• 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

• 8pm – House (Fox) / How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
• 9pm – Gossip Girl (CW) / Big Bang Theory (CBS 9:30)
• 10pm – Castle (ABC)

House is one of those shows I wish I could give up but somehow don’t (Laurie is good but they just almost kill a person until they save them every week), Gossip Girl is a quality guilty pleasure, and Castle has Nathan Fillion who is great enough to pull off this relatively formulaic weekly crime drama; although I do occasionally catch 2 1/2 Men I would love to redo the schedule and put HIMYM and BBTheory in the same hour, both are good fun. I’ve been catching Trauma on Saturday repeats.

Tuesday

• 9pm – Melrose Place (CW)
• 10pm – The Good Wife (CBS)

Melrose has just been so bad I can’t quite turn away, mostly because there is no competition for me on this night (I hope the cheesiness is intended) but I’ll probably tune in until Heather shows, and have found Julianna and supporting cast to be interesting in the mix of personal drama and weekly lawyerness on Wife.

Wednesday

• 8pm – The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS) / The Middle (ABC) / Mercy (NBC)
• 9pm – Glee (Fox) / Modern Family (ABC)

Christine is finally paired with something that might be kind of funny, too bad it’s on another network, let’s hope they don’t mess up my time blocks, unless they pair Middle with Modern which so far is good; Glee is my favorite new show of the season, and I don’t know why so far I keep watching Mercy it’s not actually good. Have been getting SVU and ANTM on repeat nights.

Thursday

• 8pm – Bones (Fox) / Community / Parks & Recreation (NBC)
• 9pm – Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) / The Office / 30 Rock (NBC)
• 10pm – The Mentalist (CBS)

I still dig Bones and am happy that Community actually seems to be funny paired with P&R which I still find a little uneven but funny. I am almost over Grey’s (I’m never excited to watch but still seem to enjoy the episodes) and still enjoying Office and looking forward to return of 30Rock; oh yeah and Simon is still good on the Mentalist.

Friday

• 8pm – Law & Order (NBC)
• 9pm – Dollhouse (Fox) / ANTM (CW)
• 10pm  – Numb3rs (CBS)

L&O is always a good staple but I don’t so much care, Dollhouse is still a little uneven but I love the way they explore the themes of identity, and I really want to be over ANTM (the less of Tyra the better); Numb3rs is a show I just keep on the list just because I kind of like the math FBI brothers and their dad.

Saturday

• 9pm – Trauma (NBC)
• 10pm – Law & Order: SVU (NBC)

I don’t know if I’ll stick with Trauma but we’ll see, and if I miss an ep of any of the L&Os I don’t really notice but keep them in the queue.

Sunday

• Day of rest.

But what about cable? Fortunately those shows I’m still getting tend to repeat in the off hours so I can catch at random times, currently I am mostly catching Sons of Anarchy on FX and am going to have to check online for the final eps of Greek and Monk until I decide on a cable commitment (I’ve got some Dexter waiting for me one someone else’s Tivo as well).

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

• Durham County (ION, 10pm – repeats various) Series Premiere - This Canadian import follows a cop wanting to start over, something says it won’t be drama free.

Tuesday

• 90210/Melrose Place (CW, 8/9pm – repeats Fri/Sun) Season/Series Premiere – Ok, I don’t even watch the new 90210, and I don’t think I stuck out with the originals until the end, but I’m recommending this night for nostalgia’s sake alone even if it doesn’t make it to a season pass.
• Sons of Anarchy (Fx, 10pm) Season Premiere – Ready to dive back in to SAMCRO’s internal and external drama as the bikers face some white supremacists.

