critic’s picks – top tv of 2010

Well it’s that time again, the time to reflect on the best of the year that’s passed. A tv season doesn’t quite follow the annual flow but I’ll go with it and note what critics are touting as the best of the year.

Abbreviations follow the alphabetical listing and links to posted lists are at the end.

Stay tuned to see what made my personal top ten list.

  • 30 Rock (NBC) – EN, AFI, TG, KT, GG, Sat
  • 30 for 30 (ESPN) – AS, DF
  • Archer (Fx) – TGBetter Off Ted (ABC) – MR
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – E, GG
  • The Big C (Show) – AFI, GG, Sat
  • Boardwalk Empire (HBO) – SK, MR, EN, JP, AFI, JL, TG, AS, TVG, GG, Sat, DF
  • Breaking Bad (AMC) – SK, MR, JP, AFI, TG, AS, TVG, KT, Sat, DF
  • The Choir (BBCA) – TVG
  • Chuck (NBC) – E
  • Community (NBC) – EN, E, JL, AS, KT, DF
  • Cougar Town (ABC) – MR
  • Damages (Fx) – SK
  • Dexter (Show) – SK, E, GG, Sat
  • The Event (NBC) – SK
  • Friday Night Lights (DirTV) – SK, E, JL, KT, Sat, DF
  • Fringe (Fox) – MR, E, JL, KT
  • Glee (Fox) – E, AFI, TVG, GG, Sat
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – MR, EN, JP, JL, TVG, KT, GG, Sat
  • Great Migrations (NatGeo) – TG
  • Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – E
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – E
  • The InBetweeners (BBCA) – TG
  • In Treatment (HBO) – EN
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Fx) – TG
  • Justified (Fx) – JL, TVG, KT
  • Life (Disc) – TG
  • The Life and Times of Tim (HBO) – TG
  • Lost (ABC) – MR, E, TG, TVG
  • Louie (Fx) – EN, JP, E, TG, AS
  • Mad Men (AMC) – MR, EN, JP, E, AFI, JL, TG, AS, TVG, KT, GG, Sat, DF
  • Men of a Certain Age (TNT) – TG, KT
  • Modern Family (ABC) – MR, E, AFI, JL, TG, TVG, KT, GG, Sat
  • Morning Joe (MSNBC) – SK
  • Nurse Jackie (Show) – GG, Sat
  • The Pacific (HBO) – JP, AFI, TG , AS, TVG, DF
  • Parks & Recreation (NBC) – MR, JP, E, JL, TG, AS, KT, DF
  • Party Down (Starz) – MR, JP, E
  • Raising Hope (Fox) – E, Sat
  • Rubicon (AMC) – MR, JP
  • Sherlock (PBS) – TVG
  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – SK, E, TG
  • Spartacus (Starz) – MR
  • SpongeBob SquarePants (Nick) – SK
  • Terriers (Fx) – MR, EN, JP, JL, TG, AS, TVG, DF
  • Treme (HBO) – EN, TG, AS
  • True Blood (HBO) – E
  • The Tudors (Show) – Sat
  • United States of Tara (Show) – EN, Sat
  • Vampire Diaries (CW) – E, DF
  • The Walking Dead (AMC) – SK, E, AFI, TG, TVG, GG
  • Work of Art: The Next Great Artist (Brav) – KT

AFI – American Film Institute, DF – Daniel Feinberg for Hitfix,  SK – Entertainment Weekly, MR – Maureen Ryan for TV Squad, EN – Emily Nussbaum for NYMag, JP – James Poniewozik for Time, E – Dramas and Comedies, GG – Golden Globe Nominations, JL – Jace Lacob for the Daily Beast, KT – Ken Tucker for EW, TG – Tim Goodman for Hollywood Reporter, Sat – Satellite Awards, AS – Alan Sepinwall for Hitfix, TVG – Matt Roush for TVGuide

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my schedule

Until mid-season or the schedules shake up again I’ve mostly settled in to a lineup. So far here’s how things shake out. Though there aren’t any new breakout hits for me I have added a couple new picks.

Monday

  • 8pm – Chuck (NBC)/How I Met Your Mother (CBS) [House (Fox)]
  • 10pm – Castle (ABC)/Hawaii Five-O (CBS)

I’m still tempted to drop House but I get into this mental state where I feel like I’ve invested so many seasons into it so I kind of want to see how things play out. Other than that old favorites Chuck, HIMYM, and Castle are joined by fluffy fun enough so far 5-0.

Tuesday

  • 8pm – No Ordinary Family (ABC)/Glee (Fox)
  • 9pm – Raising Hope/Running Wilde (Fox)
  • 10pm – The Good Wife (CBS)/Parenthood (NBC) [Detroit 1-8-7 (ABC)/Sons of Anarchy (Fx)]

So far NOFamily is a nice mix of family drama and super skills [though this isn’t a bad show I found I wasn’t engaged enough to keep it on the listings] while the uneven Glee still keeps me coming back. Keeping SofA on the schedule is not a problem since FX replays stuff repeatedly, but debating on what to do about wanting to add 1-8-7 to my already booked hour. Since both Hope and Wilde are on my chopping block I wish I could move one of these up an hour.

