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returning fall favorites

September 2, 2022 No Comments

Labor Day signals the unofficial start of fall so let’s take a look at a few of the network shows I’m looking forward to returning.

The Conners/Abbott Elementary/Home Economics (ABC, Wednesday 9/21) – Abbott Elementary was the belle of the ball last season, and deservedly so, it’s funny and sweet and holds together well. I’m still appreciating The Conners and Home Economics is funny enough as the characters develop.
Law and Order (NBC, Thursday 9/22) – This didn’t totally capture the old-school L&O magic for me, and the crossovers to series I don’t watch might get me, but I’ll give it a few more.
Bobs Burgers (Fox, Sunday 9/25) – I did a catch-up on this and now I guess can watch real-time, I guess.
La Brea (NBC, Tuesday 9/27) – This was the dumbest show, but there was something so cheesy about it I couldn’t turn away, not sure I’ll stick with it but we’ll see.
Ghosts (CBS, Thursday 9/29) – This was the other highlight of last season, a remake of an English show (that is also supposed to be funny) the ghosts from different eras coming together with our present-day caretakers is a treat.
Call Me Kat (Fox, Thursday 9/29) – This show barely makes the cut but there is something appealing about the characters that makes me smile if not laugh, following Welcome to Flatch which I could not stick with last season.
The Equalizer (CBS, Sunday 10/2) – I mean Queen Latifa kicking ass for the good guys, this scratches a certain itch.
Coroner (CW, Sunday 10/2) – This is a classic murder of the week with some overarching drama surrounding our protagonist, one of the Canadian imports I enjoyed.

Midseason or TBA returns: Grand Crew (NBC), American Auto (NBC), 9-1-1: Lone Star (Fox), Transplant (NBC), Making It (NBC).

Things change, please check your local listings.

new and noteworthy tv: 3/1-3/7

February 28, 2010 No Comments

The Olympics are done so it’s time to start tuning back into some nonathletic tv watching, procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

Today (NBC, 7am) – The cast of Eight is Enough reunite!
Bachelor/After the Rose (ABC, 8/10pm) – Will he pick the gal everyone hates? Will it be true love? Who will the new bachelorette be? The two Bachelor fans I know will tell me the answers to those questions.
Rules of Engagement (CBS, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – This is one of those shows that isn’t bad, it just isn’t quite good and makes you wonder how Better Off Ted and others don’t get more time.
Law & Order (NBC, 9/10pm) – Now that we’re filling up that 10 o’clock hour again we’re just going to fill it with twice as much L&O, but I’m sort of back into this season.

Tuesday

Parenthood (NBC, 10pm) Series Premiere – I too am tired of the previews but who can resist a peek at Lorelai Gilmore and Nate from Six Feet Under being in the same family?
Southland (TNT, 10pm) Season Premiere – By season premiere what they mean is they’re actually going to air the episodes NBC didn’t bother with.

Wednesday

Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9/10pm) – Back to back drama with Mischa Barton and Kathy Griffin.
Ghost Hunters (Syfy, 9pm) Season Premiere – The 100th episode heads to Alcatraz for an ‘interactive event’.
The Oprah Winfrey Oscar Special (ABC, 10pm) – Stars interview stars and Oprah may be sealing the deal on taking over Barbara Walters spot on Oscar night next year.
The Locator (WE, 10pm) Season Premiere – There’s locating, and then there’s reuniting.
Nip/Tuck (Fx, 10pm) Series Finale – I haven’t watched an episode but I hear the six year run was an uneven but good one.

Thursday

The Office (NBC, 9/9:30pm) – Babies apparently take an hour to deliver.
The Real Housewives of New York City (Brav, 11pm) Season Premiere – They live in New York and I think they drink and argue.

Friday

Who Do You Think You Are (NBC, 8pm) Series Premiere – Genealogy celebrity style.
Independent Spirit Awards (IFC, 11pm) – Eddie Izzard hosts.

Saturday

Last chance to go out and catch an Oscar nod before they tell you what was the best.

