What to watch now?

I can't believe it has actually come to this. The strike is still in full force with no end in sight, and almost all of my favorite shows have finished airing all their new episodes. I'm still shocked it has continued this long. But it has, and now I must deal with the reality of it all. And the reality of MORE reality television!

My daughters are always excited about the return of American Idol and it appears I will probably be as excited as they are this year with not much else new to watch. I've also got plans to tune in to Medium (its season is scheduled to start soon after the new year) and Law & Order, the original (its season also was delayed and will start in the new year). I'm even a little excited about L&O since Jeremy Sisto will be a new detective. I might even watch a few shows that I originally wasn't planning to watch, like Cashmere Mafia.

But this blog is really about asking all of you (my few readers!) what you think I should watch? What is airing that I should check out? Anything on HBO or Showtime even? We recorded Tin Man on SciFi but I've heard it isn't worth it to even start watching it.

Any ideas will be appreciated!

What are your plans for this upcoming "no new TV season?"

How much more new TV can we expect?

As someone whose favorite hobby is just chilling out in front of the boob tube, I must say I'm pretty distressed over the writers strike. I think it's great that they are striking and I hope they get what they want, but on the other hand, what the heck am I going to do when there is no new television to watch? Hubby and I have started saving new episodes on our DVR instead of trying to rush to watch them all before the new one airs the next week. He asked me last night how many episodes I think we'll get of Journeyman. I found this link this morning. The LA Times put together a great grid that lists all of the shows and how many new episodes they have "in the can." What will happen after that is pretty much anyone's guess.

The TV Grid

Nip/Tuck is back and better than ever!

Our favorite plastic surgeons have transplanted themselves to California, and the move, surprisingly, is a good one for the show. The sheer number of impressive guest stars (fitting into their roles like a leather glove) in the season premiere alone blew me away. Lauren Hutton is perfect as the agent who finally brings the guys some business (along with a fabulous gig as consultants on a plastic surgery show "Hearts N Scalpels.") Oliver Platt could be in his best role yet as the creator of "Hearts N Scalpels," and Bradley Cooper (Alias) is fantastic as the big star of the show who bullies (i.e., yells) at everyone to get his way. We also saw several fan favorites who haven't been in the limelight for years; Tia Carrere as a dominatrix, Paula Marshall as another actor on "Hearts N Scalpels," and Craig Bierko as a studio head whose "Mistress" is Tia Carrere. But my favorite role in last night's show had to be the one played by Daphne Zuniga (Melrose Place). She was the 40-something actress brought into the office by Lauren Hutton for a little work to help her keep her romantic lead roles. The look on her face when Christian showed her, on a life-size photograph of herself, where she needed work -- well, she showed defeat, frustration, surprise, and hurt all in one moment.

I'm loving the new set, new location, and new people so much that I almost wish all the old characters weren't going to soon converge on L.A., but that's going to happen anyway. Here's to hoping they keep the new direction alive and well!

Could some of my new faves actually stick around?

I'm not used to this! Normally, anything I like gets canceled after three episodes. But this week, we saw lots of good news in the form of a full season pick up of Back to You, and new scripts ordered for both Reaper and Dirty Sexy Money. Here's to the Darlings! Dirty Sexy Money is quickly becoming my new favorite of the season, even though I do still love my other new faves (Journeyman and Life, if I had to pick only three total favorites). Interesting that they are all led by leading men who I would not consider "list-worthy" upon first glance, but adore after getting to "know" them!

Let's all have more pie!

It's been reported that Pushing Daisies has been picked up for a full season! Finally, I pick a new show that isn't canceled after three episodes!! Now, if we could just get some good news about Journeyman, Life, and Dirty Sexy Money.

Amazing Days!

I've just read that Viva Laughlin has already been canceled, after only one airing. I don't really care about that news, but what makes it great news is the word on the streets is CBS will start Amazing Race on November 4th now! Woo Hoo!

TV is good this year! Do you have time for it all?

A good friend of mine just told me that she has five shows that she definitely has to watch every week. She, in turn, is amazed when I list the shows that I watch every week. How do I have time for it all? Honestly, I’m not sure. But I couldn’t do it without my DVR. (In fact, we’re getting a second one this week!) I sometimes watch four hours of television at night (fast-forwarding through all the commercials) and lately, if something isn’t holding my interest, I just delete it before I’m even finished watching it.

So, I’ve had to decide what I can “give up.” First on the list is Grey’s Anatomy. Why? Because I simply don’t care about any of the characters any more. I do not get George and Izzy together, I do not get what Meredith’s problem is (hello….he’s McDreamy!), I don’t care about Cristina and her interns that she can’t even bother to call by name, and believe it or not, I miss the fun that Addison brought to the show. Sadly, I can get all I need to get by reading the blog about it on TV Guide the next day.

