tv

new and noteworthy tv: 6/24-6/30

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Under-the-Dome

Monday

  • Wimbledon (ESPN, 4am) – Coverage begins for this fortnight of tennis.
  • Under the Dome (CBS, 10pm) Series Premiere – Who can resist at least a look at this new Stephen King series?
  • POV (PBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – Starting another season with funeral insights. 

Tuesday

  • Rizzoli & Isles/Perception (TNT, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Fluffy but not necessarily great cable procedurals, though curious to see the level of crazy they bring Will/Eric McCormack back at.
  • Catfish (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – Exposing fake online relationships.

Wednesday

  • Big Brother (CBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – Back and longer than ever, tune in if you must. 

Thursday

  • X Games (ESPN2, 5pm) – They’ll be showing the games from Munich, Germany through Tuesday. 

Friday

  • Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Nobody seems to love their bridesmaids dresses. 

Saturday

  • Tour de France (NBCSN, 4:30am) – Stage 1 begins, and I am at this point planning not to watch, trying to winnow down my sports watching. 

Sunday

  • Dexter/Ray Donovan (Show, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premieres – The final season of our favorite serial killer and the first of  a new Liev Scriber as fixer with complicating father Jon Voight. 

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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critics’ picks – top tv of 2012

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louieTime to get started on our year end lists! While the tv shows aren’t currently fresh, the critics’ best and award noms give you something to get ready to tune back into. I can’t personally recommend all of these shows (stay tuned for my top ten list) and as most readers know I don’t catch most of the real cable on first run (HBO, Show, Starz), but from the breadth of shows there is a little something out there for everyone. So without further ado here’s a sampling of top tv picks:

  • 2 Broke Girls (CBS) – E
  • 2012 Election  – JP
  • 30 for 30 (ESPN) – DF
  • 30 Rock (NBC) – AS, PGA, TG
  • American Horror Story: Asylum (Fx) – AFI, GG, JP, MoR, MZS
  • Archer (Fx) – MZS, TG
  • Ben and Kate (Fox) – TG
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – E, MR, PGA
  • Boardwalk Empire (HBO) – GG, TG
  • Boss (Starz) – GG, TG
  • Breaking Bad (AMC) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MR, MoR,  MZS,  PGA, TG
  • Call the Midwife (PBS) – MR
  • Castle (ABC) – E
  • The Colbert Report (Com) – KT, MM
  • Coma (A&E) – MZS
  • Community (NBC) – E, MZS, TG
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) – PGA
  • Dexter (Show) – MR, TG
  • Don’t Trust the B- In Apartment 23 (ABC) – TG
  • Downton Abbey (PBS) – MR, PGA
  • Enlightened (HBO) – GG
  • Episodes (Show) – GG
  • Game Change (HBO) – AFI
  • Game of Thrones (HBO) – AFI, DF, E, GG, JP, MoR, PGA, TG
  • Girls (HBO) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MR, MoR, TG
  • Glee (Fox) – E, GG
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – KT, MR
  • Gossip Girl (CW) – E
  • Happy Endings (ABC) – E, MoR
  • Hatfields & McCoys (Hist) – MZS
  • Homeland (Show) – AFI, AS, E, GG, JP, KT, MM, MR, MoR, MZS, PGA, TG
  • The Hour (BBCA) – DF, TG
  • House of Lies (Show) – TG
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – E
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Fx) – TG
  • Justified (Fx) – KT, TG
  • Louie (Fx) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MM, MR, MoR, MZS, PGA, TG
  • Luck (HBO) – AS, MM, MZS
  • Mad Men (AMC) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MR, MoR, MZS, PGA, TG
  • Magic City (Starz) – TG
  • The Middle (ABC) – MR
  • The Mindy Project (Fox) – E
  • Modern Family (ABC) – AFI, E, GG, PGA, TG
  • Nashville (ABC) – KT
  • New Girl (Fox) – E, GG, MoR, TG
  • On Freddie Roach (HBO) – DF
  • Once Upon a Time (ABC) – E
  • Parenthood (NBC) – AS, JP
  • Parks and Recreation (NBC) – AS, DF, E, JP, KT, MoR, TG
  • Raising Hope (Fox) – TG
  • Revenge (ABC) – E
  • Scandal (ABC) – E
  • Shameless (Show) – TG
  • Sherlock (PBS) – MM, TG
  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – MR, TG
  • Supernatural (CW) – E
  • Treme (HBO) – AS, DF, MZS, TG
  • The Vampire Diaries (CW) – E
  • Veep (HBO) – TG
  • The Walking Dead (AMC) – AFI, E, MM, MR, TG
  • Wilfred (Fx) – TG