Sunday

Barbara Walters Special (ABC, 8:30pm pst) – Barb is cutting this one off after 29 years, because 30 would be too predictable, so tune in for Sandra Bullock and Mo’Nique, note this is before the Oscars East Coast and whenever they end West Coast.
Oscars (ABC, 5/5:30pm pst) – Countdown, then the real deal, here’s to winning my Oscar pool…

thegoodwifepic I was recently talking to a friend discussing the merits of our favorite procedurals (her’s Castle, mine Bones). And of course different people like different things, another tv discussion showed that the forgotten which I dropped for being too schmaltzy had a sweet personal side to it that was liked by another. Then what do I find in this week’s Entertainment Weekly article on the continuation of NCIS but a notation as to some of the best procedural features. Best Writing: House; Best Ensemble: Castle; Best Cases: CSI; Best Gore: Bones; Best Sherlock: The Mentalist.

For my take on some of the ones I watch and why:

Bones (FOX) – This one is first in my book because I think the two lead characters Booth (FBI Agent) and Bones (Forensic Anthropologist) are both equally interesting and have great chemistry playing off their complementary approaches, having Booth brought into the world of science and the supporting cast of the ‘squints’ is fun with the some dark humor from the quirky cast and some fun science in the lab to solve the cases.
Castle (ABC) – I adore Nathan Fillion and I think this is a good role for him as charismatic mystery writer who forces his way into a detective unit, he does have good chemistry with his cop partner, and I like his family as supporters, but the cases are pretty standard and the supporting police detectives so far don’t quite distinguish themselves.
The Good Wife (CBS) – I’m still on the fence as to whether this will continue to fall in the procedural camp or move more toward the political drama but so far I am liking Marguiles character as a wife trying to reenter the working world to support her family after her politico husband leaves job and family in scandal, though he may be in prison for now the drama keeps going.
House (FOX) – There’s no question that Hugh Laurie is great in this role as personally damaged medical diagnostic genius, and I still like his relationship with his ‘best friend’, but I’m over the general format of getting an unsolvable case and guessing and almost killing the patient repeatedly until House figures it out at the last minute, and the supporting cast has also suffered from the initially intriguing shakeup up of his team leaving original support players underutilized but still standing by.
Law & Order (NBC) – This is what I sort of think of as the most standard procedural of the shows I watch, there’s very little character development with a very standard case-of-the-week but they’ve landed on a decent version of the rotating cast with two key detectives (law) and two key attorneys (order), though I tend to forget about each episode almost immediately even with the continued ‘ripped from the headlines’ approach.
Law & Order: SVU (NBC) – This one is a little more focused on the law aspect of things and a little more emphasis is on the relationship between the two lead detectives and I’m not quite as enamored with Benson and Stabler as everyone else is but Munch and Tutuola are good and the ‘special victims’ slant with a little more emphasis on the psychology of the victim and perp give the show a little more oomph.
The Mentalist (CBS) – I like Simon Baker maybe as much as I like Nathan Fillion and his character’s ability to notice what others don’t and stir the pot in a way to get things done is what makes this show interesting, I also have always liked Robin Tunny (Cherish was a delightful flick) but her character’s straight arrow-ness sometimes leaves me a little cold though I like the supporting detective players.
Numb3rs (CBS) – I tend to treat this show as a good solid backup, always engaging enough as we have spent a few seasons with the brothers who were never close until they realized the math genius and the FBI cases could actually bring them together, along with dear old dad and some supporting academic and FBI folk, they manage to entertain with their unique approach to solving the latest case.

And for a few that I’ve dabbled and just can’t add to the queue: Cold Case (CBS), Criminal Minds (CBS), CSIs (CBS), the forgotten (ABC), Lie to Me (Fox), NCISs (CBS).

my schedule

October 6, 2009 1 Comment

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).

next week 9/21

September 19, 2009 5 Comments

New and notable in the week ahead… procrastinator picks are underlined.

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.

lost loves

December 17, 2008 2 Comments

Every year I drop at least one show. A show I loved or liked and find that I no longer watch or enjoy usually because I find it has somehow lost its way. Things that are soapy like BH 90210 (the original) definitely lose their luster over time, but that’s not the only category I lose.