Wednesday

• Presidential Address (various, 5pm/pst) – Obama addresses a joint session of Congress, health-care anyone?
• ANTM (CW, 8pm) Season Premiere - I keep trying to stop watching this show but will tune in to this year’s crop of slightly shorter ‘top model’ wannabes let the makeover meltdowns commence.
• So You Think You Can Dance (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – More dancers, more dancing.
• Glee (Fox, 9pm – repeats Fri) Season Premiere - Let’s hope this series gets enough viewers to give this fun quirky show, someone aptly compared the tone to Election, enough time to find its legs.
• Inside the NFL (Show, 9pm) Season Premiere – I’ll go out on a limb and say this show is football related.
• Nostradamus (Hist, 9pm) Series Premiere - For a cheery look at Doomsday prophecies, is the next Hitler still on his way?
• The Day Before (Sund, 10pm) Series Premiere – A four part documentary series that explores behind the scenes of a few fashion folks before a big runway show.
• Destination Truth (Syfy, 10pm) Season Premiere - Some guys investigate some stuff to get some truth.

Thursday

• Sunday Night Football (NBC, 5:30pm/pst) Season Premiere - Titans at Steelers, need I say more.
• The Vampire Diaries (CW, 8pm – repeats Fri/Sun) Series Premiere – If you think this looks a little like Twilight Dawson’s Creek style you were right, creator Kevin Williamson brings us the latest vampire book adaptation, it might not be good but worth a look.
• Destroyed in Seconds (Disc, 8pm) Season Premiere – Hurricanes, explosions…
• Supernatural (CW, 9pm) Season Premiere – The boys are back, well I assume they are, I didn’t make it past the first couple of episodes.
• Behind the Music (VH1, 10pm) Series Premiere – First look, Lil Wayne in this relaunch series.

Friday

• US Open (CBS, Fri/Sat/Sun, 9:30/9am/5pm/1pm/pst) – Following more ESPN2 coverage, the players hit the network, will it be Federer and Serena in the end?
• Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (BBCA, 9pm) Season Premiere – Jamie Oliver, Ricky Gervais, and a cricketer.
• Say Yes to the Dress (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Wedding dresses, wedding dress wearers, wedding dress sales people.
• 20/20 (ABC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Barbara Walters gets a Jackson to talk about Michael, La Toya it is.

Saturday

• Cops/America’s Most Wanted (Fox, 8/9pm) Season Premieres – Criminals new and old.
• The Locator/Adoption Diaries (WE, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – Give family up for adoption and find lost family…
• Robin Hood (BBCA, 9pm) Season Premiere - A return to Sherwood Forrest.
• Heart of the City (BET, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – A documentary series focusing on issues facing black communities.

Sunday

• Football Night in America (NBC, 4pm/pst) Season Premiere – Highlights and previews.
• VMA Awards (MTV, 8/9/11:15pm) – It’s a night of VMAs with the opening act followed by Russell Brand hosting the awards themselves, filled with performances of course, followed by a post show.

Additional airings noted for pilot episodes (various other shows repeat) but schedules do update so please check your local listings.

Monday

• 24 (Fox, 8pm) Season Finale – A couple more hours in the 7th long day Jack’s had.
• Gossip Girl/One Tree Hill (CW, 8/9pm) Season Finales – What will graduation bring to the latest crop of high schoolers on GG, let’s hope they don’t follow the path of fellow soapsters in Tree Hill.
• How I Met Your Mother/2 1/2 Men/Rules of Engagement/CSI: Miami (CBS, 8:30pm) Season Finales - Starting with a special Rules at 8 we rap up the funny and the not so funny.
• Bachelorette (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Jillion is turning Bachelor misfortune into another shot at true love.
• 4th & Long (Spike, 10pm) Series Premiere – Football players compete for a spot on the Dallas Cowboys.

Tuesday

• NCIS/The Mentalist/Without a Trace (CBS, 8/9/10pm) Season Finales – A trip to Israel, a meet up with Red  John, and yet another vanished person.
• 90210 (CW, 9pm) Season Finale – Is this the episode where Donna Martin graduates?
• Dancing With the Stars (ABC, 9pm) Season Finale – I wasn’t sure anyone was surviving the injuries this season but the gymnast, the former cheerleader, or the guy who was hot in a movie will be crowned.
• Glee (Fox, 9pm) Series Premiere – The creator of Nip/Tuck brings a taste of high school glee club misfits.