AFI – AFI Television Programs of the Year, AS – Alan Sepinwall for Hitfix, DF – Dan Fienberg for Hitfix, E – E! Best Comedies and E! Best Dramas, GG – Golden Globe nomination, JP – James Poniewozik for Time, KT – Ken Tucker for Ew, MM* – Mary McNamara for LA Times, MR* – Matt Roush for TV Guide, MoR – Maureen Ryan for Huffington Post, MZS – Matt Zoller Seitz on Vulture, PGA – Producer’s Guild, TG – Tim Goodman’s Best Comedies and Dramas

* Some top votes were for categories of shows or notations to things like Clint’s chair speech and referee strike.

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new and noteworthy tv: 9/24-9/30

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Things are really rolling now and starting to get my first time slot triple bookings, thank goodness for OnDemand…

Monday

  • How I Met Your Mother/Partners/2 Broke Girls/Mike & Molly/Hawaii Five-0 (CBS, 8/8:30/9/9:30/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – I’m sticking it out to find the mother though the series is uneven, and may give the broke girls one more shot but there’s not enough in our other comedies to keep me laughing or action in Hawaii to keep me tuned in.
  • Dancing With the Stars/Castle (ABC, 8/10pm) Season Premieres – More dancing and then the latest couple has finally gotten together.
  • Chrissy & Mr. Jones (VH1, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – The latest reality couple, spin-off from Love and Hip Hop.

Tuesday

  • New Girl/Ben and Kate/The Mindy Project (Fox, 8/8:30/9:30pm) Season/Series Premieres – What could pan out to be a funny lineup.
  • NCIS/NCIS: LA/Vegas (CBS, 8/9/10pm) Season/Series Premieres – Military investigations and then back to Vegas.
  • Private Practice (ABC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Medical and personal drama returns.
  • Call Me Fitz/Less Than Kind (Dir, 9/9:30pm) Season Premieres – Am I missing out on anything without DirectTV?
  • Tosh.o/Brickleberry (Com, 10pm) Season/Series Premiers – Tosh shares and then the comic stylings of cartoon inept forest rangers.

Wednesday

  • Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Is there a new captain in the mix and do I care anymore?
  • Criminal Minds/CSI (CBS, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Crime it up.
  • The Middle/Modern Family/The Neighbors/Revenge (ABC, 8/9/9:30/10pm) Season/Series Premieres – Neighbors doesn’t look to bring much funny but I’ll give it a shot as I revisit some pretty funny fams but no cheesy comeuppance for me.
  • South Park/Key & Peele (Com, 10/10:30pm) Season Premieres – Cartoon kids and sketches.

Thursday

  • The Big Bang Theory/Two and a Half Men/Person of Interest/Elementary (CBS, 8/8:30/9/9:30/10) Season/Series Premieres – I kind of wish Big Bang had a better partner, and Person didn’t hook me, but then I’ll tune back with cautious optimism for the new Sherlock.
  • Last Resort/Grey’s Anatomy/Scandal (ABC, 8/9/10pm) Series/Season Premiere – Last Resort is getting some buzz and I did finally drop Grey’s, and Scandal…
  • SNL Weekend Update Thursday (NBC, 8pm) – More politics and funny.
  • Prank My Mom (Life, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – Does pranking a mom seem like a good idea?

Friday

  • Kitchen Nightmares/Fringe (Fox, 8/9pm) Season Premieres – Nightmares and weirdness.
  • CSI: NY/Made in Jersey/Blue Bloods (CBS, 8/9/10pm) Season/Series Premieres – I’ll give the Jersey girl a shot.
  • Flea Market Flip (HGTV, 9pm) Series Premiere – Who can reinvent their finds for the biggest funds.