Wednesday

  • 8pm – The Middle/Better With You (ABC)/America’s Next Top Model (CW)
  • 9pm – Modern Family/Cougar Town (ABC)/Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
  • 10pm – The Defenders (CBS)/Law & Order: Los Angeles (NBC) [Terriers (Fx)]

Am losing interest in ANTM and the Law & Orders but keeping them in the running with the comedies. Better w/You isn’t quite funny but the episode about living in a fire house kept me interested just because I’ve always wanted to live in a fire house (or light house) but it may go soon. Terriers is probably my favorite new show so keeping that on the agenda isn’t a problem while Defenders is so far sort of charming enough to keep me tuned in.

Thursday

  • 8pm – The Big Bang Theory (CBS)/Bones (Fox)/Community/30 Rock (NBC)
  • 9pm – Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)/The Office (NBC) [Project Runway (Life)]
  • 10pm – The Mentalist (CBS)/It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Fx)

Another tough first hour as I’m not willing to give up Bones, Big Bang or Community though the rest of the night seems to fit in fine. Holding out to see if Office picks up or drops off, especially with Michael’s scheduled departure.

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new and noteworthy tv: 9/20-9/26

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

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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new and noteworthy tv: 4/12-4/18

Monday

  • Snakes’kin (AnPl, 7/7:30pm) Series Premiere – A family of animal responders in Georgia, and there’s snakes.
  • Tough Love (VH1, 9pm) Series Premiere – He tried to get tough on single girls and now he and his mom are taking on couples.

Tuesday

  • Tiny & Toya (BET, 7pm) Season Premiere – They’re back, though I don’t know who ‘they’ are.
  • Deadliest Catch/Construction Intervention (Disc, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – First we follow the seafarers then we check in with some construction workers who start with a restaurant redo.
  • Glee (Fox, 9:28pm) – If I weren’t so looking forward to its return I would boycott for the 9:28 start time.
  • 9 by Design (Brav, 11pm) Series Premiere – We follow interior design couple through real estate and home life of 6+ kids.

Wednesday

  • Ugly Betty (ABC, 10pm) Series Finale – Will Betty be beautiful or has she been all along.

Thursday

  • Weird, True & Freaky (AnPl, 6/6:30pm) Season Premiere – Animals that eat mind altering substances and then primates gone wild, you know for a primate.
  • SNL in the 2000s (NBC, 9pm) – Looking back on a decade worth of clips I bet they can find some funny.

Friday

  • Secrets of the Mountain (NBC/KRON, 8pm) – What will the family find when they go up to the cabin they’re going to sell, I’m guessing secrets.

Saturday

  • Doctor Who (BBCA, 8/9pm) Season Premiere – Tune in at 8 for a little more about the doc and then jump back in.
  • The Graham Norton Show (BBCA, 10:07pm) Season Premiere – The season talker opens with Ricky Gervais among others.

Sunday

  • Riverworld (Syfy, 7/9pm) – Let’s hope this miniseries fares better than Waterworld.
  • Academy of Country Music Awards (CBS, 8pm) – Reba hosts and I think a former American Idol performs.
  • Chefs vs City (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – It’s a foodie face-off!
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procrastinator picks – top tv of 2009

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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critic’s picks – top tv of 2009

madmenWe’re wrapping up the year and critics and award shows are singing the praises of the best of 2009. Following is a consolidation of what I’ve found on folk’s best lists.

Who said which? Initials included after titles and full names and links below. Am I missing some? Post them in comments and I’ll make updates. What do I think? Stay tuned for my year end tv post.

  • Battlestar Galactica (Syfy) – JP, MR, Wat, TG, AS
  • Better Off Ted (ABC) – TG, AS, CNN
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – AFI, MR, Wat, SA, AS, CNN, AF
  • Big Love (HBO) – JP, AFI, TG, SA, AF
  • Bored to Death (HBO) – TG
  • Breaking Bad (AMC) – JP, MR, WG, TG, KT, SA, AS, AF
  • Chuck (NBC) – Wat, AS, AF
  • The Closer (TNT) – TVG, SAG
  • Community (NBC) – TG, AS
  • Cougar Town (ABC) – TVG
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) – TG, WG, SAG, AS
  • Damages (FX) – TVG, SA
  • Dexter (Show) – WG, SAG, TG
  • Dollhouse (Fox) – Wat
  • Flight of the Conchords (HBO) – TG, SA, AS
  • Friday Night Lights (NBC) – JP, AFI, TVG, MR, WG, Wat, KT, AS, AF
  • Fringe (Fox) – KT, CNN
  • Glee (Fox) – JP, AFI, TVG, MR, WG, SAG, TG, KT, SA, CNN
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – SAG, KT, SA
  • Greek (ABCFam)- TVG
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – TG, SA, AF
  • Hung (HBO) – TG
  • In Treatment (HBO) – SA, AS
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX) – TG
  • The League (FX) – TG
  • Lost (ABC) – JP, TVG, WG, Wat, TG, AS
  • Mad Men (AMC) – JP, AFI, TVG, MR, WG, Wat, SAG, TG, KT, SA, AS, AF
  • The Middle (ABC) – TVG
  • Modern Family (ABC) – JP, AFI, TVG, TG, MR, WG, Wat, SAG, KT, AS, CNN, AF
  • The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (HBO) – AFI
  • Nurse Jackie (Show) – AFI, MR, Wat, TG, KT, AF
  • The Office (NBC) – JP, TG, WG, SAG, AS, AF
  • Parks and Recreation (NBC) – JP, TG, Wat, SA, AF
  • Party Down (Starz) – AFI, Wat, AS
  • Sons of Anarchy (FX) – JP, Wat, TG, KT, SA
  • Supernatural (CW) – Wat
  • 30 For 30 (ESPN) – AS
  • 30 Rock (NBC) – TVG, TG, WG, SAG, SA, AF
  • 24 (Fox) – TVG
  • Torchwood: Children of Earth (BBCA) – MR, Wat, AS
  • True Blood (HBO) – AFI, MR, Wat, SAG, TG, KT, CNN, AF
  • Ugly Betty (ABC) – AF
  • United States of Tara (Show) – AS
  • Weeds (Show) – SA

