Serial Watcher Premiere Week Roundup

Shows

With the official premiere week behind us, it’s time to take a look at the new shows and see which ones should get the axe and which will get the TIVO season pass (Hey! It rhymes!). Yes, some shows have yet to debut, but with the bulk already on the air, it’s as good a time as any.

Monday

The Big Bang Theory: Not the worst sitcom on the air, but nothing to write home about. If you absolutely have nothing else to watch (Which is pretty much impossible on Monday night) you can give it a shot, but it shouldn’t have a constant spot on your viewing schedule.

Aliens in America: The best new sitcom this year, but it’s not such a big achievement when you look at the field. But it’s a good show, touching and easy to relate to. Don’t plan your night around it, but make a note to catch it, either live or taped.

K-Ville: I wouldn’t bother with this show. New Orleans deserves a better show. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Fox pull it from the schedule before the season ends.

Chuck: One of the two best shows of the year. Funny, good characters and good actors. NBC has the best new shows line-up and Chuck leads its roster.

Journeyman: Another good and intriguing show. With Chuck, Heroes and Journeyman you might as well just spend the entire night with NBC and TIVO Prison Break.

Tuesday

Cavemen: Who the hell thought that a commercial can become a series? While the Geico “cavemen” commercial may be okay, they can’t hold an entire show. Plus, it’s not funny. Don’t bother with it.

Cane: A throwback to the eighties. Not a bad show, but not must see either. It’s competition at the time slot isn’t that stiff, so you might as well watch it.

Reaper: The other best new show, together with Chuck. Again it’s a dramedy, funny, witty and cool. Don’t miss it!

Wednesday

Pushing Daisies: Forgive me for not joining the hype machine for that show. Yes, it’s nice and has a cool concept, but it’s not as good as many critics will have you believe. You can TIVO it, but don’t plan your night around it.

Private Practice: I think I’ll make the same deal with this show as I have with Grey’s Anatomy – I won’t watch it live, but tape and wait until I have time to watch. It may take months before I actually watch it, but I’ll catch up.

Dirty Sexy Money: This show is one of the biggest surprises for me this year. I didn’t think I’d like it when I read the premise, but lo and behold it’s actually good. The best new show on ABC this year, and you should give it a try.

Kid Nation: Ooooooooohhhhh, the controversy. So far it’s nothing more than Survivor: Little League, but it can become more interesting. I’d stick with for at least a couple more weeks, if only to see how the Greg/Mike dynamics goes.

Gossip Girl: The other major surprise for me, as it’s the other show I like even though I didn’t think I would. But is it really a surprise that I like a Josh Schwartz show? It’s a mixture of The OC and Melrose Place and it’s already found its spot as the best guilty pleasure show of the year.

Back To You: This show could have been made twenty years ago and no-one would have noticed the difference. Your standard classic sitcom that seems so outdated in this day and age. Pass.

Kitchen Nightmares: I love Chef Ramsey and I loved the original British Kitchen Nightmares. Even though Fox seems to add too many gimmicks to the show and the way Ramsey interacts with the restaurants’ staff and owners, I still like it.

Bionic Woman: This is the biggest disappointment for me. I went it expecting to like this show but I just hate it. I know I’m in the minority here, but I already dumped this show from my schedule.

Life: But here’s another reason why NBC has the best roster this year. Life is well written, well acted and tells an interesting story. I’d watch Life and TIVO Dirty Sexy Money.

Thursday

Big Shots: I didn’t watch Sex and the City when it starred four women, and I don’t plan on watching it with four guys. The first episode did nothing to draw me in and keep me hooked, and Thursday is already a busy night as it is. Pass.

Friday

Moonlight: It’s like a mixture of Buffy and Angel that went wrong. Vampires were cool six years ago and Moonlight does nothing to bring it back. It’s not that bad, but it’s not that good either. If you have nothing better to do, you can watch it, but don’t plan your viewing schedule around it.

That’s the new crop for you. What do you think of the new fall season so far? Head on over to the forum and voice your opinion.

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