Saturday

  • 48 Hours (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – Killer justice.

Sunday

  • 60 Minutes/The Amazing Race/The Good Wife/The Mentalist (CBS, 7/8/9/10pm) Season Premieres – News, racing, and then the return of two of my fave dramas.
  • The Simpsons/Bob’s Burgers/Family Guy/American Dad (Fox, 8/8:30/9/9:30pm) Season Premieres – Cartoon it up.
  • Once Upon a Time/666 Park Avenue (ABC, 8/10pm) Season/Series Premieres – Let the fairy tales continue and then the hotel creepiness begin, worth a shot.
  • Call the Midwife (PBS, 8pm) Series Premiere – Will this 1950s London midwife be the new PBS rage?
  • Making Monsters (Trav, 8pm) Season Premiere – Starting with Megadeth props.
  • Dexter/Homeland (Show, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Another season of cops, killers, and coverups and people with Showtime say good things about Homeland.
  • Destination Fear (Trav, 11pm) Series Premiere – Looking for the haunted.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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returning fall favorites

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The fall season is starting to trickle in… Until we get the full lay of the land of the new stuff, let’s take a look at what I’m looking forward to that’s coming back.

  • Community (NBC, Oct 19) – They’re able to do a crazy good job with random theme episodes and ongoing arcs that leverage the characters as well as pop culture.
  • The Good Wife (CBS, Sept 30) – Still one of my favorite dramas, I am somehow interested in all the aspects of the people, cases, relationships and politics.
  • Happy Endings (ABC, Oct 23) – This is my fave buddy/relationship comedy as each of these characters have evolved into their own random peeps.
  • Hart of Dixie (CW, Oct 2) – My new favorite fluffy small town rom-com, I want to see if Summer Zoe is still rocking the shorts at her medical practice.
  • The Mentalist (CBS, Sept 30) – This procedural has maintained the most of my interest, mostly due to Simon Baker being a likable wackadoodle.
  • New Girl (Fox, Sept 25) – This show too had some growing pains in the first season but I like that Jess has found a better balance of innocence and reality and the supporting cast has become more well rounded.
  • Parenthood (NBC, Sept 11) – What will befall the Bravermans this season, they get into some stupid situations but usually treat them with the right amount of humor and heart.
  • Parks & Recreation (NBC, Sept 20) – I almost wanted this show to end with the council election because it was just so perfect but am thrilled to see the return of these misfit government workers.
  • Sons of Anarchy (FX, Sept 11) – Every season I wonder how Jax and the crew will get out of their latest fix and am eagerly anticipating their new season of good bad guys.
  • The Walking Dead (AMC, Oct 14) – I finally caught back up and am ready for a new season of relationships strained to the max as they fight for their survival of the zomb-pocalypse.

Honorable Mentions (On the TiVo): 30 Rock (NBC, Oct 4), The Big Bang Theory (CBS, Sept 27), Bones (Fox, Sept 17), Castle (ABC, Sept 24), Dexter (Show, Sept 30), Don’t Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23 (ABC, Oct 23), Grimm (NBC), Hot in Cleveland (TVL, Nov 28), How I Met Your Mother (CBS, Sept 24), It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX, Oct), The League (FX, Oct), The Middle (ABC, Sept 26), Modern Family (ABC, Sept 26), Suburgatory (ABC, Oct 17).

Debatable but may check in: American Horror Story (Fx, Oct), America’s Next Top Model (CW, Aug 24), Law & Order: SVU (NBC, Sept 26), The Office (NBC, Sept 20), The Voice (NBC, Sept 10).

Chime in with comments on what you’re looking forward to or other questions on returning faves.

Shows listed in alphabetical order and all premiere dates are of course subject to change.