After two weeks, I’ve decided to also give up Women’s Murder Club. There isn’t anything really wrong with it, I just am not interested in these women and/or their lives. And the murder cases haven’t held my interest either. Plus, I sort of feel like I’m cheating on Friday Night Lights, even though my television watching habits aren’t counted by Nielsen!

Is there anything you have had to give up on this season? Did you do it because you have too much to watch or did you just get bored with it?

In danger or not in danger?

Earlier this week, there was an article that listed five new shows that are in danger of not being around much longer. One of those was one of my new faves, Journeyman. Two days later, NBC orders three new scripts for the show, along with Chuck, Life, and Bionic Woman.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071011/media_nm/scripts_dc_2

This certainly doesn't mean the shows still aren't in trouble, but at least it's something. I'm really happy that NBC appears to be promoting the heck out of their shows, and I especially love Life as much as I love Journeyman. Let's all cross our fingers that this leads to even better news!

Anyone still watching Bionic Woman? I skipped the second, but realized last night that my DVR was still recording it, so I'm willing to try it again. What do you think?

Comfort Television

When Friday Night Lights returned last night (on Friday, what a concept!), it felt like the return of an old friend. It was like the feeling I get when I have good old-fashioned macaroni and cheese -- comfort television. The music, the feel you get from the camera work, and the return of the radio sports announcers......well, I felt as if I had come home after a very long trip away.

Coach Taylor came home, but not for long enough. He made it in time to see his baby daughter, Grace, enter the world. But he was forced to go back to Austin to his new job before he could really, honestly deal with the growing-up problems his teenage daughter is facing. He tried, as he always does, and Kyle Chandler just shines when he has those deep, important talks with his television daughter. As he does when he has those important talks with his television wife. I'm telling you right now, if Connie Britton doesn't get an Emmy nomination next year for the scene on the couch when Coach Taylor tells her he needs her to talk, she will have been robbed! You can tell that she is trying so hard to talk -- to say something, anything -- but she is too conflicted, too scared, to even speak. I've said it before but this couple is simply amazing.

Many FNL fans (me included) watched this episode online before it aired last night. And much was said in online message boards about the tragedy Tyra and Landry are now dealing with. Many are upset with the story line and feel it was just thrown in for dramatic impact. But all of the critics I pay attention to say "give it time." They say that this story line will bring out some of the best acting we've seen by both characters, so I'm totally willing to buy into it. After all, we tend to forget that these actors are playing teens. Teens often make the wrong decisions, even about serious things like self-defense murder.

It's been a long time since Friday nights were must-see viewing nights for me, probably since Homicide was on the air, so I'm thrilled that the network hasn't forgotten that some people are actually home on Fridays! For all of those folks who are attending real games under the lights on Fridays, I hope you have your DVR programmed. It's worth it!

Just Charming

Pushing Daisies was probably one of the new shows I most anticipated, yet I was afraid to hope for too much because that is when you are most disappointed. Luckily, I wasn't disappointed.

I had read from many critics that the show was splitting many an office -- either you loved it or you hated it. As I watched, I felt that I MUST enter one of those two groups, right? But I finally just gave in to my intense "like" for the show. I don't think I loved it, but I definitely didn't hate it!

It's whimsical. It's colorful. It's unique. I have to admit I was sad that even with all that, it still isn't an 8:00 show I can share with my 7-year old. I can explain the silliness that is our main character, Ned, who has a gift where he can touch dead things and bring them back to life. After all, she watches Sponge Bob. She knows that not everyone on television is real (thank goodness). But I don't want to have to explain words like masturbation, which was used in the first ten minutes by Kristin Chenoweth's character as she talked about how words that sound alike get mixed up in her head. "I used to think 'masturbation' meant chewing your food...I don't think that anymore," she said. The line, in context, was pretty funny, but again, explaining things like that during what could be a fun show just isn't what I want to be doing with my evening. When will there be a truly family-friendly 8:00 show again? Ok, I've gotten off on my soapbox again!

My favorite part of the show? That Ned's pie shop is called "The Pie Hole." I couldn't stop laughing every time I saw the front of the shop with that name in neon lights!

Will my affection for this show last? I'm not sure. The silliness could get silly. But since everything else on television is so serious, I'm willing to give a little silliness a try.

How did they stack up?

After one full week of new television, how did all of these great, and not-so-great, shows stack up? A quick look at the ratings, from Monday, September 24 to Sunday, September 30.

