pen's picks, fall 2007

Yowwwwza. Fall 2007 TV starts officially, in my mind, tonight. Next week will be marginally more exciting, to be sure, but tonight on the CW is the premiere of America's Next Top Model, a tried and true favorite. Also premiering are a few try-them-out shows, Kid Nation and Gossip Girl. To mark the occasion of this long-anticipated return of The Good Television, here's a list of what I'll be watching, barring any DVR Scheduling Nightmares.

Old Favorites:
The Office
Survivor: China
My Name is Earl
Grey's Anatomy
Friday Night Lights
How I Met Your Mother
Scrubs (late October)
ANTM
Heroes
Ugly Betty--maybe
30 Rock
Nip/Tuck


High Hopes for*:

MONDAY--
Journeyman: could be like a spin on The Time Traveler's Wife?
Samantha Who? (w/ Sookie from Gilmore Girls)
Aliens in America (w/ Luke from Gilmore Girls)
Chuck

TUESDAY--
Reaper

WEDNESDAY--
Kid Nation: part of me is like, ick, this is going to suck, but the buzz is so alluring
Pushing Daisies: please be good
Private Practice: ugh, the pilot was pretty lame, but I love Addison and so therefore must give it a chance
Gossip Girl: I feel like I should be beyond this, but the reviews have not been half bad, and I do enjoy Bee from the Sisterhood of the Pants. Remaining question: would the books be worth reading, too?
Bionic Woman
Life: what is this one about, really, I don't even know. But the commercials seemed intriguing.

THURSDAY--
There is no room in my heart or on my DVR for anything new on Thursdays, sorry. Oh, except maybe Big Shots. Just because the boys are hot and the show is being touted as a male S&TC doesn't mean it will go anywhere.

FRIDAY--
Women's Murder Club? I don't know if I have the strength.

Will Watch One Time Only, Just to See How Bad it Is:
Cavemen

Will Watch, Despite Full Awareness of How Bad it Is:
One Tree Hill (early January)

Will Miss Until their Return:
ProRun (November)
Lost (January)


Now I completely realize that there will be some Judging going on amongst readers. Isn't that a lot of shows, pen? Don't you have a toddler to take care of, and a baby on the way? Why yes, yes I do. But bear in mind that at least half of the new shows will simply not live up to expectation, and will immediately be axed from the DVRroll. Second, hello, kids' bedtime? TV watching is what all hours after 8PM are for. As to the remaining skeptics, perhaps you don't have a DVR and remain unaware of just how efficiently shows are watched without commercial interruption. It's the only way to live. Should you still continue to judge, I will assume you also lack skills in multi-tasking, i.e. if asked to watch and entertain a toddler, feed a baby, crochet a blanket, plan dinner, and clip coupons all while watching Fine Fall Television, you would turn pale and begin to cry. In which case, I'm sorry you're so weak.

In the meantime, life of course goes on in all its richness, with family and good friends and amusing children, books to read, creative endeavors to pursue, and ebay deals to scout. But ah, Fall TV, how I missed you, glad you're finally back. Yippee!


*For information on any of the new shows, may I recommend EW.com.