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new and noteworthy tv: 9/26-10/2

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It’s time to start eliminating shows…

Monday

  • Sesame Street (PBS, check your local listings) Season Premiere – The gang helps the human cannonball.
  • Terra Nova (Fox, 8pm – repeats 10/1) Series Premiere – This big budget Spielberg dinosaur isn’t rumored to be all that engaging but worth a look nonetheless.
  • Gossip Girl/The Hart of Dixie (CW, 8/9pm) Season/Series Premieres – The gang goes to Hollywood and then big city doctor takes on the south, fingers crossed for the Rachel Bilson charm.
  • House Crashers (DIY, 8pm) Season Premiere – What makes a great bachelor pad?
  • Mike & Molly (CBS, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – Time to plan the wedding.
  • Cake Boss (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – The most challenging cake?

Tuesday

  • 19 Kids & Counting/The Little Couple (TLC, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Duggars have kids, Bill and Jen want kids.
  • 24 Hours in the ER (BBC, 9pm) Series Premiere – A real day in the ER.

Wednesday

  • Suburgatory/Happy Endings (ABC, 8:30/9:30pm) Series/Season Premieres – Suburban quirky fun and more of the new friends with lots of potential for funny.
  • Mythbusters (Disc, 9pm) Season Premiere – Are motorcycles more green than cars?
  • Rocket City Rednecks (NGC, 9pm) Series Premieres – Rocket science and back woods ingenuity.
  • Luther (BBC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Sadly I no longer get BBC.
  • The Real World (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – A new gang of kids in San Diego.

Thursday

  • How to Be a Gentleman (CBS, 8:30pm) Series Premiere – Odd Couple comedy taken to the caricature extreme.
  • Private Practice (ABC, 10pm) Season Premiere – More shenanigans at the doctor’s office.

Friday

  • Jessie (Dis, 9pm) Series Premiere – Small town girl turns big city nanny.

Saturday

  • Austin City Limits (PBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – Tune in for Mumford and Sons.
  • Bedlam (BBC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Described as a haunted Melrose Place.

Sunday

  • America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC, 7pm) Season Premiere – Funny?
  • Tough Love (VH1, 8pm) Season Premiere – A matchmaker takes on some of the ladies in Miami.
  • Dexter/Homeland (Show, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premieres – I can’t resist Dexter and his messes and this next one is supposed to be a good one, returned POW or traitor?
  • Halloween Wars (Food, 9pm) Series Premiere – A four part series on decorating scariness.
  • Making Monsters (Trav, 9pm) Series Premiere – A look at some makers of animatronic monsters.
  • Hung/How to Make it in America (HBO, 10/10:30pm) Season Premieres – A couple of shows that… oh I don’t know.
  • Around the World in 80 Ways (Hist, 10pm) Series Premiere – Can they use ‘every’ form of transportation.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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returning fall favorites

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The drought is almost over, and as I wait for the critics to chime in on what’s worth a watch of the new crop of shows, we can take a look at what I’m most looking forward to returning.

  • Bones (Fox, 11/3) – Of the procedurals this still is probably my fave, like all the characters, and curious to see how the Booth/Bones baby will play.
  • Community (NBC, 9/22) – Embracing pop culture and media to the hilt, way more hits than misses with our pack of misfits.
  • The Good Wife (CBS, 9/25) – They’ve done an excellent job making each character and each storyline dimensional enough that I’m intrigued by it all, this season will the good wife be a little bad?
  • Modern Family (ABC, 9/21) – This show is a little uneven for me, but when it’s on, it’s on and the mix of family characters makes me laugh.
  • Parenthood (NBC, 9/13) – I had written this show off early but after a marathon I ended up falling a little bit in love with the Bravermans and their family drama, and Lauren Graham and Peter Krause don’t hurt.
  • Parks & Recreation (NBC, 9/22) – This show has really found its stride with the small town politics and their quirky crew, adding Rob Lowe and Adam Scott was also surprisingly a great move.
  • Sons of Anarchy (FX, 9/6) – It’s just too fun to watch these bad boys try to do good, and sometimes try to do bad, a hunky lead and complex family and motorcycle club relations keep me coming back for more.
  • The Walking Dead (AMC, 10/16) – I am thoroughly intrigued as to how they’re going to keep the story of these survivors of the Zombie-pocolypse going after a short season intro, although I’ve learned not to watch before bed, I can’t wait for season two.