On Monday, the clear winner was Dancing with the Stars on ABC. On NBC, Chuck came in third in its time slot, Heroes came in second in its time slot, and Journeyman came in third in its time slot. CSI Miami won the 10:00 time slot.

On Tuesday, again, Dancing with the Stars just blew away the competition, until the 9:00 hour, where House took the top spot. Reaper, on the CW, came in fifth, but even with very small numbers, it improved on its lead-in (Beauty and the Geek). In the 10:00 hour, Law & Order SVU won the time slot, but Cane did very well, coming in second in front of Boston Legal.

Wednesday was a night full of new television shows, but there were really no clear winners and no one knows how these shows will eventually play out in the ratings. Like a broken record, Dancing with the Stars won the 8:00 slot. Four new shows competed with Criminal Minds in the 9:00 hour. Private Practice came in first, followed by Bionic Woman, Criminal Minds, Kitchen Nightmares, and Gossip Girl. At 10:00, CSI:NY was first, followed by the new shows Dirty Sexy Money in second and Life in third.

Thursday was another night for surprises. After a year when Grey's Anatomy often beat CSI in the ratings, CSI came out on top for the night. Survivor beat Ugly Betty in the 8:00 hour, and at 10:00, Without a Trace won the slot, followed by Big Shots on ABC. ER was third.

CBS did very well on Friday, winning the 8:00 time slot with Ghost Whisperer and tying (against Las Vegas) in the 9:00 hour with Moonlight. Numb3rs was first at 10:00.

Again, Saturday ratings don't matter.

Sunday finally saw the return of Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters, both of which won their time slots for the night.

I can't wait to see how Pushing Daisies will do on Wednesday in the 8:00 time slot this week, as well as Friday Night Lights on Friday at 9:00. Stay tuned.

Premiere week is almost over, but don't forget these gems.

After five nights of NEW TV, you already know that my favorite new shows are Journeyman and Life. Do you ever dream about a television show after you've seen it? If I do, that is a good indication to me that I'm ready to devote my valuable television watching time to that particular show. Both Journeyman and Life filled my sleeping hours the night they aired.

What am I giving up on already? Probably Bionic Woman. I know that several people who work on Friday Night Lights have been brought on to help "fix" the show, but what if they can't? I wish I had liked it, I really do. I need a show to give me my Alias fix!

Several great shows haven't aired their season premiere yet, so don't forget about them. Brothers & Sisters is this Sunday, and Friday Night Lights is Friday, October 5th. And the premiere of Pushing Daisies is Wednesday.

If you have never seen Friday Night Lights, what are you waiting for? You know you don't have anything else to do on Friday nights!

You don't have to understand here to be here....

Okay, now I'm mad. We aren't even through premiere week and I've fallen in love with two shows that I HAVE to watch weekly! First it was Journeyman on Mondays, and now it's Life on Wednesdays. Life wasn't even going to be my main 10:00 show at Wednesdays. I was holding that for Dirty Sexy Money (but, I'm reserving total judgment because I haven't seen that one yet - will watch soon). Anyway, Life is funny, creative, interesting, and then there's the whole "whodunit" when it comes to the lead, Detective Charlie Crews, trying to find out who framed him to go to prison for life. He's out now and back to work, but we don't know the exact crime he was framed for, the parties involved, or how exactly he got out. Plenty to keep us busy for an entire season. Oh, how I hate falling for shows that the network could yank at any moment and we are left with no answers.

Anyone see Dirty Sexy Money instead? Or even better, both?

Not as powerful as I had hoped

The only new show I was able to watch "live" tonight was Bionic Woman. I'm not going to say much because, well frankly, I was bored. All of the moments that were supposed to be shocking were seen all summer long in the preview. Since the pilot was first picked up by NBC, the little sister was changed from a deaf character played by an actress I've seen in many things to a character who has no hearing problems (but does have some sort of problem with staying out of trouble when she has access to a computer) played by an actress I've never seen. And, sadly, she was not a very good actress. And she wasn't the only one. This show was filled with people you've seen "somewhere," and even on some pretty good shows (Third Watch), but their characters here were just flat and not interesting at all. I may just keep this time slot for watching shows I've already recorded. Or give Private Practice another chance.

So, did you see either of the two? Which one should I give another try?

I'm willing to take this Journey

SPOILER WARNING: Don't read if you haven't seen Journeyman yet and don't want to be spoiled.

