TV Premiere Week: Volume 2, September 23-29

Last week saw the beginnings of the new television season, kicked off by the Emmy broadcast. Now, be honest, was that awards show dull or was it just me? Sure, there were a couple of surprise winners, but I did not feel any energy. That "in the round" stage did not work out all that well at all. Anyway, last week had a few notable debuts, including Prison Break, K-Ville, and Kid Nation. This coming week promises to be considerably busier. Below is a a quick listing of this week's premieres. The list accompanied by my thoughts on what I will and won't be watching.

Sunday

• The long running news program, 60 Minutes. I cannot say that I watch it much, but it is a good show to have around. (CBS 7:00)
• CW Now is described as combining news and and entertainment to "create the ultimate source for that's hip, hot and happening right now in the world of young adults." Frankly, it sounds like something the corporate machine would say. Anyway, I doubt I am in its target audience and have zero interest in seeing it. (CW 7:00)
• Looking like a televised YouTube, CW's Online Nation is looking for video submissions. Yet another show I have no interest in. (CW 7:30)
• The Simpsons is returning for its 19th season, can you believe it? I don't think anyone would have said it would last this long after seeing those original shorts on the Tracy Ullman show. The series has been hit or miss for years, but the fans are still there. Hopefully the success of the movie this past summer will serve as inspiration for a better than average season. (Fox 8:00)
• I could have sworn King of the Hill was canceled a few years ago, somehow it just keeps coming back. It may disappear from time to time, but it always seems to pop back up. Sorry, I enjoy some of it, but when this lives on and Futurama gets canceled, well that's Fox for you. (Fox 8:30)
• Family Guy will have a one hour premiere this year, and it will be a Star Wars spoof. I like the show, I cannot lie and I will not apologize. It is funny, irreverent, and flat out goofy. I am glad the excellent DVD sales allowed the show to come back. (Fox 9:00)
• Cold Case is a show that I have watched sporadically, and is generally a pretty high quality show. I doubt I will ever be among the loyal watchers, but it is always there when I feel like it. (CBS 9:00)
• Moving to a new night, the James Wood legal drama Shark is set to return for its sophomore year. I started out watching this on a regular basis, but I am not sure if I will be this year. I may give it a shot and see how it goes. (CBS 10:00)

Monday

• Speaking of new shows I am looking forward to, Chuck is one of them. It is taking up the lead in slot to Heroes, so hopefully that will help them out. It features an electronics nerd whose brain is downloaded with the nation's secrets, thus making him a target. Sounds like fun! (NBC 8:00)
• Dancing with the Stars, I have no interest. Pass. (ABC 8:00)
• The week in sitcoms begins with the returning How I Met Your Mother. I have caught a couple of episodes and it is pretty good, I've liked Alyson Hannigan since her Buffy days. Perhaps I will give it more of a shot here in its second year. (CBS 8:00)
• The Big Bang Theory is a show I have only seen a few clips of, and I cannot say I have found anything that entices me to want to see anymore. Here is a review of the pilot. (CBS 8:30)
• Heroes returns for its highly anticipated second season. It may have ended on something of a whimper, but there remains something very compelling about this superhero tale. More heroes will be revealed and more adventures will begin. (NBC 9:00)
• Two and a Half Men has its moments, but on the whole, it does not excite me all that much. (CBS 9:00)
• Rules of Engagement returns for another year. I have never watched the show and don't have a strong desire to. I like Patric Warburton, but Spade is generally more annoying than anything else. (CBS 9:30)
• The Bachelor. Um, no thanks. (ABC 9:30 )
• There are three flavors of CSI,Monday brings the Miami version. CSI: Miami is back for another go around. Unfortunately, I have only been able to get into the original. (CBS 10:00)
• NBC Monday has a trio of genre themed shows, anchoring them is the new series Journeyman.It is like a more serious version of Quantum Leap. It stars Rome's Kevin McKidd and it looks pretty good. I am definitely interested in this one. (NBC 10:00)

Tuesday

• Here is a show that I was sure would not last a single season. Fortunately, I was wrong. Bones is returning for its third go around, and moves back to Tuesday nights (this did start on Tuesday, right? Last year was Wednesday nights). Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz are back for some more murder mystery. (Fox 8:00)
• NCIS reminds me of Jag, it is one of those shows that is one for a good run, but I don't know anyone that watches it. Now, I am not making a comment about the quality. Needless to say, I probably won't be watching it this year. (CBS 8:00)
• I love House. The show is funny, smart, and is actually a little bit deeper than the formula it has developed would suggest. It will be interesting to see how season four will play out after what transpired at the end of season three. (Fox 9:00)
• Reaper is a show I am curious about. The premiere was directed by Kevin Smith, which makes me immediately interested. It concerns a slacker who learns his parents sold his soul to the devil, and now he must act as the devil's bounty hunter. Could be fun. (CW 9:00)
• I watched the first season, but the second season lost out in a busy time slot, though I can't recall what the others shows were, I know one was House. Anyway, The Unit returns for a third season. I always liked the combination of in the field action and at home drama. (CBS 9:00)
• Boston Legal never excited me, though the critics seem to love it. This season kicks off with a high note as James Spader won best actor in a drama for his role. (ABC 9:30)
• The Singing Bee doesn't excite me, though my mother likes it. (NBC 9:30)
• Cane stars Jimmy Smits, Nestor Carbonell, and Hector Elizondo in a drama set on a rum business. The stars are good, will the show be good? I am willing to give it a shot. (CBS 10:00)
• Law & Order: SVU is my favorite of the L&O series, but I don't consider it a must see. Especially when you consider how much these shows get rerun on the cable nets. (NBC 10:00)