AF – Ausiello Files, AS – Alan Sepinwall for Star-LedgerAFI, CNN, JP – James Poniewozik for Time, KT – Ken Tucker for Entertainment Weekly, MR – Matt Roush for TV Guide Magazine, SA – Satellite Awards, SAG – Screen Actor’s Guild (best ensemble), TVG – TV Gal, TG – Tim Goodman for SF Chronicle Comedies, Dramas, Wat – The Watcher by Maureen Ryan, WG – Writer’s Guild

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they’re laughable

communitySome of the tv critics I read were discussing the best comedies, and with the rare success of a few new shows this season the conversation has more to talk about. Although I’ll save official end of year rankings I thought I’d follow Tuned In’s lead and talk a little about some of the comedies I’m watching and why.

  • 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.
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my schedule

Looks like fall shows have launched and now that I’ve given it a look or two, with my goal as always to keep shows to two per time slot max, until they cancel, reschedule, add, or I just get over something, here’s where I’m at:

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).

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new for fall

gleeThe shows are starting to roll out and although I don’t get advanced copies for review, the previews and critics have me interested in the following:

  • Community (NBC, 9/17) – Joel McHale from Talk Soup plays an ousted lawyer hitting community college with a misfit study group including Chevy Chase.
  • FlashForward (ABC, 9/24) – This year’s weird entry has folks black out and envision their future and then?
  • Glee (Fox, 9/9) – Yes, it’s funny but not a typical comedy and yes there’s singing but it’s not a typical musical, tune in.
  • The Good Wife (CBS, 9/22) – Julianna Margulies is back as the wife of a disgraced politician, Chris Noth, and has to start at the beginning with her law practice.
  • Modern Family (ABC, 9/23) – Three interlinking wacked out families includes the family that tries too hard, adopting gay parents, and an older rich dude with a hot young wife.
  • V (ABC, 11/3) – It’s a remake but supposedly picks up with alien intrigue with Elizabeth Mitchell, Scott Wolf, and Morena Baccarin among others.

And of course time will tell for these as well:

The Beautiful Life: TBL (CW, 9/16) – Life behind the scenes of models up and coming to has beens, good bad or just bad; The Cleveland Show (Fox, 9/27) – Family Guy character takes his family to his own show, if you liked the Family Guy;  Cougar Town (ABC, 9/23) Courtney Cox gives it another go as an ‘older’ divorced woman, early buzz isn’t great; Eastwick (ABC, 9/23) – Rebecca Romijn, Jaime Ray Newman, and Lindsay Price take on the roles of women discovering their powers, potential is rumored to not yet be realized; The Forgotten (ABC, 9/22) – Christian Slater joins the cast of folks finding lost folks, late replacement Slater and retooling of plot so we’ll see; Melrose Place (CW, 9/8) – Soapy over the top drama with characters new and old, meh; The Middle (ABC, 9/30) – Patricia Heaton is back with family in hard times, hard times are supposedly funny times; NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS, 9/22) – Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J head up the new spin LA style, hipper than the old version means something; Three Rivers (CBS, 10/4) – That guy from that other vampire show Moonlight is one of the drs in the organ transplant unit, looks like a snore; Trauma (NBC, 9/28) – Lots of explosions and then maybe some EMT drama, explosions can’t be maintained and the drama’s not quite dramatic yet; Vampire Diaries (CW, 9/10) – They look into each other’s eyes longingly, if you’re looking for fluff.

And a few to pull out that have been labeled as losers:

Accidentally on Purpose (CBS, 9/21) – Jenna Elfman gets pregnant by a young one night stand; Brothers (Fox, 9/25) – Ex NFL star moves home after dad’s heart attack; Hank (ABC, 9/30) Kelsey Grammar is back as a family patriarch recently hitting harder times; Mercy (NBC, 9/23) – Another hospital drama from the nurse’s POV.

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