son with partner and newly adopted baby (my favorite), though I think the uptight couple could use a dose of balance the characters are rich and mix well for funny.
• The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS) – Maybe not quite as funny as it used to be but I still think Julia Louise Dreyfuss can do self deprecating and physical comedy better than most with her slightly pathetic (but funny) circle of friends and family.
• The Office (NBC) – This show is still bringing some funny but it’s dropping down a few pegs for me, not at all due to Pam and Jim finally getting hitched which seems to be working well, but maybe it’s because Jim’s matured and there’s really only so believably inept Michael can be as ‘the best branch manager’ after all these years, but the characters are all still good and it’s got some layers that can keep it going.
• Parks and Recreation (NBC) – The Office meets small town politics and Amy Poehler is the new Michael, a bit over the top, and although this show often doesn’t make me laugh quite as much during the show, thinking back I always remember tons of funny lines and moments.
• 30 Rock (NBC) – More episodes than not I  laugh a lot, and this show may have the most quotable one-liners for me (with Modern Family chasing), and although only Liz and Jack seem to be somewhat real characters, the ridiculous supporters help bring about situations in the behind the scenes sketch comedy show with topical humor like nobody’s business.
• Two and a Half Men – I used to laugh at the Odd Couple style comedy of these mismatched brothers and one of their part time kids but the crass humor has run its course and the kid just gets older, though I’ve yet to reject it from the queue.

Monday

• Heroes (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere - I just couldn’t take it anymore so I have no idea what they’re up to and I’d like to keep it that way.
• House (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – I am not entirely sure why I still watch this show, every episode they almost kill someone until they save them and House is an ass, but now I just need to see if he’s an insane ass.
• Dancing with the Stars/Castle (ABC, 8/10pm) Season Premiere – I don’t watch the dance but I am taken in by Fillion on Castle.
• How I Met Your Mother/Accidentally on Purpose/Two and a Half Men/The Big Bang Theory/CSI: Miami (CBS, 8-11pm) Season/Series Premiere – Accidentally is supposed to be a stinker but Mother and Big Bang are pretty consistently funny, and I never watch Caruso on CSI.
• Brick City (Sund, 10pm) Series Premiere – First of a five-part series on Newark NJ.
• Misadventures (Trav, 10pm) Series Premiere – First Brazil and then Burma.

Tuesday

• NCIS/NCIS: Los Angeles/The Good Wife (CBS, 8-11pm; GW repeats Sat 9pm) Season/Series Premieres – First the original which I’ve honestly never see, then LL Cool J and Chris O’Donnell head up the latest spinoff, does this mean CSI: L&O: NCIS: Boston is next? But wait, Wife is supposed to be a great mix of drama and cases.
• The Forgotten (ABC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Christian Slater heads up volunteers helping to fight crime.
• The Naughty Kitchen with Chef Blythe Beck (Oxy, 10pm) Series Premiere – More reality fare on the menu as they follow a chef and her team.
• Table for 12 (TLC, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere - I think this is the one with more kids and no tabloid divorce.

Wednesday

• The New Adventures of Old Christine/Gary Unmarried/Criminal Minds/CSI: NY (CBS, 8-11pm) Season Premieres - First some laughs and then some murder, not to give anything away.
• Mercy/L&O: SVU (NBC, 8-10pm; Mercy repeats Sat 9pm) Series/Season Premiere - The lives of three nurses and then back to the special victims.
• Modern Family/Cougar Town/Eastwick (ABC, 9-11pm; MF/CT repeat Fri 9pm) Series Premieres – With this chunk of new shows let’s hope for a winner, rumor has it Family is the best on this block.

Thursday

• CSI/The Mentalist (CBS, 9/10pm) Season Premiere – I’ll pass on CSI but I do like Baker’s charms.
• Flash Forward/Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 8/9pm; FF repeats Fri 8pm) Series/Season Premiere – First the blackout that is the premise for at least one season and then George is out and Izzie is in, except for the break Heigl takes to shoot her movie, would that be at the same time Mer is out maternity leave, damn me for still watching this show.