Honorable Mention (TiVo Season Passes): ANTM (CW, 9/14), The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 9/22), Castle (ABC, 9/19), Chuck (NBC, 10/21), Dexter (Show, 10/2), Glee (Fox, 9/20), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 9/22), HIMYM (CBS, 9/19),  House (Fox, 10/3), It’s Always Sunny (FX, 9/15), L&O: SVU (NBC, 9/21), The Mentalist (CBS, 9/22), The Office (NBC, 9/22).

Shows listed in alphabetical order and all premiere dates are of course subject to change.

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procrastinator picks – top tv of 2010

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Well the critics have weighed in, and now it’s my turn. I should caveat that I don’t have ‘real’ cable, so although I am roughly up to date (at least on this season) of Dexter, this does skew my list away from Showtime and HBO series which I tend to catch on dvd. And as always a top ten list is a little subjective, different day I might have picked different shows, different order, but here goes…

  • Terriers (Fx) – It was good while it lasted, this show may have been handicapped by its obtuse title and marketing but the buddy PI show of two likable losers hit all the right notes as it balanced the episodic and ongoing plots with moments of hilarity and true character anguish.
  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – These guys are still a favorite as the motorcycle club and their families get into trouble after trouble trying to keep the small town a world of their own, the bad guys are bad but the good guys are badder.
  • Justified (Fx) – Oh Raylan… how do you describe the joy of a show about a questionably self defeatist trigger happy US Marshall in a small town with a surprising amount of crime.
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – What started as a silly premise has turned into a show with great layers where I actually care not just about the cases, but the relationships, the office politics, and the politics, with rich characters in every area.
  • Community (NBC) – Joel McHale has a great ability to come across as smarmy in a way that is still likable, and they’ve found a way to do that with each of these characters turning their best and worst characteristics into funny, while using popular culture to frame dialogue and episodes more successfully than I can recall anyone else doing.
  • Cougar Town (ABC) – Ok so maybe I find the drinking wine jokes funny, but this show which has evolved nicely from a show about older women dating younger dudes, to focusing on a group of friends (the cul-de-sac crew) and the dumb things they do that consistently make me laugh.
  • Bones (Fox) – So we all hate Hannah and every ploy they do to keep these two apart, but the moments between Bones and Booth whether amusing or touching is the best you’ll find in a weekly procedural, add fun supporting characters, situations, and science and you’ve got a good show.
  • Chuck (NBC) – I like this show more when they’re not focusing on Chuck’s parental conspiracies but still adore the interplay between the spies and the geeks.
  • Dexter (Show) – I don’t think I’ve ever worried about a criminal as much as I worry about Dexter, with his need to kill, the folks who suspect him, and of course his trying to work and have a family, I feel bad about complaining about my schedule.
  • Men of a Certain Age (TNT) – I missed the first season of this but catching up in reruns and watching the second, the men won me over with their regular middle aged lives, the late forties may not always be pretty, but apparently they can be entertaining.
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new and noteworthy tv: 9/20-9/26

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Its a big week. My main conflicts are Monday and Thursdays at 8, let’s just hope I don’t need to add much else new. Procrastinator picks are underlined, and I’m always game to try something new at least once, and of course you can always check out thoughts on returning favorites and intriguing new shows.

Monday

  • Dancing with the Stars/Castle (ABC, 8/10pm) Season Premieres – Palin, Situation, old person, sports person, another reality person, etc and then the fun case comaraderie of our favorite fictional author and his detective partner.
  • House/Lone Star (Fox, 8/9pm, LS repeats Sat at 11pm) Season/Series Premiere – I’ve been sticking with House for years but the battle of the time slot my take it as a casualty, hearing good things about Lone Star’s grifting ways.
  • Chuck/The Event/Chase (NBC, 8/9/10pm, Ev & Ch repeat Sat 9/10pm) Season/Series Premieres – Chuck delights me and I’ll at least check in to see what Event and Chase have to bring.
  • How I Met Your Mother/Rules of Engagement/Two and a Half Men/Mike & Molly/Hawaii 5-0 (CBS, 8/8:30/9/9:30/10pm, 5-0 repeats Sat at 8pm) – Season/Series Premieres – Still a HIMYM fan, I wish I could time block it differently, will check in with M&M and 5-0.