Wednesday

• American Idol (Fox, 8pm) Season Finale - Who will it be Adam or Kris, and don’t miss the performances on Tuesday.
• New Adventures of Old Christine/Gary Unmarried (CBS, 8/8:30pm) Season Finales  – How will Christine and Gary embarrass themselves this week?
• Criminal Minds (CBS, 9/10pm) Season Finale – I think the gang goes after another psycho killer.

Thursday

• So You Think You Can Dance (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – Another crew in their boogie shoes.
• Ugly Betty (ABC, 8pm) Season Finale – They put out another issue with more drama.
• Crime 360 (A&E, 10pm) Season Premiere – Looking at crime from every angle.
• Southern Belles (Soap, 10pm) Series Premiere – I think this is like Real Housewives in the Kentucky.
• Southland (NBC, 10pm) Season Finale – Looks like rookie cop and the rest of the crew will be back for another season of crime solving.

Friday

• Good Morning America (ABC, 7am) – The concert series kicks off with Green Day.
• Head Case/Party Down (Starz, 10/10:30pm) Season Finales – We always knew Seinfeld was a little nuts, and then more catering laughs.

Saturday

• NBA Playoffs (ABC, 5:30) – I don’t even think this is the final two teams but what else do you have to watch.

Sunday

• French Open (ESPN2, 9am) – Things are kicked off, another year for Nadal?
• Diamonds (ABC, 9pm) – Miniseries kicks off a a look at the diamond trade from the Congo to the US.
• The Tudors/State of the Union (Show, 9/9:30pm) Season Finales – King Henry keep slutting around and Tracy keeps mocking.

Monday

• Big Bang Theory (CBS, 8pm) Season Finale – The gang is all getting ready to take 3 months off.
• House (Fox, 8pm) Season Finale – I believe there will be a case and they will solve it at the end of the hour.
• Charm School (VH1, 9pm) Season Premiere – This season they add contestants from other VH! shows as Ricki Lake steps in for Sharon Osborne in trying to class up the ladies.
• Castle (ABC, 10pm) Season Finale – Castle solves a crime, and probably.

Tuesday

• The Biggest Loser (NBC, 8pm) Season Finale – I wish I knew this finale was three hours long before I agreed to go watch it with a friend.
• Fringe (Fox, 9pm) Season Finale – Leonard Nimoy adds to his recent Star Trek public appearances with a guest as founder of Massive Dynamics.
• The Real Housewives of New Jersey (Brav, 11pm) Series Premiere – The latest look at ladies of leisure.

Wednesday

• America’s Next Top Model (CW, 8pm) Season Finale – Commercials and catwalk decide the latest model winner to drop into oblivion.
• Lie to Me (Fox, 8pm) Season Finale – There’s lying and lie detecting.
• Lost (ABC, 8/9pm) Season Finale – Highlights at 8 are followed by the two hour finale, I’m still 12 episodes behind so more to add to the tivo.
• Rules of Engagement/New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS, 8/8:30pm) – Bumped by Barack last week, these two shows try out a new night.

Thursday

• Bones/Hell’s Kitchen (Fox, 8/9pm) Season Finale – Motley Crue joins the crew and then a chef wins.
• Smallville/Supernatural (CW, 8/9pm) Season Finale – The guys fight the villains and demons.
• My Name is Earl/Parks & Recreation/The Office/30 Rock (NBC, 8-10pm) Season Finale - The laughs ensue.
• CSI/CSI: NY (CBS, 9/10pm) Season Finale – The crime scene gets investigated.
• Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 9pm) Season Finale – Whose lives will change in the finale and will Izzie be back next season?

Friday

• America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC, 8pm) Season Finale – Two hours of funny videos.
• Don’t Tell the Bride (BBCA, 8pm) Series Premiere – The get money for a wedding but the groom has to plan it.
• The Game (CW, 8pm) Season Finale – This show wraps up with a wedding or does it?
• Ghost Whisperer/Flashpoint/Numb3rs (CBS, 8/9/10pm) Season Finale – Ghosts and crimes and crimes.
• Prison Break (Fox, 8pm) Series Finale – Finally putting this show out of its misery.