Friday

• Brothers/Dollhouse (Fox, 8/9pm; Brothers repeats Sun 7pm) Series/Season Premiere – This new show isn’t supposed to be all that but tune in to see what the latest capers Echo and the crew get into.
• Smallville (CW, 8pm) Season Premiere – Clark continues.
• Ghost Whisperer/Medium/Numb3rs (CBS, 8pm) Season Premieres - Don’t tune into the two visions shows but do tend to catch the crime math.
• L&O (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere - And the longest running drama series is back.

Saturday

• 48 Hours Mystery (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – I’m not even sure why it’s 2 days.
• Saturday Night Live (NBC, 11:30pm) Season Premiere – Megan Fox hosts with U2 in the musical guest spot.

Sunday

• Extreme Makeover: Home Edition/Desperate Housewives/Brothers & Sisters (ABC, 7/9/10pm) Season Premiere – Construction, soapy drama, whiny drama.
• The Simpsons/The Cleveland Show/Family Guy/American Dad (Fox, 8pm) Season/Series Premiere – Animation all night long.
• 60 Minutes/The Amazing Race/Cold Case (CBS, 7/8/10pm) Season Premieres -  News, racing, and an old crime set to old music.
• Dexter/Californication (Show, 9/10pm) Season Premieres - I don’t get this channel but make someone else save Dexter for me, what will the season bring.
• My Fair Wedding (WE, 10pm) Season Premiere – Something about a wedding.

Repeat times noted for new series on traditional network channels, please always consult your current local listings.

Monday 

• 8pm: NBC – Chuck (CBS – The Big Bang Theory/How I Met Your Mother) (CW – Gossip Girl)
• 9pm: NBC – Heroes (CBS – 2 1/2 Men/ABC – Samantha Who?)

Tuesday

• 8pm: Fox – House
• 9pm: CBS – The Mentalist (CW – Privileged)
• 10pm: NBC – Eli Stone (NBC – L&O: SVU)

Wednesday 

• 8pm: Fox - Bones (ABC – Pushing Daisies) (CBS – The New Adventures of Old Christine/Gary Unmarried)
• 9pm: NBC – Life
• 10pm: ABC – Dirty Sexy Money (NBC – L&O)

Thursday

• 8pm: NBC - My Name is Earl
• 9pm: NBC – The Office/30 Rock (ABC - Grey’s Anatomy)
• 10pm: ABC – Life on Mars

Friday 

• 9pm: CBS – The Ex List (CW – ANTM encore)
• 10pm: CBS - Numb3rs

Saturday

• Nothing

Sunday

• 9pm: CW – Easy Money

But wait there’s more… known midseason and cable picks: Breaking Bad (AMC), Burn Notice (USA), Celebrity Rehab (VH1), The Closer (TNT), Dexter (Show), Eureka (SciFi), Flight of the Conchords (HBO), Greek (Fam), Lost (ABC), Project Runway (Bravo), Reaper (CW), Saving Grace (TNT), Scrubs (ABC), Sons of Anarchy (FX).

Monday

• Heroes (NBC, 8/9pm) Season Premiere – First we countdown, maybe that means they try to explain what the heck has happened in the first two seasons, then what’s normally an engaging but uneven series has some promising buzz as this year we meet the ‘villains’.
• Dancing With the Stars (ABC, 8pm, second rounds Wed/Thurs) Season Premiere – Who will delight America this season and how long can we keep Cloris Leachman in the mix?
• The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – This show grew on me throughout last year, as the geeks and their straight woman/hot girl Penny make fun, super misfit Sheldon steals the show.
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – This show has a great ensemble and the Barneyisms are almost worth it alone.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – They’re back with more odd couple shenanigans.
• Worst Week (CBS, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – Folks are saying this could be funny, but again, not sure about one mishap after another for a whole season.
• Boston Legal (ABC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Is this show still on? Is this show still getting emmy nominations?
• CSI: Miami (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – I think someone shot Horatio, can anyone really stand David Caruso?

