Monday, September 29, 2008

Series Premieres And Season Debuts– Week of September 29 – October 5, 2008

I'm working on that Amazing Race recap I wanted to do, but a couple of other things got into my way – okay, distracted me. Priority has to go to the update of Premieres and Debuts though. Fortunately we're mostly over heavy push of that from the networks. There's stuff that will dribble (I nearly typed "drivel" which in some cases isn't far from the truth) in over the next couple of weeks but we're pretty close to done with that right now. We've had our first show given the bum's rush, and I quite honestly can't imagine anyone outside of the cast and crew of Do Not Disturb who thinks that it should have gotten more time to establish an audience. Finally, as a shout out to my friend and blogging buddy Bill Crider, who is down to four over the air channels "thanks" to Hurricane Ike and the fine "Comcastic" folks at Comcast who 17 days after the storm still haven't restored his damned cable (and have Bill thinking of going over to AT&T). I don't know which is the biggest disaster.

Monday

NBC has the season debut of Chuck, the tongue in cheek spy dramedy. My brother loves this show so much that he had a marathon on Sunday evening of his DVD set. Volume set high and the only thing drowning it out was his laughter. Annoying as hell when you're trying to watch Mad Men or even Desperate Housewives.

NBC also has the season debut of Life, the Damian Lewis series about a cop who was wrongly convicted of a murder and after he was exonerated went back to the LAPD with a huge settlement check, a desire to find the people who set him up, and a Zen attitude which got him through twelve years in prison. Oh yeah and a near fetish-like appreciation for fresh fruit. The show moves to its permanent Friday time slot later this week. This was the best NBC show last season and beats just about everything that the network is promising for this season. Bill, if you're not watching this one already, check it out.

Wednesday

ABC has the season debut of Pushing Daisies, the extremely quirky series about a guy who can bring people back to life by touching them but if he touches them again they're dead and it's permanent. Naturally the love of his life is someone he touched.

ABC also has the season debut of Private Practice, the Shonda Rimes spin-off of Grey's Anatomy, featuring the beautiful Kate Walsh.

Finally ABC has the season debut of Dirty Sexy Money. The incredibly wealthy Darling family is back with new ways to make their lawyer crazy. A great cast headed by Donald Sutherland, Jill Clayburgh, and Billy (the relatively sane one) Baldwin.

Thursday

All of the networks – well except The CW have that new reality show The Vice Presidential Debate. I hear it might be cancelled after the first episode though.

Friday

CBS rolls out Ghost Whisperer with Jennifer Love Hewitt and her breasts. Truly an amazing network that can broadcast this and
The Mentalist even if it isn't on the same night. By the way Bill, if you haven't checked out The Mentalist (on Tuesday night) you might like it too.

CBS has the series premiere of The Ex-List which I gather is supposed to be some sort of romantic comedy-drama. Looks and sounds (from the concept only) absolutely dreadful.

Finally CBS has the season debut of Numb3rs. When last we left the Eppes Family and their assorted associates, Charlie had been stripped of his security clearance for emailing information on a project that the Department of Homeland Security initially considered to be helpful to terrorists but later decided wasn't. Net result – for the first episode at least – is that Charlie can't help Don anymore. The only thing on CBS I watch on Fridays.

ABC is returning with the season premiere of Wife Swap. Something else for me not to watch.

ABC also starts the new season of Supernanny. See above.

The CW has the season debut of their hit sitcom ("hit" being a relative term with The CW) Everybody Hates Chris.

The CW also has the season debut of their football comedy The Game. I really have nothing to say about these two shows.

Sunday

FOX has the season debut of Seth MacFarlane's Family Guy, the show the PTC loves to hate from the man the PTC loves to hate.

FOX has the season debut of Seth MacFarlane's American Dad. The PTC hates this show only slightly less than they hate Family Guy.

FOX has the season debut of The Simpsons and King Of The Hill as well. I think I may have led you to believe that these started last week. I was, like Rick in Casablanca, misinformed.

The CW starts off their night with two episodes of the reality show 4Real. This series was actually created for MTV Canada and then sold to The CW for reasons that aren't at all clear to me. The show takes celebrities to different parts of the world and has them helping with aid projects. The first two episodes feature Cameron Diaz in the Peruvian Andes, and K'naan connecting with a local hero in the slums of Kibera, Kenya.

The CW rolls out their Media Rights Capital series. First we have two episodes of the Reality series In Harm's Way from the creator of Dirtiest Jobs. These episodes deal with Bull Riders and Coast Guard rescue swimmers looks almost interesting.

The CW next has the series debut of Valentine about a family of Olympian gods sent to Earth to help people find true love. No, really, that's what it's about.

Finally The CW gives us Easy Money, about a lovable if dysfunctional family of loan sharks.

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