Saturday

• Primeval (BBCA, 9pm) Season Premiere – A monstrous crocodile is loose.
• Beverly Hills Groomer (AnPl, 10pm) Series Premiere – We follow someone from Groomer Has It trying to make it.

Sunday

• Extreme Makeover/Desperate Housewives (ABC, 7/9pm) Season Finale – Crazy enthusiasm and then just plain crazies.
• Sit Down, Shut Up/The Simpsons/King of the Hill/Family Guy/American Dad (7, 8-10pm) Season Finales - The animation continues.
• Survivor (CBS, 8/10pm) Season Finale – Two hour finale followed by the reunion show.
• Saturday Night Live (NBC, 9pm) – This special shows the shorts.

• Bones (Fox) - My favorite of the procedurals, Bones the forensic anthropologist and Booth the FBI guy are great characters with great chemistry and I like all the supporters and flavor added to each body-of-the-week mystery.
• Breaking Bad (AMC) - Who knew the dad from Malcolm in the Middle could turn out like this, as he gets himself in terrible situations when he starts to manufacture meth with an unpredictable partner in crime, all to support his family when he’s diagnosed with cancer.
• Chuck (NBC) - Action and camp combined and I’m not sure whether I like the geeks put into the spy world or the spies put into the geek world better, with an amusing and compelling supporting cast.
• Dexter (Show) – The first season was still the best to date but I can’t turn away from Dexter and his murders and his code and the scary and comical and idiotic people around him, though I do sometimes yell at the tv.
• Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog – Not exactly television but this web based villain musical story (now available on dvd and through itunes) is a great piece by Joss Whedon (of Buffy, Angel, Firefly fame), all the main characters are fantastic but if I didn’t love Neil Patrick Harris before I do now.
• Flight of the Conchords (HBO) – Hilarious songs tie together the silly stories of these two offbeat New Zealand musicians trying to make it in New York.
• Gossip Girl (CW) - Campy soaps done right are just plain fun, and this one has over the top characters and situations going through plot twists faster than their spectacular outfits, Chuck’s ridiculous bowties and ascots alone would keep me tuned in.
• Pushing Daisies (ABC) - This was good while it lasted with its fanciful production matching story and concept and design and cast to the wonderful mysteries solved by bringing folks back to life for just a minute, when it’s more than a minute let’s just say complications arose.
• Saving Grace (TNT) – That Grace sure is crazy and it’s fun to watch her wrestle with doing the right thing by her police cases and doing the wrong thing in her personal life all while being pushed by her guardian angel, Touched by an Angel this show is not.
• Sons of Anarchy (Fx) - I wince at least once an episode at some act of unbelievable violence as this motorcycle gang survives more trouble than seems possible, but the charismatic protagonist gives the show a little heart to go along with the drama.

A little shout out to some of the comedies that didn’t make the list this year but made me laugh enough just the same, 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, and The New Adventures of Old Christine.

And of course you can see what the critics are saying.

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.

Sadly as I take a closer gander at scheduling it’s looking a little cramped in a couple of slots. Monday at 8 with Big Bang/HIMYMother, Gossip Girl, Terminator, and Chuck. Then Wednesday at 8 with Pushing Daisies, Old Christine, ANTM, and Bones. I like to limit myself to two shows max per time slot so I’m going to have to make some accommodations. At least CW typically reruns ANTM and GGirl, and of course there’s some stuff online. I mean who could think of dropping a show, for other than enjoyment considerations, but that’s often how it happens for me. And of course I never expect the new shows to all hit so I should be able to drop one of the cramped Tuesday at 9 options of The Mentalist, Privileged, and Fringe (sadly the cute Joanna Garcia may lose to the cuter Simon Baker and of course JJ Abrams newest product).

So poke around and see what’s going to be happening. I will of course continue to note the premieres in the Next Weeks. And as soon as I hear a little more from the critics I’ll let you know what of the new stuff we’re all most excited about.