Tuesday

• Opportunity Knocks (ABC, 8pm) Series Premiere – A game show where families win based on knowledge of each other.
• NCIS (CBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – I admit I’ve never seen this navy investigation show.
• Eureka (SciFi, 9pm) Season Finale – Maybe we find out what happened all those years ago and how their new fixer was involved.
• The Mentalist (CBS, 9pm) Series Premiere – Simon Baker solves crimes after years as a fake celebrity psychic.
• Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Luke Perry won’t do 90210 so catch him in this ep, will he be creepy?
• Without a Trace (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – I used to watch this show but no longer catch the FBI’s weekly missing person drama.

Wednesday

• Knight Rider (NBC, 8pm) Series Premiere – Unless there were significant changes from the made for tv movie/pilot this one’s a pass.
• The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – I actually like this ridiculous show where JLDreyfuss and her gang are obnoxious but funny.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS, 8:30pm) Series Premiere - Jay Mohr deals with his divorced dad lifestyle.
• David Blaine (ABC, 9pm) – I’m always a little wary of these ‘magicians’ who do something like hang from a wire for days.
• Criminal Minds (CBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – I think we ended last season with an explosion, is all the team coming back?
• CSI: NY (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – This one isn’t as annoying as Miami and is a decent procedural.
• Lipstick Jungle (NBC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Of the identical average new chick shows of last season (the other was Cashmere Mafia) this one rolled over to this season, let’s hope they fine tuned things.

Thursday

• Ugly Betty (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – I never quite appreciated this campy soap drama.
• My Name is Earl (NBC, 8/8:30pm) Season Premiere – Last season’s coma didn’t quite work, let’s hope this season is back to its white trash misfit make amends roots.
• Survivor: Gabon (CBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – So they’re in Gabon, wherever that is.
• The Office (NBC, 9/9:30pm) Season Premiere – What’s in store this year for Michael and Pam and Dwight and that other main guy?
• Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Now that we’re over most of the Mer/Der drama let’s get back to the rest of the gang.
• ER (NBC, 10pm) Season Premiere – I recall hearing that this 15th season is the last and they’re trying to get as much of the gang back together as they can, Clooney is a long shot.

Friday

• Presidential Debate (Various, 6pm/pst) – This election season feels like it has been going on forever but now we could really start to get down to it as Jim Lehrer moderates.

Saturday

• Dirty Sexy Money (Soap, 9am) – Catch up on delightful season one with this marathon.
• Chris Rock (HBO, 9pm) – In his Kill the Messenger special we see comedy from a few locations on his tour.
• 48 Hours Mystery (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – I don’t know that I’ve ever watched this true-crime series.

Sunday

• 60 Minutes (CBS, 7pm) Season Premiere – The stop watch still ticks.
• Extreme Makeover: Home (ABC, 7/8pm) Season Premiere – I f I read this correctly a single mother of four took in her sister’s 10 children…. I can’t even take care of my plants, she deserves a house.
• The Amazing Race (CBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – I understand this is one of the ‘good’ reality shows.
• The Simpsons/King of the Hill/Family Guy/American Dad (Fox, 8-10pm) Season Premieres – The animation evening continues.
• Desperate Housewives (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – As I understand it they’re refreshing things by skipping ahead five years.
• Cold Case (CBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – Another one of those procedurals I didn’t keep up with.
• Dexter (Show, 9pm) Season Premiere – Ok I’m still on season 3 on netflix but this one is addictive.
• Brothers and Sisters (ABC, 10pm) Season Premiere – So if anyone missed it the now making out Rebecca and Justin are not really related, she only thought she was his sister for a while.
• The Unit (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – When the team protects the vice and president elects, they could just paste a current candidates head on the actor’s bodies.
• Californication (Show, 10pm) Season Premiere – Too easy to make a David Duchovny joke.
• Little Britain (HBO, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – A fav british sketch show may take a few weeks to get its new american legs.
• The Life & Times of Tim (HBO, 11pm) Series Premiere – Steve Dildarian former ad guy and fun painter creates this new animated series.

