State of TV - Fall 2011 Edition!

A few years back I wrote a series of posts called "State of TV," which basically took a look at my viewing habits for every day of the week, post the premiere of the Fall TV season.

This year, I've done something similar for the San Francisco Appeal, taking a day-by-day look at how the new batch of TV shows are faring, and by "faring" I mean whether or not I am still watching them, and what I think of them.

So go check those posts out, won't you?

Appealing TV: Monday, Monday, Can't Trust That Day

Appealing TV: I'll Love You Till Tuesday

Appealing TV: You Won't Give a Damn By Wednesday Week

Appealing TV: Thursday Has Its Own Peculiar Way

Appealing TV: Gotta Get Down On Friday

Appealing TV: Everyday Is Like Sunday

Me and TV

Here's an irony: Ever since I lost my job, I have actually watched less television, not more.

Crazy right?

There are a few reasons for this. One is the fact that sometimes during the week, I actually leave my house and do stuff. (I swear I do!) One would think that when I was working I was also "doing stuff," but the fact is I always had some kind of show playing while I was working, either at home on my TV or at the office on Hulu or the equivalent. Of course, most of the shows I was watching I was "watching." I wasn't devoting my complete attention to them, but treated them more like background music, paying enough attention to follow the plot, if not the intricacies. As such, most of the shows I would choose to watch this way weren't shows I was really invested in, but felt compelled to keep up with just because.

But TV is less of a background thing now, and actually something I make time to sit down and watch, and in doing so, I have become a lot less tolerant of shows that don't offer anything unique or aggressively entertaining. As a result, I have been deleting season passes left and right. Here's a list of shows I've recently given up on:

"The Bachelor"
"Chuck"
"No Ordinary Family"
"Kitchen Nightmares"
"Southland"
"Hellcats"
"Nikita"
"Blue Bloods"

This TV trimming has also resulted in me being a lot less willing to adopt new shows into my schedule. "The Chicago Code" has gotten some really good reviews, but I watched the pilot, and it really didn't give me anything that "Southland" or "Blue Bloods" wasn't giving me, and if I wasn't willing to watch those, I wasn't willing to watch this. Seriously, if you're going to bring a new cop show, or lawyer show, or medical show into the TV landscape, it had better be something incredible. That's why "Off the Map" is off my TiVo, and "Harry's Law" and "Fairly Legal" are in contempt of court. (Sorry.)

But even with these cuts, I still watch a lot of crap. I will admit that. Every night seems to bring me some set of Housewives, and "American Idol" continues its hold. For whatever reason, I still (kind of) watch "V." (Man. I need to stop with that. BUT I WANT TO SEE ALIEN BABIES.) I watch "Glee" just so I can hate it, and lord save me, but I actually kind of think "Mike & Molly" is funny.

The shows I actually look forward to, and will give my complete attention to, are few and far between. I'm glad I didn't give up on "Fringe" when I wanted to, during its first season, because it has become really, really good this year. I fear its Friday night fate. "Parenthood" is another show I could barely tolerate when it first started but has improved immensely. "Community" remains the funniest comedy on TV, and "An Idiot Abroad" is the best travel-related show EVER.

So, me and TV aren't through. Not nearly. But unless I get another job that requires me to sit in front of computer screen for eight hour stretches, I think my TV gluttony has come to an end...

State of TV: In Conclusion

So, there you have. My TV watching habits in several nutshells. Of course, what I talked about are not the only shows I watch. I chose to focus on the major networks, but there's a ton of crap on cable I also manage to consume every week including such gems as "I Love New York 2," "America's Most Smartest Model" and "The Real World," to name just three.

I think the main point I wanted to make about this TV season is that none of it is very exciting to me. There are only one or two shows I genuinely look forward to watching every week, and many more that I could see end forever and not care a bit. As much as "Lost" was pissing me off last season, I'm finding I'm really missing it this season. Even when it bugged me, it was a show I cared about, and that's lacking this year. The writer's strike means I may have to wait even longer to see the new season start up. The same thing might happen with "Battlestar Galactica," but at least there's that "Razor" movie to look forward to on November 24th. This coming weekend! Set those TiVos! And if you've never watched "Battlestar Galactica" before, I think it's safe to watch this since it's a prequel. So no excuses! Watch it! It's bound to be better than most of the crap the networks have been feeding us this year...