Tuesday

  • Glee/Raising Hope/Running Wilde (Fox, 8/9/9:30pm, RW repeats Sat at midnight) Season/Series Premieres – Excited to see what Glee will bring and giving the new sitcoms a shot.
  • The Biggest Loser (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Too heartfelt in the reality fare for me.
  • NCIS/NCIS: LA (CBS, 8/9pm) Season Premieres – Never quite got into the Naval version of the criminal investigation.
  • Detroit 1-8-7 (ABC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Willing to see what Michael Imperioli brings to the detective world.

Wednesday

  • Hell’s Kitchen (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – Mean chef.
  • The Middle/Better with You/Modern Family/Cougar Town/The Whole Truth (ABC, 8/8:30/9/9:30/10pm, BwY/WT repeats Fri at 8:30/9pm) Season/Series Premiere – Enjoyed the comedy block last year, we’ll see how well BwY fits in and TWT wraps things up.
  • Undercovers/Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 8/9pm; UC repeats Thurs on USA) Series/Season Premiere – Definitely going to be checking out the new spy couple and then still sticking with but not all that invested in SVU.
  • Criminal Minds/The Defenders (CBS, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – Don’t go out of my way for the serial hacker of the week but willing to make a run with the latest Vegas lawyers.

Thursday

  • My Generation/Grey’s Anatomy/Private Practice (ABC, 8/9/10pm) Series/Season Premieres – Generation is getting some of the worst buzz, so due to scheduling won’t make a pass, but will check back for Grey’s before tuning out of ABC again.
  • Bones/Fringe (Fox, 8/9pm) Season Premieres – I still dig Bones but Fringe’s drama never quite hooked me.
  • Community/30 Rock/The Office/Outsourced (NBC, 8/8:30/9/9:30pm) Season/Series Premieres – The start of this night makes me laugh though rumor has it Outsourced doesn’t round things out well.
  • The Big Bang Theory/$#*! My Dad Says/CSI/The Mentalist (CBS, 8/8:30/9/10pm) Season/Series Premieres – One of the funnier shows paired with what is supposed to be the worst show, I’ve never gotten into the CSIs but do tune in for Simon Baker.

Friday

  • Smallville/Supernatural (CW, 8/9pm) Season Premiere – I’m not really doing these freak of the week shows.
  • Medium/CSI: NY/Blue Bloods (CBS, 8/9/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – Blah, blah, then worth a shot.
  • The Good Guys (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – I just didn’t think the guys were all that good.
  • Dateline (NBC, 9pm) Season Premiere – News-ish.
  • 20/20 (ABC, 10pm) Season Premiere – News-ish.

Saturday

  • 48 Hours Mystery (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – News-ish.
  • Saturday Night Live (NBC, 11:29) Season Premiere – Amy Poehler hosts with Katy Perry.

Sunday

  • America’s Funniest Home Videos/Extreme Makeover Home Edition/Desperate Housewives/Brothers & Sisters (ABC, 7/8/9/10pm) Season Premieres – Some funny, some drama, but not enough of either for me.
  • 60 Minutes/The Amazing Race/Undercover Boss (CBS, 7:30/8:30/10pm) Season Premieres – News-ish, Amazing-ish, Bossy.
  • The Simpsons/The Cleveland Show/Family Guy (Fox, 8/8:30/9pm) Season Premieres – Animation takes control.
  • Dexter (Show, 9pm) Season Premiere – What will he do this season?!?
  • Bored to Death/Eastbound & Down (HBO, 10/10:30pm) Season Premieres – No HBO for me.
  • Sister Wives (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – The real life polygamists.
  • Nature (PBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – Cuba.

Since scheduling come fall gets difficult and networks sometimes rerun pilots I’ll try to note repeat airings for new shows, all times are typically PST.