• America’s Next Top Model (CW, Wed 9/3 ) – Yes Tyra is annoying but it’s not really about her, it’s about the annoying wannabe models and this year they promise a transgender contestant.
• Big Bang Theory (CBS, Mon 9/22) – I don’t love this show but Sheldon makes me laugh enough, and Darlene is joining her Roseanne boyfriend as a regular this season.
• Brothers & Sisters (ABC, Sun, 9/28) – I almost don’t even like this show but I can’t help but tune in to see what mess the Walker family is getting into and this season we should see the real illegitimate half sibling.
• Criminal Minds (CBS, Wed 9/24) – I usually actually only catch this special FBi unit cathing the brutal serial killer of the week show in repeats.
• Eli Stone (ABC, Tues 10/14) – This quirky guy with visions that may be leading him along won me over, but did we really leave him in a coma after an operation?
• Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, Thurs 9/25) – Yes Grey herself is totally annoying but maybe as she theoretically sticks with McDreamy this season we can focus on the rest of the good supporting cast.
• House (Fox, Tues 9/16) – Last year’s shakeup to cranky House’s team gave him some new fodder, though they didn’t find a good balance yet of old and new, and what of best bro after his girlie’s death?
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS, Mon 9/22) – This show still has a lot of hilarity, though I don’t care how he met the mother, or whether it is or isn’t Sarah Chalke.
• Law & Order (NBC, midseason) – I dropped this for a few years but found myself tuning back in this last season as the current ensemble seems to be working.
• Law & Order: SVU (NBC, Tues 9/23) – I know this show is all about Stabler and Benson but I don’t love them, though I keep tuning in, this is the one with the sex crime slant.
• Life (NBC, Mon 9/29) – This detective back on the force after being falsely accused amused and interested with his oddball antics though not so much on the conspiracy of his conviction.
• Lost (ABC, midseason) – Well I loved the start of last season but at the end of the day was a little underwhelmed by the Oceanic 6 getting off and having to go back, this season starts a new chapter, I’m very curious and definitely still in.
• My Name is Earl (NBC, Thurs 9/25) – I am still amused enough by Earl and his trashy family getting his karma back in line, though bored by the coma version of Earl and the normally likable Alyssa Milano.
• The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS, Wed 9/24) – I still think this is a great role for Dreyfus to do broad funny as an crazy and awkward single mom with her misfit family.
• Numbers (CBS, Fri 10/3) – This isn’t a great procedural but the interplay between FBI and math genius brothers solving cases works, though math brother just lost his credentials, whatever will they do.
• Reaper (CW, midseason) – This show started strong last season and almost lost me with its capture of the week but the devil’s bounty hunter and friends found a new rhythm by introducing some additional intrigue, and the devil is fantastic.
• Samantha Who? (ABC, Mon 10/6) – Applegate is winning as her post amnesia persona tries to marry her old bad ways with her new clean slate.
• Scrubs (ABC, midseason) – I was surprised by the network move though I think this show has a great cast and good balance of silly fun, though we’ll see how well they transition to the predicted new young cast additions.
• Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox, Mon 9/8) – This show grew on me as the cast and intrigue were better developed while Sarah and her son John try to change the future by jumping years with the help of hot chick terminator Summer Glau.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS, Mon 9/22) – This show’s lost its edge a bit for me as the brothers work their odd couple dynamic with lazy kid getting less cute as he grows up, but there are still some good laughs.

And before you ask, current cable faves include: Battlestar Galactica (behind but catching on dvd), Breaking Bad, Burn Notice, The Closer, Dexter (dvd), Eureka, Flight of the Conchords, Greek, Project Runway, The Riches (yet to be renewed), and Saving Grace.

ABC

New:

• Life on Mars – David E Kelley’s version of BBC series where cop transports back to 1970s
• Opportunity Knocks – Game show where they knock on your door, or something

Returning: 20/20, America’s Funniest Home Videos, Boston Legal (final season), Brothers & Sisters, Eli Stone, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Dirty Sexy Money, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Pushing Daisies, Samantha Who?, Supernanny, Ugly Betty, Wife Swap
Midseason returns: According to Jim, The Bachelor, Lost, Scrubs (New from NBC)
Noteworthy not returning: Men in Trees, Miss Guided, October Road, Women’s Murder Club

CBS

New:

• Eleventh Hour – Jerry Bruckheimer’s latest, adapting from the british 4 part sci fi series dealing with mysterious cases
• The Ex List – This one is based on an Israeli show where a psychic tells a woman she has already met her true love and so she revisits the exes
• The Mentalist – Simon Baker uses his powers of observation to solve crimes
• Project Gary – Comedy starring Jay Mohr as a recent divorce, and contractor which might explain the ‘project’ part
• Worst Week – This comedy of newly engaged couple is another BBC show made over american style

Returning: 48 Hours, 60 Minutes, Amazing Race, Big Bang Theory, Cold Case, Criminal Minds, CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Ghost Whisperer, How I Met Your Mother, NCIS, New Adventures of Old Christine, Numb3rs, Survivor, Two and a Half Men, The Unit, Without a Trace
Midseason returns: Rules of Engagement
Noteworthy not returning: Moonlight, Shark

CW

New:

• 90210 – The next generation, as a new brother and sister move and start at West Beverly High, including pop bys by Jennie Garth as Guidance Counselor
• Surviving the Filthy Rich – With Reba’s JoAnna Garcia as nanny to rich kids, based on a book series
• Stylista – New reality from Tyra Banks where folks compete to work at Elle

Noteworthy note: Contracting out Sunday nights to production finance company Media Rights Capital who will be responsible for two dramas and two comedies and selling the ad time.

• FAT City, IM Valentine, Book of Murphy, Surviving Suburbia

Returning: ANTM, Everybody Hates Chris, The Game, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Smallville, Supernatural
Midseason return: Reaper
Noteworthy not returning: Aliens in America, Girlfriends, New Amsterdam

Fox

New:

• Fringe – JJ Abrams latest starring Joshua Jackson teaming up to investigate unexplained phenomena, I wanna say like the x-files
• Do Not Disturb – Comedy starring Jerry O’Connell working at one of NY’s uber hip hotels

Returning: American Dad, America’s Most Wanted, Bones, Cops, Don’t Forget the Lyrics, Family Guy, House, King of the Hill, Kitchen Nightmares, Moment of Truth, Prison Break, Simpsons, Smarter than a 5th Grader, Terminator, Til Death
Midseason return: 24, American Idol, Hell’s Kitchen.
Noteworthy not returning: Back to You

NBC

New:

• Crusoe – As in Robinson…
• Kath & Kim – Molly Shannon and Selma Blair in remake of Australian sitcom about mother and daughter living together again
• Knight Rider – If you caught the ‘hit’ tv movie you’re familiar with this remake
• My Own Worst Enemy – Christian Slater as a gov agent/normal guy whose two lives start to blur
• Thursday Night Live – Special SNL shows leading up to the elections

Returning: The Biggest Loser, Chuck, Dateline, Deal or No Deal, Heroes, E.R. (final season), L&O:SVU, Life, Lipstick Jungle, My Name is Earl, The Office, 30 Rock
Midseason returning: Friday Night Lights, L&O, Medium
Noteworthy not returning: Bionic Woman, Journeyman, Las Vegas

Additional Notes:

Tons of new shows scheduled for after fall, but we’ll chime in later once those become more solid, other than the fact that I should note there’s an Office spinoff scheduled as well as the new Joss Whedon show Dollhouse with Eliza Dushku, scheduled for midseason. I miss the Grr Arg.

And if you want to see the current stab at the schedule you can check it out at TV Guide.

Monday

• Big Bang Theory/How I Met Your Mother/Two and a Half Men/Rules of Engagement/CSI: Miami (CBS, 8/8:30/9/9:30pm) Season Finales – I have to say that Big Bang sort of grew on me over the season – Sheldon makes the show, HIMYMother also still makes me laugh, though 2 1/2 Men doesn’t as much, and I usually turn to Samantha Who instead of Rules… Horatio on Miami makes me cringe whenever he opens his mouth.
• Bones/House (Fox, 8/9pm) Season Finales – I have to say I like this lineup and I’m surprised how much I look forward to Bones, and in the finale we revisit Gorgamon!
• Gossip Girl/One Tree Hill (CW, 8/9pm) Season Finales – I can always use a little Gossip, the cheesier it gets the more I dig, but I refrain from visiting that Tree Hill.
• Bachelorette (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – This two hour episode reintroduces previously dismissed DeAnna to us while introducing her to 25 potential true loves, what’s the ratio one bachelorette to every five bachelors?