State of TV: Fridays

Fridays. A relatively calm night for TV.

At 8:00 there's "Men in Trees," which continues to be an extremely guilty pleasure, which is strange because I was never a fan of "Northern Exposure" and it's basically the same show. I suppose it's the "Sex and the City" influence that keeps me watching.

Also at 8 is "The Next Great American Band," which I don't think anyone else is actually watching. It's "American Idol" but in band form, and while some of the bands suck, it is nice to finally see a talent-based show where the performers actually play their own instruments and songs. Don't get me wrong. They're still required to play through "Billy Joel Night" and "Elton John Night," but at least they're allowed to do their own arrangements of the covers. So far my fave is Tres Bien, which, despite the stupid name, is a fun band full of young guys totally enamored with 60s pop.



I also like the Clark Brothers from Tennessee. I don't think any of these bands are poised to take America by storm, but I'm still finding it as entertaining as "American Idol," if not more, although the judges leave a lot to be desired.

At 9 there's "Women's Murder Club" which I really only watch because I have to for my Streets of San Fauxcisco posts. It's a dumb show. Really dumb. And like many a dumb show, it's very, very easy to watch; your basic crime procedureal with female bonding thrown into the mix.

And that's it really. "Meerkat Manor" has gone into reruns, thank god, because I couldn't take any more of the heartbreak that show was throwing at me. I didn't think they could top the death of Flower as far as pathos goes, but then Mozart, the sad outcast who was trying to make it on her own up and gets killed while all by herself one sad night--after a day in which she was able to finally partner up with a potential mate. *SOB*!

State of TV: Thursdays

Lordy. Thursday is another ridiculously crowded night of television. To wit:

At 8 there's "Ugly Betty," which I continue to watch with much indifference. In fact, I just realized I haven't watched last week's episode yet, and that's not a good sign. "Survivor: China" has the problem I knew it would have the minute the location was announced: the show's not nearly as watchable when it's not set on a deserted island surrounded by clear blue water. A camp next to a dingy lake in China just isn't quite as picturesque, so there's nothing to distract from the annoying castaways. Lastly there's "My Name Is Earl," which I continue to watch to just to hear lines like, "The only reason I haven't cut this baby out myself is because the Cesarean scar and my prom scar would make a weird little crucifix right above my landing strip!" come out of the mouth of Jamie Pressley.

At 8:30 is probably the only show this season I eagerly look forward to week after week, and the only show I will be truly sad to see go on hiatus because of the writer's strike. I am speaking, of course, of "30 Rock." If you aren't watching this show I just don't know what's wrong with you, but perhaps this clip can help persuade you to give it a go. I think it will be hard to top that moment this season, although the aftermath of Kenneth's party last week came damn close.

Which brings us to 9:00 and "Grey's Anatomy." I find it hard to talk about this show without filling with rage at the whole Gizzie fiasco. I just hate that they put Callie through such hell just to have that stupid George and Izzie relationship crash and burn. But I probably feel that way because I think the actress who plays Callie, Sara Ramirez, is fracking awesome. Have you seen any of her songs from "Spamalot"? Wow.



I can't wait until "Grey's" starts to tank in the ratings and they do a musical episode, so Sara Ramirez can just blow all those whiny twits out of the hospital.

Also at 9 is "CSI," but there's not much to say about that. It's the same as it ever was, with or without the presence of Jorja Fox. Which brings us to "The Office." I'm still digging it, but am especially pleased that they haven't (as of yet) tried to drive some kind of contrived wedge between Pam and Jim, instead allowing the workplace stuff be the center of the show, and letting Pam and Jim just be a happy couple. It's awfully refreshing. Alas, the writer's strike seems to be hitting this show first, and there aren't any more new episodes to look forward to after tonight...

