popgoestheculture

It’s that time of the year again.

The kids go back to school, the weather gets a little cooler and you go to TiVo queue and find….nothing. It’s that lovely gap between summer and fall programming when you discover that your best viewing options are reruns of “Supernanny” in your TiVo Suggestions file. The season where dedicated couch potatoes gnash our teeth and begin to cry aloud: “When do the new shows start?

After my protestations of “TiVo! TiVo! How have I offended thee?” I went to several sites to see when my old favorite TV shows were going to come back and to check out what new shows are in the offerings for this Fall.

For several of my favorite shows I found out that the Great Writer’s Strike Of Ought Seven (that monster which ate last year’s very promising Fall Premiere Season) is the gift that’s going to keep on giving. Series which were very writer intensive are going to be delayed this season because of the strike. “Pushing Daisies”(which I found to be the most interesting and unique offering of last season) isn’t going to show up until October 1st. And while I found “Private Practice” ultimately disappointing in it’s first season (Where is my feisty, kick ass Addison? Who is this milque-toast whining about her biological clock?) I am still looking forward to seeing this season since Shonda Rhimes assures us all that she’s heard our cries and is writing a better show this time around. But I’m going to have to wait until“Private Practice” shows up on the schedule in October to find out whether that’s going to be true or not.

Showing up more promptly, Season Three of “Heroes” begins on September 22nd. This is another show where the writers have spent the summer reassuring their fanbase that they’ve heard our cries (mostly of “Borrrrrrrinnnnng!”) and that this season things will be different. I certainly hope so. I can’t spend another season watching the gooey eyeball twins melt the faces of various border denizens while getting nowhere mas rapido. Or snorking around medieval Japan. If there’s not some Sylarrific skull munching in Episode one, I’m going to be sorely disappointed.

The always enjoyable – even when it’s not – “Grey’s Anatomy” returns September 25th, again with promises of better writing and an end to the whole McDreamy vs. McNeurotic “are we or aren’t we” debacle. I’m sure I speak for many aggravated fans when I say “It’s about damn time!” I’ve heard that Izzie is going to have more fun this season as well, and there’s been more than one rumor floating around that Denny might somehow return from the dead. That could be brilliant, or it could be a trainwreck. Either way, I’m there. Also returning to us that night are “Ugly Betty”, “My Name is Earl”, “The Office” and the final season of “ER.” “Desperate Housewives” is back in the ‘hood on the following Sunday, September 28th.

Of the brand new shows debuting this Fall, I’m most intrigued by “The Fringe” (September 9th). According to the synopses I’ve read, it starts out with a mysterious plane landing in Boston, only everyone on board is dead. Early signs point to this being a potentially interesting new take along the lines of the “X Files” genre. Given last season’s heavy emphasis on quirky, fantastical, “left of reality” types of series I was a bit surprised and a little disappointed that the emphasis this season wasn’t skewed more heavily in that direction. But also that category in addition to “The Fringe” there’s also “Life on Mars” (Oct. 9th). This series begins with a police officer getting into an accident and then waking up to find himself stuck in 1973. This premise sounds intriguing and the show could be very entertaining as long as it manages to avoid falling into the “Quantum Leap” modality. You know, where it becomes so formulaic that everyone in the audience begins to “leap” to another channel? At very least there’s some kitsch value to be had in giving it a viewing. I wasn’t very old in 1973, but I have some memories from that era and I find it somewhat comforting to return to the era of polyester double knit.

Speaking of guilty pleasures and pandering to the nostalgic crowd, I’m secure enough to admit that I am looking forward to the return/reiteration/rebranding of “90210” on September 2nd. Yes, I know it’s shameful and will likely be horrible now that Aaron Spelling is no longer around to grace us with his particularly brilliant and deftly handled brand of cheese, but I’m going to watch the first few episodes anyway. Probably for the same deeply unconscious reasons which kept me watching “The Lipstick Jungle” (Sept. 24th) long past the point when I should’ve turned it off.

