Fall TV Blog

Another fall television season has come and gone -- are you all enjoying the new series? Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with the new shows, as well as my favorite returning series. Each fall, we're usually inundated with new shows, so this year was especially enjoyable since the majority of last year's series had earned a spot on the primetime schedule.

Many people have asked me which new series I liked best this fall. Since my taste in television varies a great deal, this isn't an easy question to answer. I could never narrow it down to one particular show because what I love about one series is completely different from what I find intriguing about another..... Read more...

This is the last week of this fall's television premieres and before you know it, 2009 will arrive (as will many more shows). Although this week isn't quite as plentiful as in previous weeks, some exciting new and returning series are headed our way.

My Pick for the Week: My Own Worst Enemy brings film star Christian Slater back to the small screen and I couldn't be happier! Slater works overtime in the series in a dual role: Henry Spivey, a typical middle-class family man with 2.3 kids and Edward Albright, a highly trained operative who can speak 13 languages and has the skill to kill with only his teeth. Big problem -- Henry and Edward happen to live in the same body and neither is aware of the others existence. This should make for an interesting night of television. Read more...

Thursdays have always been a big television night, and although I love having so many choices -- I hate having so many choices. In the last few of years, any new series invading the Thursday realm have been pitied because that is where many shows go to die a quick and painful death. Unless the series is a big hit, it's extremely rare for anything new to survive in the 8:00-10:00pm time slot on this crazy night. I'll never understand why networks continue to press their luck.

With that said, NBC is forging ahead with a new comedy series that actually looks promising. Molly Shannon and Selma Blair star in Kath and Kim, a story about a dysfunctional mother and daughter relationship. Kath is having the time of her life until her newly married daughter moves back home after leaving her husband of six weeks. Will Kath's new romance hit the skids now that her depressed daughter is back in the picture? Read more...

I can't believe that in the next 11 days, all of the fall shows will have premiered. It seems like just yesterday the fall season began. Time sure flies when you're a coach potato, eh? The last two weeks of premieres were pretty crazy, so you'll all be happy to know that while this week is fairly light, it by no means reflects on the excitement headed our way!

On Tap This Week

• South Park - Comedy Central
• The Sarah Silverman Program - Comedy Central
• Kath & Kim - NBC
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - CBS
• Eleventh Hour - CBS
• Life on Mars - ABC
• The Starter Wife - USA Network

Are you enjoying the new shows this season? How do the returning shows measure up to last year? Thoughts? Comments? Post 'em below!

Tube fans, get in your naughty chairs and settle in for another huge night of television premieres!

Until a few years ago, Fridays weren't typically a big night for television. With the economy wreaking havoc on the country, settling down for a night of television at home is the perfect way to forget about the financial disasters at hand for a few hours. It's escapism at its best.

My Pick for the Night: Supernanny is one of the few shows on television the entire family can watch together. As parents, we all have had our share of difficult moments with our children and often wonder how people make it through the rough times. Read more...

Pushing Daisies, Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money -- Ah, I have waited so long for my Wednesday night shows to return! While most television shows returned last spring following the writers strike, ABC decided to hold these Wednesday night dramas over until the fall season. My heart was broken, yet I was relieved to know that my three guiltiest pleasures would ultimately return.

My Pick for the Night: Pushing Daisies was one of last season's most-anticipated new shows. The story about a pie maker named Ned, who could bring the dead back to life with just one touch, treated viewers to romance, mystery, laughs and loads of charm. Read more...

After last night's mega-premiere buffet, the networks are taking things a bit easier tonight. However, that certainly doesn't mean there isn't plenty of excitement in store for viewers tonight as two fantastic NBC dramas make their way into our living rooms.

My Pick for Tonight - Life: Imagine being a cop, getting framed for a crime you didn't commit and spending years in prison being brutalized by the criminals you put away.... How determined would you be to hunt down those responsible?

On NBC's crime drama Life, Detective Charlie Crews spent 12 long years in prison and is now a free man after being proven innocent. Prison changes a man and for Charlie, the change is quite chilling at times. I really shouldn't say much more, I don't want to ruin it for those who plan to tune in to this amazing drama. If you haven't given this series a shot yet, I would recommend trying just one episode -- you'll be hooked!

Monday Night Premiere Schedule

• 8:00pm ET - Chuck returns on NBC
• 10:00pm ET - Life returns on NBC

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It's hard to believe The Simpsons have been around for 20 years. By all rights, Bart, Lisa and Maggie should be well into their 20's and working for a living. At the very least, shouldn't Maggie finally toss that pacifier and learn to use the potty? Imagine the money this poor family has spent on diapers alone!

Last week's crazy premiere schedule was an embarrassment of riches, but Sunday night really takes the cake as 12 returning series invade our living rooms once again. It's nights like this that really make me wish someone would create a DVR capable of recording 3 or more shows at once. Not that I would actually have time to watch everything, but at least I could have more options. Read more...

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a huge reality TV fan, but there are a couple of shows I do consider guilty pleasures and Survivor happens to be one of them. As each season passes, I keep telling myself that it's time to vote myself off the island and move on, but something just keeps pulling me back in and I fear it might be Jeff Probst.

For many years, Thursdays have been the most competitive night of television. This season is no exception as the networks prepare to battle it out once again for the Nielsen crown. Read more...

Where did all of the television comedies go? During the golden days of Seinfeld and Friends, the networks had a nice balance of comedy and drama series. In recent years, dramedies such as Desperate Housewives, Reaper and Ugly Betty seem to have replaced the traditional comedy format. As a result, the networks aren't laughing quite as much, and viewers aren't exactly amused with anything new that comes their way.

CBS seems to be one of the only networks still determined to show audiences a good time. With a successful two-hour comedy block on Monday nights under their belt, CBS is bringing the laughs to Wednesday night with the recently relocated New Adventures of Old Christine and the new series Gary Unmarried. Pairing these comedies with the tried and true Criminal Minds/CSI: NY combo is an interesting gamble, but will it pay off? Read more...