Another show that might get hit kind of hard by the strike is "Scrubs," which is on at 9:30. This is its final season, and NBC wants to end the series a lot sooner than the writers of the show do, and I think they even had some non-union people edit the last show that had been shot, and want to use it as the series finale. That's pretty sad.

Moving on to the 10 o'clock hour and "ER." They're putting Abby through the ringer again, having her fall back into alcoholism and a really, really bad one night stand with her boss. This will probably prove disastrous for her marriage to Kovach, which is a shame because I was really hoping she'd finally found some peace. But, this is a drama, and "dramatic" things must happen. Doesn't mean I like it, though.

Finally, there's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." And am I missing something or have they not mentioned at all yet this season the fact that Goren's dad might be a serial killer? That was revealed at the end of last season, wasn't it? Regardless, the show hasn't really changed much since moving to the USA Network, which is good. Although I would be much happier if Vincent D'Onofrio got some kind of spin-off that just featured him walking around crime scenes making impossibly accurate deductions. For an entire hour.

State of TV: Wednesdays

I just got back from a fancy dinner with a friend that involved a few cocktails, so apologies if this isn't the most coherent or comprehensive of posts. My desire to get this up before Thursday compels me to finish it!

OK. Wednesdays. 8pm. "Pushing Daisies." This show suffers from two major flaws. First, it is just way to twee. Every time the two leads beam at each other like the love sick fools they are, I roll my eyes so hard that sometimes my eyeballs don't face front again until the show is almost over. I usually see enough of an episode to know, however, that the second thing wrong with this show is that most of the plot each week tends to focus on a crime, and it is therefore just another damned crime procedural, and I am sick of those...I do like Chuck's wardrobe every week, though.

Also at eight is "Kid Nation," and if you need some explanation as to why I watch this show, just check this out, (skip ahead to about 3:30 for the real awesomeness):



Jared is my hero.

Lastly at 8 there's "America's Next Top Model," and it's the usual stupidity, but this time they have a model with Asperger's syndrome, and she's kind of rad.

Nine is another one of those hours of TV in which I watch something on more than two channels. Four, in fact. "Private Practice" is one of those shows, and the main reason I tend to watch it--and the main reason it seems to exist at all--is because of the inherent likability of its lead, Kate Walsh. There are a few actresses who have that quality--I think Maura Tierney and Jenna Fischer are two others--and I find it kind of refreshing. It's not just that they're attractive (and all three of them are, but not in an obvious sexpot kind of way) or that they're funny (although, again, they are). It's that they are...likable. And there's just no other way to put it.

Slightly less likable is Michelle Ryan, AKA the "Bionic Woman." I take that back. She's not unlikable, she's just boring, and I think the show's creators realized this shortly after they began, and thus increased the screen time for the far more interesting Katee Sackhoff as Jamie Sommers' nemesis...But the show still suffers considerably from a real lack of spark.

I couldn't begin to tell you what's going on on "Gossip Girl," although I make an attempt to watch it every week. Something about rich teenagers in New York, I think. And finally at the 9 o'clock hour we have "Kitchen Nightmares," which is not nearly as compelling as the BBC version of the show. I'm not sure if Gordon Ramsey is just afraid to be quite so mean to the people in his own country, of if Fox just doesn't know that a little of Gordon is often more than enough. Either way, if you have BBC America, be sure to watch "Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares" instead of the Fox version.

At 10 is "Project Runway" which premieres tonight, and I haven't watched yet so I can't comment on it, and "Dirty Sexy Money," which I've found I only watch for the brief moments when Donald Sutherland appears on it. He's by far the most dynamic actor on the show, and the most compelling character.

And there you have it. Now pardon me as I go pass out...

State of TV: Tuesdays

I'll let you in on my dirty little secret about Tuesday nights: I watch both "The Biggest Loser" and "Beauty and the Geek." I find it very motivating to watch "The Biggest Loser" while I'm working out on my step machine, and as for "Beauty and the Geek," what can I say? I have a soft spot for geeks. And stupid women. And while I'm admitting to watching crappy TV, I'll also admit I watch "Carpoolers." The thing that got me to watch in the first place it it was created by Bruce McCulloch of "The Kids in the Hall," so I figured it was worth at least one viewing. It's not nearly as funny as anything on "Kids in the Hall," but it does have a small dose of absurdity that I appreciate.

