News & Notes
Over on cable, BBC America has the seventh season finale of Top Gear, CMT has the series premiere of the syndicated version of Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?, Sundance has the series premiere of Brick City, and Travel Channel has the series premiere of Madventures.
Today marks the beginning of the Fall TV Season in full force, even though there are still a few shows that won’t premiere until next week or beyond. As of today, pretty much every hour of primetime will be filled with a new episode of something. So many choices, so little time to watch them all.
Premiering next Monday, FOX has Lie to Me and NBC has Trauma.
Prime Picks
House (FOX): Season Premiere. House is going through detox in hopes of ridding himself of his hallucinations, but guest star Andre Braugher (Homicide: Life on the Streets won’t sign the paper work that will give him back his ability to practice medicine unless he actually participates in his own recovery. Runs two hours and one minute. So looking forward to this episode and the return of the show that I use to answer the question, “What is your favorite show?”
Castle (ABC): Season Premiere. Castle is trying to figure out how to repair his relationship with Det. Beckett after he did the one thing she asked him not to do. He ends up back on a case, when a man is found dead in a tree. Starts a minute after the hour and runs 59 minutes. This is a really good episode. I really enjoyed it. Nathan Fillion’s Castle has so many great lines in the episode and it works well to set the new season. Given the competition of CSI: Miami, The Jay Leno Show, and nothing on the cable side, it’s by far the best bet in the third hour of primetime.
Solid Selections
How I Met Your Mother (CBS): Season Premiere. Barney and Robin refuse to define their relationship, but Lily won’t stand for it. Ted has his first day as a professor. This is a great episode that does what they do best; tell multiple stories over multiple timelines with multiple laughs.
Accidentally On Purpose (CBS): Series Premiere. This show on the other hand, is not so good. A woman in her late 30s has a fling with a younger man after breaking things off with her longtime commitment-phobic boyfriend and boss. She ends up pregnant and decides to keep the baby and the father wants to stay in the picture as well. Jenna Elfman is thoroughly watchable, but they just packed way too much stuff into this episode. There is at least three episodes of story here and it would have served them well to have slowed down a bit, a lot actually. There are a few laughs, but the show falls into the below average half of new shows this fall.
Greek (ABC Family): New. Rusty is trying to get his grades up. Casey is putting together a house-to-house party circuit that is sans alcohol. Plays again late night tomorrow. This was tough to choose over The Big Bang Theory as the second best selection in the second hour of primetime. But, since that is paired with Two and a Half Men, Greek is slightly a better pick for the entire hour.
CSI: Miami (CBS): Season Premiere. Horatio looks back on how his team was put together as Delko’s life hangs in the balance.
Other Options
- Army Wives (Lifetime): Repeat. Last night’s episode, “As Time Goes By,” replays.
- The Big Bang Theory (CBS): Season Premiere. Sheldon heads back to Texas in disgrace after the guys mess with his Artic-expedition data. They follow him there, which may mess up things for Leonard regarding Penny. Starts a minute after the half-hour and runs 29 minutes. Have been really looking forward to the return of this show, but there is just so much good stuff in the second hour of primetime tonight. With the return of Lie to Me next week, instead of a second hour of House, this show will pop up to the Solid Selections category for the time period.
- Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime): Repeat. Last night’s episode, “Make Me a Match,” replays.
- Durham County (ION): New. Mike is trying to find who killed his secret lover, while he grieves in private. Stars Hugh Dillon (Flashpoint). Plays twice.
- Gossip Girl (The CW): New. Georgina wants to make Blair a social outcast at college. Bree and Nate continue to see each other. How old is her character supposed to be exactly? Not that Nate doesn’t like the older ladies.
- Heroes (NBC): Season Premiere. Claire ends up in the spotlight after a mysterious death. Angela thinks that Nathan will figure out who he really is. H.R.G. and Tracy team up. Runs two hours. Couldn’t be less excited for the return of a show that I used to anxiously await the next episode.
- Lincoln Heights (ABC Family): New. Charles contemplates running away from his problems. Lizzie attempts to make some new friends. Plays again later.
- One Tree Hill (The CW): New. Haley and Mia are trying to stop the shutdown of Red Bedroom Records. Clay is trying to defend Nathan against accusations.
- Two and a Half Men (CBS): Season Premiere. With Mia back, Charlie is faced with a decision between his wife to be and the one that got away. Runs 31 mintues.
- Unwrapped (Food Network): New. See how some of your favorite “Toasted” treats are made. A repeat episode follows. Both play again later.
Sports Notes
- ESPN has Monday Night Football with the Indianapolis Colts at the Miami Dolphins.
- ESPN2 has WNBA playoff games if needed.
Late Night
- Mad Men (AMC): Repeat. Last night’s episode, “Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency,” replays. Plays gain later.
TV Marathons
Bravo has five episodes of The Rachel Zoe Project.
Discovery Channel has six episodes of A Haunting.
Oxygen has 16 episodes of Roseanne.
Spike has nine hours of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episodes.
Syfy has eight episodes of Early Edition.
Travel Channel has five episodes of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.
USA has 11 episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent early.
..and so begins the first overwhelming night of the season :) Looking forward to the return of House, BBT, HIMYM and Castle. Also interested in Accidentally on Purpose.
Kyle, No kidding. And, there are still two more series to premiere next Monday making it even more so then. It’s going to be tough as I attempt to watch everything the networks have to offer on Mondays except Dancing With the Stars and The Jay Leno Show. Plus, keeping up with Greek. Good thing there isn’t nearly as many things to watch on Tuesdays, so I can catch up with Mondays then.