This year the casualty was Heroes, but I was thinking of the others… Not counting shows that didn’t make it a season here are some that lost their sheen:

Cold Case – The procedural wasn’t a bad show, but as I was trying to cut back this wasn’t a keeper.
Criminal Minds – I still catch this brutal-killer-of-the-week procedural with special-fbi-behavioral-unit in reruns, but it doesn’t make the main lineup.
Desperate Housewives – The first year this soapy drama entertained me but with the sophomore slump it lost me.
Heroes – I finally gave this up, as the characters and situations became more ridiculous it actually pained me to watch.
King of the Hill – I still find this show amusing but as the years drag on it just stopped hitting the tivo.
Prison Break – I did love the first season, but the delight collapsed once they escaped from prison and though I stuck through the entire second season I was mostly yelling at the tv about how stupid it had become before I gave it up.
Without a Trace – Another procedural that isn’t bad but just didn’t keep me keeping it.
The Simpsons – Also amusing but after a decade I’m more than happy to catch the occasional rerun.
Smallville – I loved the complexity of Lex Luthor and Clark Kent’s early relationship, but the freak of the week lost me.
Survivor – This had a good dynamic but easy enough to drop with a new season of folks each year.

And an almost dishonorable mention to American Idol and Law & Order, both of which have been dropped and picked up again and dropped and picked up…

next week 11/3

November 1, 2008 No Comments

New and notable in the week ahead… procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

Inside the Actor’s Studio (Bravo, 8pm) Season Premiere – I’ve never actually watched this show but I assume they just spend some quality time with actors, this week it’s Goldie Hawn.
First Class All the Way (Bravo, 9pm) Series Premiere – Get an inside peek at schmancy travel with a ‘concierge’ who takes us along on trips we can never afford.
SNL Presidential Bash (NBC, 9pm) – This special two hour presentation revisits political sketches new and old.
Raising the Bar (TNT, 10pm) Season Finale – This is the legal show where the Saved by the Bell guy has the really bad hair.

Tuesday

Election Coverage – No matter where you go you’re gonna find them talking election.
Daily Show and Colbert Report (Com, 10pm) – For those who prefer a little sass with their information.

Wednesday

Life (NBC, 9pm) – This falsely accused back on the force slightly odd detective show tries out a new time slot.
Law & Order (NBC, 10pm) Season Premiere – The kids are back bringing a little more cops and lawyers to the case of the week ripped from the headlines.

Thursday

50 cent: The Money and the Power (MTV, 10pm) Series Premiere – Our latest celeb reality show has ‘entrepreneurs’ competing for 50’s dough.

Friday

Survivorman (Disc, 9pm) Season Premiere – The Sierra Nevadas are this week’s place to survive, but it looks like this week Les might get lost.
Henry Rollins: Uncut (IFC, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – Rollins visits New Orleans.
Whale Wars (An Pl, 9pm) Series Premiere – It’s a war with the whalers not with the whales.

Saturday

Yeti (Scifi, 9pm) – If you’re desperate enough you can check out this made for tv movie about a college football team that crashes in the mountains and faces a snow creature.

Sunday

Ruby (Style, 8pm) Series Premiere – Ruby apparently weighs 477 pounds at the start of her a weight loss journey.
Summer Heights High (HBO, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – This eight part high school mockumentary is an Australian import.

my schedule

October 28, 2008 1 Comment

Well another year of television and almost everything has started. Until they cancel more stuff, move stuff around, or we get to midseason changes here is where things seem to be settling in for me. I wouldn’t recommend it all but it’s what I watch, or at least what I tend to tivo (I am still trying to narrow this down to no more than two shows per timeslot).

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).

more fall fun

August 18, 2008 No Comments

So some folks were asking about shows that they know I watch but weren’t listed in Fall Favorites… By now folks know I watch and enjoy more shows than a person probably should. In addition to previously noted favorites Bones, Chuck, Dirty Sexy Money, Gossip Girl, Heroes, The Office, Pushing Daisies, and 30 Rock, there are a few other returning shows that typically hit my tivo:

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.

fall is in the air

May 19, 2008 4 Comments

Well we’ve had a week to wrap up the up fronts where networks tout their fall and onward tv seasons for advertisers, so let’s take a look at what looks like it will look like:

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

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.

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