At nine there's the "Dancing with Stars" results show which I usally don't watch at all, instead skipping to the very end to see who has been eliminated. And then there's "Reaper." That show had so much potential, and it's fallen short week after week. It's painfully formulaic, offering the same story structure week after week. (Weird things start to happen to Sam; he soon realizes what that means in regards to the soul he needs to recover; he gets the recovery vessel, which is usually something wacky; he can't tell the girl he likes what he does, and she gets pissed about his secrets; after several attempts and near death experiences, he captures the needed soul. Oh, and the devil makes an appearance at one point or another.) The one time they kind of strayed from the formula, in the episode with Patton Oswalt, it worked really well, so I don't know why they don't keep doing that. And Ray Wise continues to be the highlight of the show, which tempts me to say they should have more of him per episode, but I think that could also ruin it; too much of a good thing and all that. In all, the show has failed to meet the promise of the pilot, which is ironic since that episode was directed by Kevin Smith, and is thus the only thing Kevin Smith has ever done that didn't annoy the hell out of me.

Finally at 10 is the return of "Nip/Tuck." The doctors have moved their practice from Miami to Los Angeles, and so far that's been an improvement. They've been able to inject a lot of Hollywood satire into the show, which has been a welcome change from the personal craziness that had been the focus the past few seasons. And if you like seeing Julian McMahon partially naked, there's still plenty of that going on, although he seems to have put on a few pounds since arriving on the left coast...

State of TV: Mondays

Mondays are INSANE with the TV. There's no time for an introduction!

8:00! First there's "Dancing with the Stars." I got to see Marie Osmond faint without knowing it was coming, so that was fun. But truth be told I watch the 90 minute show in about 20 by just watching the dancing numbers and seeing the scores.

Next is "How I Met Your Mother," which has had some rocky episodes this season--the numerous post-break-up of Ted and Robin storylines to be specific--but it still manages to make me smile most of the time, though outright guffaws are few.

"Everybody Hates Chris" is another sitcom that doesn't make me laugh all that much, but I still think it's worth watching. But I have the same complaints I had last year, which is too often Chris Rock's narration announces jokes that should really just come organically from the story and the actors.

"Prison Break" is just ridiculous and is one of those shows I usually have on in the background while I'm doing other things, so I couldn't begin to tell you the plot this season. But I think it involves a prison break.

Lastly at the 8 o'clock hour is "Chuck," which I really wished I liked more, but it just isn't cutting it for me. It doesn't manage to make the whole secret spy thing very entertaining, the way "Alias" was able to, I don't care about Chuck at all, and his obnoxious best friend is just...obnoxious. Adam Baldwin is also completely wasted on the show.

At 8:30 there's only one show, and it's "Aliens In America" on the CW. It's at heart a sweet sitcom, but is often marred by these moments of vulgarity that seem wildly out of place and take me out of the comedy thinking, "Um. Ick."

At 9:00 the main show is "Heroes," and boy oh boy, has it sucked this season. While last season was certainly stupid, it was saved more than once by cliffhanger endings, and moments that just made you go, "Whoa. That was awesome." This season has had none of that, and instead the show just seems to be repeating season one, minus all the cool stuff. Come on. Didn't we deal with the post-apocalyptic New York thing already? What the hell? And why bring all the heroes together at the end of last season just to have them all completely separated again if you're not going to do anything new with the story? And can the black tears twins just die already? I want this story arc to just finish and I hope Tim Kring's promises to make things better come true.

Shockingly, "K-Ville" is still on, and it continues to disappoint. The only reason to watch it is to see the New Orleans scenery, because it certainly ain't because of the stories the show is telling...

At 9:30 is the sitcom "Samantha Who?" starring Christina Applegate as a girl with amnesia. It's made me laugh a few times, so I tolerate it. My favorite line of the season came after her boyfriend told her whenever she tried to explain her job to him, she would start to talk really slow, like he was a monkey, and she says, "There's no reason to talk slowly to to a monkey."