Tuesday

• American Idol (Fox, 8pm – also Wed 8pm) Season Finale – Performances on Tuesday with who knows how much filler on the 2 hr results show on Wed, but at least we’ll finally see the battle of the Davids and wonder if America could really prefer Archuletta to Cook.
• NCIS (CBS, 8pm) Season Finale – The two hour season finale.
• Dancing With the Stars (ABC, 9pm – also Mon 8pm) Season Finale – The finalists compete on Monday, with a replay Tues at 8 before the winner is chosen at 9.
• Reaper (CW, 9pm) Season Finale – This show’s gotten much more interesting with Sam in trouble as the demon rebellion loses trust, is Sam really the son of the devil, but didn’t he date a girl who he thought was the devil’s daughter?
• Shark (CBS, 10pm) Season Finale – Sebastian’s nemesis threatens his daughter.

Wednesday

• Criminal Minds/CSI: New York (CBS, 9/10pm) Season Finales – Murders and crimes.
• Boston Legal (ABC, 10pm) Season Finale – Wacky legalness.
• Law & Order (NBC, 10pm) Season Finale – McCoy has some trouble with the politics of his new role as DA.

Thursday

• So You Think You Can Dance (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – I don’t totally know the format of this but folks compete with dance.
• Ugly Betty/Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 8/9pm) Season Finales – Something happens on Betty and then of course more drama with Meredith and Derek, let’s hope they leave them together for a while this time.
• Last Comic Standing (NBC, 9:30pm) Season Premiere – This hour and a half ep kicks of the latest search for some funny.

Friday

• Take a break, see a movie, read a book…

Saturday

• Vinegar Hill (CBS, 8pm) – This telefilm based on the book by A Manette Ansay stars Mary Louise Parker as a wife and mother

Sunday

• Recount (HBO, 9pm) – This film dramatizes a story of the human side of the controversial 2000 presidential election.

• The Big Bang Theory/How I Met Your Mother/Two and a Half Men (CBS, 8/8:30/9pm) – Back after a little strike lull! They’ll keep The New Adventures of Old Christine company.
• Dancing With the Stars (ABC, 8pm; also Tues, 9pm) Season Premiere – A new gang cuts some rug, again not exactly A-list but some sports and interestingly the deaf Marlee Matlin.
• The Bachelor (ABC, 9:30pm) Season Premiere – The single guy London style, who will get the rose? Of course who cares, they’ll break up soon anyhow.

Tuesday

• It’s the Easter Beagle Charlie Brown (ABC, 8pm) – Looks like Easter must be coming, at least for the Peanuts gang.
• The Riches (FX, 10pm) Season Premiere – This con family kept me on the edge of my seat as they pretended to be The Riches, it’s tough pretending to be a lawyer and his family whilst your con friends are out to get you.
• Miss/Guided (ABC, 10:30; returns on Thurs 8/8:30pm) Series Premiere – The delightful Judy Greer returns to her alma mater as a guidance counselor for some old and new high school fun.

Wednesday

• Well I’ll probably tune into acronym city ANTM, AI, and then L&O.

Thursday

• Lost (ABC, 9pm) - Last for a couple of weeks before we get the new post strike eps going late April, I have been digging this season.
• Lipstick Jungle (NBC, 10pm) Season Finale - And done. For now, and forever?

Friday/Saturday

• Netflix, cineplex, book? – Though they are playing the next ep of Jezebel Friday, I’ll set the tivo just in case.

