TV Spot Check

As of tonight, we’re pretty much done with the season premieres, so I thought that it would be a good time to do a spot check of how the shows are doing…

How I Met Your Mother:  The show’s settled in to its rhythm.  They seem to have abandoned the premise of a guy meeting his future wife for more of a typical “Friends” style show.  This could be the “new Raymond”.

The Class:  This show’s gotten better than its really poor start.  While disguised as a typical sitcom, its got a really twisted sense of humor.  If it finds its stride and fixes its flaws, this could become something really good.

Two and a Half Men:  This is the current “new Raymond”.  The show’s gotten a bit boring.  Like I said earlier, they need to spend more time with Rose and Jake.  Those parts continue to be hilarious.

Adventures of Old Christine:  So, this is what an Emmy awarded show looks like.  I have to admit its the best sitcom in the CBS Monday lineup.

CSI Miami:  We need more Emily Proctor!  She’s really come into her own in this show.

Heroes:  This show is supposed to be a hit.  So far, its a yawner to me.  I’m hoping it gets better.

Studio 60:  There’s been a lot of talk lateley about how this show’s not doing that well in the ratings.  On the other hand, this is easily the best written show on TV now.  Okay, its a little too “inside” right now.  Aaron Sorkin needs to recapture the West Wing magic.  At its height, West Wing was like a little weekly civics lesson on how government works.  Sorkin needs to do the same thing with Studio 60.  I hope he does; this is one of the few shows that I can watch over and over again.

Vanished:  This show’s been surprisingly entertaining.  Unfortunatley, its also not doing well in the ratings, and Fox is moving it to Friday nights.  That’s actually good news for me, since there’s less competition for my DVR’s Friday.

Help Me Help You:  A typical sitcom.  nothing good, nothing bad.  Some of the patients on the show are mildly interesting.

Boston Legal:  Another show that gives us more of what we got last year.  This year, they’re getting more self-referential and make periodic references to the show.  I’m still enjoying it:  William Shatner and James Spader remain terrific in this show.

NCIS:  Anither tried and true show, in its stride.  Predictable and still entertaining.

The Unit:  This show took over for the E-Ring last season, and quickly became the show that the E-Ring should have been.  The show continues to be high-testosterone; the best action show on the TV schedule.

Smith:  Gone, and not missed.

Law and Order CI:  Yet another show giving us what we expect.  So far, I don’t particularly like Julianne Nicholson as Logan’s new partner.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved her last season in Conviction.  But, here, she’s just taking up space.  This show’s all about the characters, and so far she isn’t one.  Also, I miss Jamey Sheridan.

Standoff:  This show’s turned out to be better than I expected.  I still don’t like the “relationship” subplot between the two leads; it distracts from the show.

Jericho:  This is supposed to be a “Lost” knockoff.  In my opinion, they do a better job than Lost does.  The show’s a bit of an anachronism since the end of the Cold War.  I’m waiting to see how they explain the nuclear attacks.  In the meantime, its a lot of soapy fun.

Criminal Minds:  This has to be the most violent show on TV.  I’m amazed to remember that the original Starsky and Hutch series was blasted for too much violence.  Compared to Criminal Minds, it was Sesame Street.  I love the psychological aspect of the show, but hate the violent undercurrent.  I wish they’d do something about that.  Because of that, it remains in danger of falling off my list.

CSI NY:  This one is less soapy than Miami, but definitely soapier than the original.  It’s a good hour of quality TV.

Bones:  They’re upping the relationship factor of the show, which is a big help.  It was pretty good last season, its getting better this season.

Justice:  Not a great show, but not as bad as its pilot (which was awful).  Fox hasn’t given up on it yet, so I’m not either.

Ugly Betty:  This show isn’t living up to its hype.  I’m hoping hard for an upturn.

Grey’s Anatomy:  This was the top show last week, and deserves it. I love this show!

Six Degrees:  Weird soap show.  Off my list.

Survivor:  The show’s gotten long in the tooth.  The race based tribes was actually interesting, but that’s over now and its just more of the same.  They need to bring back Rob and Amber

CSI:  I didn’t like the season starter.  They need to get back to what they do best: investigations.

Shark:  Not a bad court drama.  James Woods is delightfully cartoony.  They need to work on his relationship with his daughter though; it was better in the pilot than since.

My Name is Earl:  The best comedy on TV.  Hey, where’s the Emmy???

The Office:  Still an acquired taste.  Of course, I’ve acquired it.

‘Til Death:  Oh, I wish this show were better; Brad Garrett deserves better.

Happy Hour:  Another show I wish was better than it is.  It might be gone now.  That’s too bad, but expected.

Men in Trees:  Off the list.  Thank goodness.

Close to Home:  I hated that they killed off Annabeth’s husband.  There’s way too many single moms on TV as it is, and this was just mean.  Also the new DA, James Conlon, gets on my nerves.  They need to get back to what the show was about last season.

Numb3rs:  I like this show a lot, even though the premise is incredibly silly (math crime fighter, sheesh). But! Charlie and Amita need to kick it into gear.  It’s got to be the most frustating (and least entertaining) relationship on TV.

Desperate Housewives:  They’re going “back to basics”, and it shows.  This season’s already a marked improvement over last season.

Amazing Race:  Still the 2nd best reality show on TV (Project Runway’s the best, no matter what the Emmys say).

Simpsons, American Dad, Family Guy, War at Home:  The four dads.  Good home town comedy. I”m amazed that the Simpsons continue to please.

This just in:

30 Rock:  This show has its moments.  Alec Baldwin is a comedic genius (who knew?).  Tina Fey is a good writer, but she has to learn that her role here is as the “straight man”, and stay away from the jokes.

20 Good Years:  I’ve only watched 5 minutes of this show, and I already know that its a stinker. Please, please please go away.

Well, that’s what I’m watching.  So far, a better season start than in quite a while, but it could get better. Here’s hoping.

10/11/2006 9:01:54 PM (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-07:00)      Comments [0]  TV