Wednesday

• Deal or No Deal will not suck me in all that much, but it is moderately fun. It already had its Monday night debut, this will be its second weekly show. (NBC 8:00)
• Will NBC strike gold with a series remake? Seems to work for movies. This years sees the return of a revamped Bionic Woman. I know many have already seen the pilot, but I haven't and I am looking forward to what they have to offer. (NBC 9:00)
• Criminal Minds will have a cast change early this year as Mandy Patinkin leaves. Initially he quit, but then agreed to come back and wrap up his character. Joe Mantegna will be taking over the vacated position, in a new role. (CBS 9:00)
• Private Practice is th Kate Walsh spin-off series from Grey's Anatomy. Yes, my Grey's interest waned some time ago, but Walsh's character was one of my least favorites. Nah, won't be watching this. Paul Adelstein, so memorable on Prison Break will be among the co-stars. (ABC 9 :00)
• The second CSI spin-off, this one set in the Big Apple, failed to capture my attention much like the Miami version. CSI: NY returns for its third (?) season. (CBS 10:00)
• Dirty Sexy Money stars Peter Krause (Sports Night) and Donald Sutherland. It looks like it could be interesting, it is the story of an idealistic lawyer charged with tending the legal needs of an absurdly rich NYC family. (ABC 10:00)
• Here is a show that sounds interesting, though I have seen nothing from it yet. Life is about a police detective who was imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit, years later he is released and is able to return to the force (?!?). Well, potentially interesting anyway. (NBC 10:00)

Thursday

• Kicking off NBC's excellent sitcom lineup is the light and witty My Name is Earl. Entering its third season, the sitcom is high off Jamie Pressly's Emmy win. The show is a very funny and filled with good performances. This season will begin with Earl behind bars, after helping his ex-wife last year. It will have a one hour premiere. (NBC 8:00)
• Smallville returns for a seventh season and I can only hope that it is better than the last season. I also hope that we have less Lana, she was really annoying last year. I would like more of Green Arrow and the Justice League. This season will also see the arrival of Supergirl. (CW 8:00)
• Ugly Betty won best comedy and actress (for America Ferrera) at the recent awards ceremony, yet is another show I am not terribly interested in. (ABC 8:00)
• Here is one to interest me, CSI returns for its eighth season. My viewing has become a bit more sporadic over the past year or two, but the whole "miniature killer" thread last year was a good one. I wonder if it was inspired at all by the miniatures in Saw? (CBS 9:00)
• Grey's Anatomy lost me during season two, I doubt I will return. (ABC 9:00)
• Now this is what I'm talking. I am looking forward to season four of The Office. It is easily one of, if not the best sitcom running. It will be getting a one hour premiere. (NBC 9:00)
• Big Shots is the story of four friends that are also CEOs in dysfunctional relationships. I cannot say I will be watching this, but it is nice to see Christopher Titus back on TV, his sitcom was excellent, yet monkeyed around with by Fox a little too much. (ABC 10:00)
• ER has been around forever and has survived a near complete turnover of cast. It may not be the ratings juggernaut it once was, but it still a good enough show to bring me back. (NBC 10:00)
• Without a Trace returns to compete with ER. The show is quite good, although it is another one that I watch only sporadically. (CBS 10:00)

Friday

• Another show that I watch on occasion is Ghost Whisperer. It is a fun show that doesn't get overly serious, yet is still serious enough in its supernatural roots. Besides, who doesn't like Jennifer Love Hewitt on their TV screen? (CBS 8:00)
• Here is the king of guilty pleasures, Las Vegas. I have liked this since day one. It is none too serious, and knows what it is, escapist fun. (NBC 9:00)
• Moonlight stirs up memories of Angel and Forever Knight. However, CBS says that it forges ahead in a different directions. I'm willing to give it a shot. It is the story of a vampire detective working under cover of night. (CBS 9:00)
• Numb3rs is a show that I think I would like, if I watched it. Sadly, I have not been able to squeeze it in. What is the consensus, is it any good? (CBS 10:00)

That wraps up week two of this year's premieres. It is considerably busier than week one. Week three slows down a bit, and then there will be stragglers for a little while after that. Then we get to start looking for the mid-season replacements and what new series get canceled early.

Stay tuned.