Sunday

• The L Word (Show, 9pm) Season Finale -The fifth season wraps up as the ladies… uh I don’t know… I don’t get Showtime and I’ve never watched this show but since it’s about lesbians I assume it’s mostly ladies…

• Bones (Season 1 and 2) - Great chemistry between Bones and Booth and a fun supporting cast as the squints/lab kids help the FBI solve crimes through forensic anthropology, think of it as CSI/Crossing Jordan for the bodies that are just bones.
• Brothers & Sisters (Season 1) – A fun soapy drama about partly dysfunctional and totally loving family with a great cast, although uneven there’s always something interesting going on from matriarch Sally Field to newest Walker Emily Van Camp.
• Grey’s Anatomy (Seasons 1-3) – More soapy fun, and the best was the first season as we first meet our surgical interns and get involved in their work and romance, mostly romance at work,  I’m even ok with the fact that Meredith bugs.
• Heroes (Season 1) – The first season introduces us to our ‘heroes’ as they get their powers and their plotlines bring them together, somewhat uneven as they get rolling but engaging from the start and riveting by the end.
• House (Seasons 1-3) – Crotchety, drug addicted, medical genius is how he’s portrayed and you get to watch him abuse patients and coworkers as he tries to diagnose the undiagnosable patients and somehow pretty entertaining, mostly thanks to Laurie but good surrounding folks for him to play off of.
• Lost (Seasons 1-3) – This show has a faithful following partly because it’s really different and really well done with the interplay of on island action and back story character development, and partly because you really can’t miss an episode for fear of missing some big explanation.
• Prison Break (Season 1 – Season 2 also available) – I recommend this with a warning, I loved the first season fun, watching one guy’s plan to break his brother out of prison, and watching it mostly getting thrown for a loop, but was super annoyed by the second, I have yet to tune into the third.

Maybe you’re more of a 1/2 hour comedy sort of person? How ’bout:

• Girlfriends (Seasons 1-3) – Four sassy mostly professional gals deal with life and love and each other and their one guy pal through their different experiences.
• How I Met Your Mother  (Seasons 1 & 2) – Hopeless romantic Ted tells his tales of love, but its the ensemble cast that makes this work, as theoretically we eventually meet Ted’s true love.
• My Name is Earl (Seasons 1 & 2) – I find Jason Lee kind of endearing in general and enjoy his bad guy turned good, using his lottery winning to fix his karma by righting his wrongs, with the help, or harm, of his misfit friends.
• The New Adventures of Old Christine (Season 1) – Julia Louis-Dreyfus found a great format for her broad humor as she plays a hapless single mom hanging with her family and friends trying to get her act together.
• The Office (Seasons 1-3) - A painful office (based on the British series) at first pained me to think of why I’d want to watch at the end of a day at the office, but its oddball characters and biting humor won me over.
• Scrubs (Seasons 1-6) – Hospital comedy seen through the eyes of goofball JD as he and his buddies treat patients… well it’s kind of like Grey’s Anatomy but shorter and wackier.
• 30 Rock (Season 1) – This show took a little while to find its rhythm but when it does this behind the scenes look at a sketch show gets it super right with Tina Fey at the helm.
• Two and a Half Men (Seasons 1 & 2) – Kind of an Odd Couple, where the guys are brothers and one of them has a kid (at least shared custody), sometimes kind of a crass humor, but pretty good humor nonetheless.

Monday

• 8pm NBC – Chuck (CBS – How I Met Your Mother)
• 9pm NBC – Heroes (CBS – Two and a Half Men/Samantha Who?)

Tuesday

• 8pm Fox – Bones
• 9pm Fox – House (CW – Reaper)
• 10pm NBC – L&O SVU

Wednesday

• 8pm ABC – Pushing Daisies (CW – ANTM or in repeats Sun 9pm)
• 9pm CW – Gossip Girl (NBC – Bionic Woman)
• 10pm ABC – Dirty Sexy Money

Thursday

• 8/8:30pm NBC – My Name is Earl/30 Rock
• 9/9:30pm NBC – The Office/Scrubs (ABC – Grey’s Anatomy)

Friday

• 10pm CBS – Numb3rs

Sunday

• 5pm CW – (encore) Girlfriends
• 10pm ABC – Brothers and Sisters

And for a full grid of the current listings check out a couple of sites that I find helpful:

• http://epguides.com/grid/
• http://www.tvpicks.net/grids/fall-2007/
• http://www.tvguide.com/magazine/pdf/FallPreview.pdf
• http://tv.msn.com/tv/fall07/schedule