I have mixed feelings about the extremely over-hyped “The Ex List” (Oct.3) starring Elizabeth Reaser, formerly known as the batshit crazy amnesiac facial reconstruction pregnant stalker chick “Ava” from “Grey’s Anatomy.” Maybe I’m conflicted because I’ve seen more commercials for this program than any of the others, or maybe it’s the fact that the smug half smirk on everyone’s face in the teasers annoys the crap out of me – I don’t know. Still, the premise (woman who wants to fall in love goes to a psychic who tells her that her soulmate/true love is one of her exes) has a lot of potential so I’m going to give it a watch. But I fully “own” the fact that I’m not going into the first viewing with high hopes or an open mind

As far as sitcoms go, I’m apprehensively anticipatory about “Kath & Kim” (October 9th) which stars Selma Blair and Molly Shannon - both talented actresses who tend to take on slightly askew, idiosyncratic roles. The premise for this comedy is pretty standard – responsible older family member who moves in with irresponsible and free spirited younger family member. The promotional materials I’ve seen for the show seem worrisome and the outfits Selma Blair is wearing are cringe inducing. The only reason why I’m not totally avoiding it (lest I have to watch two of my favorite actresses go down in flames) is because it’s a remake of a popular Australian comedy and I’m assuming that there’s more here than meets the eye.

I’m somewhat interested in checking out “The Mentalist” (Sept. 23rd) even though I find most detective shows predictable and thus, dull as dirt. The “former fake psychic” spin on this one has intrigued me and the fact that the lead character calls someone “irksome” in the teaser clip makes it worth giving the TiVo an initial “Oh what the heck, it’s free” go ahead.

I enjoy a good catfight so “Stylista” (Oct. 22nd) might be worth watching. I’m dubious about this one because I think the whole reality TV/competition genre has already jumped the shark completely. I’m not sure I’m up to another version of this same old formula so I’m thinking that the snarky/bitchy factor has to be set to “stunning” for this show to be anything other than tired. Luckily, the premise: “eleven aspiring fashionistas compete for a job at Elle magazine” certainly sounds as if it could deliver just that. “Project Runway” has been too tame for the last two seasons, I need some all out, “Blahniks are SO last year”, fashionista hair pulling and neck throttling. Please.

I’m not particularly looking forward to “Privileged” (Sept. 9) which seems to be yet another one of those “rich wild white kids with too much money and time on their hands bleating about how hard it is to be rich and white.” All while getting into the inevitable love triangles and ill advised trysts, debacles and intrigues that have made all the other iterations of this type of show so inexplicably popular. It’s billing itself as a “comedic drama” which in and of itself raises alarm bells for me. Still, it could reveal itself to be a guilty pleasure.

I’m going to be skipping “Opportunity Knocks” which looked like a particularly horrible fusion of “Family Feud” “Extreme MakeOver” “Antiques Roadshow” and “The Price is Right.” It’s being vaunted as the game show where the contestants were too lazy to actually drag themselves to the mailbox to apply to be contestants on a real game show. No thanks. Pass.

“Do Not Disturb” is likewise currently on my “no way” list. I liked Jerry O’Connell as a child actor but I haven’t seen him in anything even vaguely watchable since (Joe’s Apartment, Kangaroo Jack). I’ve seen a few clips of this show and they looked singularly unfunny to me. Also the whole “celebrity hotel” schtick was tired when the “Golden Girls” tried to spin off into a hotel series back in the 80’s. Didn’t John Larroquette try this one out in the early 90’s as well? Unless I hear some “it’s amazing” buzz showing up in the days after it “checks in” on September 9th, I’m going to assume that my first take on this was the right one and look for a much more interesting mid-season replacement.

If you’d like to look over the Fall TV viewing schedule yourselves Cinemablend’s Fall Premiere Schedule and TV Guide’s Fall Preview Guide will give you all the information you’ll need to be able to set your TiVo to “gorge” this Fall. And of course, if you see something that you think I really shouldn’t miss, I hope you’ll let me know about it.
I’m looking at you, people who didn’t tell me about “Mad Men” last year.

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