Finally at 10:00 there's "Journeyman," which I would probably still watch even if I didn't need to for my Culture Blog posts. I have a feeling it's going to be one of many victims of the writer's strike, and we may never find out just why Dan keeps hoping back in time, and why Livia is right there with him, which will be a shame. I will say this, though. It feels like the writers had a lot of the show's mystery planned out ahead of time--Livia turning out to be a time-traveller even before she met Dan; that weird science guy--and I appreciate that. I'm tired of shows that feel like the writers are just pulling stories out of their asses. (See "Heroes," above.)

Lastly, there's "The Bachelor," and while I'd like to say I only watched it because there was a local girl on it, and I therefore I had to watch it for my SFist posts, I can't because that would be a lie. Doesn't mean I'm not happy the season is ending soon, though.

State of TV: Sundays

Last year I did a series of posts about how TV seemed to be holding up with the new season, and I suddenly realized if I want to do that again this year, I'd better step on it, as many of the shows currently on TV won't be on for much longer if the writers strike isn't settled soon. For instance, this week's episode of "The Office" is the last new episode they finished before the strike hit. Kinda scary how fast these things can take affect, huh?

So, anyway, here's what I think about the shows I currently watch on Sunday nights (which is a surprisingly empty TV night).

First is "The Simpsons" on at 8pm, and I'm sorry, but I still think it's hilarious. Yes, it has had funnier seasons, but it's a hell of a lot better than "Family Guy." I mean, COME ON!

Also at 8 is "The Amazing Race" which I've only watched one episode of so far, and so far, it's your standard "Amazing Race" awesomeness. Especially last week when one of the detours involved donkeys who refused to move when they needed to. And many racers were just incredulous that a donkey could be so stubborn. LOVE it.

At 9 it's nothing but "Desperate Housewives," a show I continue to watch even though I really kind of hate it. The strike can't affect it soon enough for me.

Finally, at 10 there's "Brothers & Sisters," which I like more than "Desperate Housewives," but is not a show I would ever tell someone they should totally make the time to watch.

I also watch "60 Minutes," but what can be said about that, really?

So there you have it. Sundays: A whole lotta meh.

State of TV: Sundays (and Saturdays, Kind Of)

Is Sunday the end or the beginning of the TV week?

"Kidnapped" has been pretty much killed, and dumped onto Saturday nights at 9. I didn't think the show was the most riveting thing on TV, but I appreciated its attempt at story-centered drama. There are only so many procedurals one can take. Unfortunately, NBC didn't give it much of a chance. On the other hand, it's basically up against nothing, so maybe it'll end its life with some good numbers.

"The Simpsons" remains on Sunday nights, although baseball continues to push it off the air for most of October, and once again its annual Treehouse of Horror episode is going to have to air AFTER Halloween. Annoying!

Also at 8pm on Sunday is "The Amazing Race" which has been pretty good this season, especially compared to that awful family edition. I include it in my weekly Reality Locals recaps, so I don't think I have much more to say about it here.

At 9 "Desperate Housewives" continues its attempts to dig itself out of the hole of suck it fell into last season. I wasn't a big fan of the show from the beginning--I thought its attempts at satire were pretty weak, and didn't buy it as a fluffy soap either. But last season was even worse. So why do I keep watching? Good question. And the answer is, I have no idea. The only character I've ever enjoyed has been Bree, but this season they have again paired her with a psychopathic boyfriend (now husband), and she just never seemed like such a dumb character that she wouldn't learn from her mistakes. Felicity Huffman's character seems to be many fans' favorite, but I've always found her portrayal of Lynette to be lacking in any real subtlety. Like the rest of the show, it's just a little cartoonish for its own good. I wish there was something else at 9pm on Sundays I thought was worth watching.

Which brings us to 10pm and "Brothers and Sisters" the show whose biggest claims-to-fame are Marti Noxon quit after a few months of production, and Calista Flockhart chose it to make her triumphant return to TV. It's your basic family drama, and so far has brought nothing particularly interesting to the TV schedule. The family is dysfunctional, but not in any real entertaining way. The cast includes some good actors, including Sally Field, but they can't manage to breath any real life into some pretty boring scripts. There's just not enough humor or, clever dialogue, or cute guys, or...anything to keep it from being the show I fall asleep to on Sunday nights.