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returning fall favorites

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Though I learned from Alan Sepinwall that fall doesn’t officially start until September 20, I think anything after Labor Day is fair game.  The tv season is in fact starting and what, you might wonder, have I missed most? Well since you asked:

  • Bones (Fox, 9/23) – Still a favorite among the procedurals, Booth, Bones, and the rest of the lap techs are fun characters with cases that bring out the best balance of science and humanity in everyone.
  • Chuck (NBC, 9/20) – They’ve done a really good job of having Chuck evolve as a spy without losing the total humor of the situation and the great supporting characters keep bringing the geek and the spy skills.
  • Cougar Town (ABC, 9/22)/Community (NBC, 9/23) – These two comedies both started out pretty dumb, but both situations of misfits bonded together by proximity (and characters forcing the bond), really grew into their characters and their funny to make them two of the highlights of my week.
  • Dexter (Show, 9/26) – No season has been as good as the first, and I still think I hate all the women, but I still long to find out what happens to Dexter and how he gets into and out of trouble and murder (or justice) each week.
  • Glee (Fox, 9/21) – This show is uneven for sure but there is enough heart and originality and of course fun musical numbers to make this show must see tv for me.
  • The Good Wife (CBS, 9/28) – Maybe the best show introduced last year, the tragic politician’s wife story brings a subtlety and drama to each of the characters and situations that make me as interested in the ongoing character stories as the weekly procedural.
  • Sons of Anarchy (FX, 9/7) – Tonight! Probably my most anticipated and favorite show to watch, the motorcycle gang and their families are violent and scheming and unmerciful as they protect their business and each other.

Honorable mentions (other fall stuff on season pass): ANTM (CW, 9/8),  The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 9/23), Castle (ABC, 9/20), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 9/23), House (Fox, 9/20), How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 9/20), It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX, 9/16), Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9/22), The Mentalist (CBS, 9/23), The Middle (ABC, 9/22), Modern Family (ABC, 9/22), The Office (NBC, 9/23), Parenthood (NBC, 9/14), 30 Rock (NBC, 9/23).

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procrastinator picks – top tv of 2009

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So we’ve seen what the critics gave their shout outs to, but what about me? Following are my top ten-ish tv shows for 2009. Now these may not all be the ‘best’ shows on the air but they’re the ones that I look most forward to or finish with the most joy (or anticipation for the next episode).

So here goes:

  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – A motorcycle club with layers and layers of drama and plenty of violence, I can’t turn away and I can’t wait to tune in to see what Jax and the others will do next season.
  • Chuck (NBC) – A wonderful balance between the spy capers, the geeky humor, and of course the romance, I’m thrilled to see Chuck 2.0 next season.
  • Glee (Fox) – My favorite newcomer, although the first season was a bit uneven (we were all so over the wife) the humor, the mix of poignant moments, and yes, the songs, made me keep coming back.
  • Bones (Fox) – Still my favorite crime solving pair, will FBI Sealy Booth and Forensic Anthropologist Temperance Brennan ever get together?
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – Another new addition to the lineup, so far it’s a great balance between the case-of-the-week and Margulies struggling with her family and potentially corrupt cheater husband, there’s more politics afoot than we know.
  • The Mentalist (CBS) /Castle (ABC) – These two guys are worth tuning into no matter where they are but both are set up as great characters with fun casts and of course the case-of-the-week.
  • Dexter (Sho) – No season has been as good at the first but it doesn’t stop me from yelling at the tv when Dexter is doing something foolish, juggling job, family, friends, and being a serial killer is a tough balance.
  • Dollhouse (Fox) – Another uneven addition to the list but as the season has progressed we see what the show could have been with its corrupt organization and complex issues of identity, too bad there are only three more.
  • Modern Family (ABC)/Community (NBC) – So I still laugh at 30 Rock, The Office, HIMYM, Parks & Rec, but the shows I was most excited to watch were the new ones, MF takes us into the new form of funny families and Community just puts together some weirdos, I don’t know, I am amused.

Special shout outs  for some of the cable fluff that I tended to watch first that even I’m not tempted to make the case that they’re ‘the best’: Drop Dead Diva (Life) – the dumbest premise made the cutest show, Leverage (TNT) – I love a good caper show, and this was good enough, Burn Notice (USA) – cheesy but Macgyver of this generation shouldn’t be skipped, and Greek (ABCFam) – fun plots and characters are all you need to keep you tuning in.

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