I finally got to see Journeyman on NBC, and even though I picked it to be one of my favorites, if I had hated it I would have admitted that. But, I honestly loved it! It had almost every element that I look for in a television show; suspense, surprise, a little romance, someone to root for, and a story that I simply don't know where it will lead. From all the commercials and articles I read before Journeyman aired, I knew that Dan would run into his old love from his past when he time traveled, but I had absolutely no idea she would be alive in the present time as well. Where is she? Why are they both traveling through time? So many questions and hopefully NBC will give the show time to answer them. Networks are notorious for canceling shows with stories to be told before the viewers get a chance to see the stories unfold (i.e., The Nine, Kidnapped, Reunion, just to name a few from the not so distant past), and maybe that's why the viewers haven't been there for shows like this. The networks need to start giving us a chance.

Okay, I'm off that soapbox for now. As for Journeyman, I saved it on my DVR for my husband to watch later. That's a huge endorsement. He has even less time to watch TV, so if I save something for him and encourage him to watch it, I have to believe he will like it at least a little!

Added note: The lead actor, Kevin McKidd, is perfect to play brother next to Reed Diamond of Homicide. They even have some of the same mannerisms. I found their relationship completely believable.

All is right with the world. Heroes returns!

SPOILER WARNING: Don't read if you haven't seen Heroes yet and don't want to be spoiled.

When it comes to the time between the last day of school and the first day, the summer flew by. But that same feeling doesn't apply when it comes to Heroes and the long summer fans endured waiting for it to return. But it's back, and it's just as good!

And just like in its freshman season, we are left with more questions than answers. Who is the person (hero?) hunting down the older generation of heroes? Why is Hiro's role model an Englishman? Who are the immigrants and what exactly are they running from/to? Did we ever find out Hiro's dad's power? Are Molly's dreams related to what happened to Hiro's dad? Matt is divorced but has his ex had their baby yet? Will it have powers? Does HRG have a power, or is he just really strong? I may be more confused than I was before! But I'm still elated to have such a great show on television.

NBC needs Heroes more than ever. Can one show save a network?

My Heroes friends -- what are your thoughts?

What to watch? My DVR can't handle it all!

Premiere week is upon us (starting Sunday, September 23) and I have been as giddy as a schoolgirl for weeks! I simply LOVE new television. I seriously can't remember what life was like before I got my DVR (thanks Debbie) and wouldn't have a clue how to record something on a VHS machine if I had to. In fact, I'm not sure I know where my VHS machine is.

It's that time of year again, the time when I take a highlighter and pick and choose what to watch and what to DVR. In reality, the two aren't that different because if I want to see something, I have to DVR it anyway. With two crazy kids running around at night, I'd have to give them Benadryl if I wanted them to be out by 8:00. Anything that I want to see that airs during that hour automatically goes on the DVR schedule. And, anything that airs at 10:00 also goes on the DVR schedule because half the time I am dead to the world by 10:30. BDVR (before DVR), I used to search the net far and wide every morning to see what happened on the episode of [insert almost any 10:00 show here] the night before!

Okay, enough talk. Here is my viewing schedule for the coming week, and I've got high hopes for many of these!

Sunday, September 23
The only show I watch on Sundays that is premiering this day is Cold Case.

Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters premiere next week.

Monday, September 24
This is the night I'm most excited about. Not only is one of my favorite shows from last year returning, Heroes, but two new shows will premiere that sound promising. Both on NBC, Chuck and Journeyman air on either side of Heroes. The DVR will also be recording my guilty pleasure How I Met Your Mother. Suit up!

Tuesday, September 25
I'll probably watch half of what I recorded yesterday. Oh, and Reaper on the CW. The only returning show I'm interested in is Law and Order: SVU. At least until Nip/Tuck premieres in October!

Wednesday, September 26
One of the new shows I'm looking forward to the most, Pushing Daisies, doesn't premiere until October 3rd. But there are two other new shows premiering this night that I'm excited to check out. They are Bionic Woman on NBC at 9:00 and Dirty Sexy Money on ABC at 10:00. Oh, and give Back to You a chance. It premiered last week and is actually really pretty good!

Thursday, September 27
Thursday is all about old favorites. The comfort food of TV. My DVR will be recording Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, CSI, and Without a Trace. (If I had a second DVR, I'd also record The Office.)

Friday, September 28
This is usually my night for reading my new Entertainment Weekly, but alas, there is actually good TV on this year! The 28th brings a new episode of Ghost Whisperer. In October, Friday Night Lights and Men in Trees return, both on new nights.

Saturday, September 29
Who am I kidding? Nothing airs on Saturday nights!

Wow! That's a lot of TV!

Watch Friday Night Lights NOW!

The second season premiere of Friday Night Lights is up on Yahoo! TV, in it's entirety. Go check it out! You know you can't wait till October 5th!!

http://tv.yahoo.com/falltv2007/friday-night-lights/show/38958/videos

You can also see the premiere episode of Chuck on Yahoo! TV.

http://tv.yahoo.com/falltv2007/chuck/show/40464/videos/