State of TV: Fridays

TGIF!

Especially because it means less TV I have to watch! Not that I don't love me some TV. But even I need a break sometimes.

The first Friday must see is "Meerkat Manor," although I'm still torn up about the disappearance of Courageous Little Shakespeare, and that Flower is one tough matriarch, isn't she? I guess this season's sad sack is Mozart, who was banished from the manor because she got pregnant by a meerkat from a rival tribe--big no no!--and Flower wasn't about to deal with any other pups when she was expecting her own (that girl can reproduce, yo). Alas, Mozart's pups died, and last we saw her she was hoping to be accepted back into the Whiskers tribe. Man. This show can be damned heartbreaking!

Now comes my shameful confession. I watch "Men In Trees." I'm not saying I like it. I'm only saying I watch it. Really, it's pretty awful, so obviously ripping off from both "Northern Exposure" and "Sex and the City," (although since one of the show's creators was also a writer on "SATC," that's to be expected). It really does not fill the void left by the loss of "Sex and the City," though, so I remain perplexed over just why I keep watching. I suppose it's because Friday is a slim night for TV. And it's a completely fluffy, unthinky show, which is just what I need at the end of the week.

Unlike "Battlestar Galactica," which remains extremely thinky and challenging. In that way it's almost the polar opposite of "Men In Trees." But I'm not complaining about the show's complexity; it still blows me away week after week. I will admit, however, that I am getting anxious about the whole New Caprica setting. I want to see the show get back into space--it is called "Battlestar Galactica" after all. And I want to see Starbuck cut her hair and kick some ass again. I also want them to get on with the revelation of the other Cylon models, or at least one or two. The longer they wait, the more disappointed I will inevitably be with those reveals.

Also, when Boomer finds out her baby is still alive? That is going to be...intense.

State of TV: Thursdays

Thursday! The most crowded night on television!

The 8 o'clock hour brings us "Ugly Betty" on ABC, one of the only new shows that can be called a hit. It's cute and it's for girls! My only fear is we've had three episodes so far, and they've been pretty much the same, storywise. Betty's happy about her job, her co-workers make fun of her, then Betty's sad about her job and wants to quit, then Betty saves the day and her boss's ass, and loves her job again. Yeah, we kind of get the she's-an-outcast thing. Maybe do something a little different with it? Also, for a show about fashion, the fashions on the show aren't that great. Still, it is charming, and not really like anything else on TV right now, so I'll keep watching.

Over on CBS, "Survivor" continues after teasing us with a "race war" and only giving us two weeks of it. I think I have the rest covered over in my locals recap, so let's move on...

To "My Name Is Earl" and "The Office." Earl continues to be amusing, but if Jamie Pressly wasn't on the show, I think I'd have to stop watching. As for "The Office," I'm not too happy with the way Jim and Pam romance played out, but I've expressed my annoyance at the old "gotta keep the people meant for each other apart! It's more dramatic!" convention before. For once I'd like to see those people just end up together and be happy. But then again, I can't imagine Jim and Pam ending up together and remaining as workers in that office, that would just be kind of sad, so I suppose there just isn't a choice here. Perhaps they'll just save the romantic resolution for the series finale, (or reunion, as the original series did). Aside from all that, the show is still pretty darn funny.

Come 9pm it's "Grey's Anatomy" and "CSI." "CSI" remains the only "CSI" I watch, and I still enjoy it, but I have to admit I don't really pay that much attention to it when I watch it. Since about 15 minutes of the show is devoted to some kind of lab work musical montage, I'm not missing too much, and I tend to get the gist of the mysteries involved. "Grey's Anatomy" continues to annoy me, or more specifically, Meredith continues to annoy me, but thankfully there are plenty of other, less annoying characters to watch, so I just go and do the dishes or wash my face or nap whenever Meredith and McDreamy are on screen. Yes, he's still pretty dreamy, but he's becoming just as annoying as Meredith, and I'd really like the show a whole lot more if each episode began with them sneaking into a closet to do it, where they'd remain, unseen, for the remainder of the episode. Then at the very end, they could come out looking sheepish, and the credits could begin. Perfect!

Finally, at 10pm we have "ER" and "Six Degrees." "ER" is obviously taking some clues from "Grey's Anatomy" and playing up the personal angle more than the ER angle. Even more than that, they've started using obscure pop songs during montages, which is pure "Grey's." It must be working as the show has seen an uptick in the ratings, and has even kept me watching when I was sure I'd call it quits this season. In all honesty, I think it's a better show than "Grey's Anatomy," but "Grey's" is just easier to watch, and a lot less intense.

It could be argued that "Six Degrees," another entry into the "many strangers, some connection" genre, is the weakest of those entries, as so far, there's nothing much bigger than coincidence connecting these people. No nuclear explosions, no bank robbery. Just...coincidence. And I kind of like it that way. Some would call the show boring, but I continue to watch week after week, and am more interested in these screwed up New Yorkers than I am in those Armageddon survivors in Kansas, or those bank robbery survivors in...LA? I care so little about them that I don't even know where they're supposed to live. There's no doubt where "Six Degrees" takes place; New York is practically a character in itself. I also think it helps that the show has some really good actors, like Hope Davis and Campbell Scott, and they manage to keep it more interesting than it might be with a bunch of the usual TV talent. I really can't argue with anyone who says the show doesn't seem to have a point; it doesn't. But when the acting is good, and the storytelling is good, sometimes, that's enough.

State of TV: Wednesdays

Wednesday. Please, please don't call it hump day.

I'm sure some kind of hump/"America's Next Top Model" joke can be made (involving, no doubt, Fergie), but I'm just too tired to come up with it. So let's instead talk about Tyra's huge ego. Seriously, girl needs to get over herself. It's especially amusing when she gives the girls modeling advice like, "You're smiling, but you're dead in the eyes. You need to be less like this-" opens her eyes and stares ahead, "and more like this-" opens her eyes and stares ahead. Yeah. Thanks Tyra. You're brilliant. And I think anything else I have to say about the show I say every week with my locals recap on SFist.

Also at 8pm is "Jericho" one of the only new dramas to get a full season order, meaning it's a hit. And for the life of me, I can't understand why. We're what--four? five?--episodes in and we still have no clue what went down with all those nuclear explosions, and instead have been stuck in a Kansas city town with a bunch of locals who are dealing with nuclear fall out and radiation poisoning. How fun! And these people just don't act like people would if nuclear Armageddon had broken out. The local teens hold a keggar, and the local adults almost take up arms when the possibility that the town saloon's generator may run out of gas. OK, sure, maybe this is the way real people would act, but the show doesn't manage to do it convincingly. No one seems that...concerned about what's really gone down. I can understand the desire to drink oneself silly if the nuclear bomb was dropped on a nearby city, but I think I'd either be sobbing, or completely slap-happy while doing it. I'd hope I wouldn't be a total bore like every last resident of Jericho seems to be.

"30 Rock" kind of tanked in the ratings, and the critics didn't seem to like it much either, which has me flummoxed. Of course I've only watched one episode so far, but I still think that one episode was funny. I really hope it doesn't get cancelled.

Which brings us to "Lost," which has also been losing viewers and pissing off critics. Me, I'm happy with the way it's played out so far. I like that this season has introduced a new set of characters, just as season two did with the Tailies. And I'm intrigued enough by the Others' shenanigans to remain hopelessly addicted to the show. I will say I'm disappointed they brought the "it might not be Jin's baby" plot into play. I don't like how that makes Sun a liar (well, more of a liar) and possibly removes the supernatural (or Other) explanation for her pregnancy. I also can't stop thinking about how there are only six episodes (three more to go!) before the show dissapears for months. Can they possibly give us (and especially viewers who are leaving) a good enough finale and/or cliffhanger to get us to come back in February? My faith remains in the show, but that doesn't mean I won't worry.

Following "Lost" is "The Nine" at 10pm, the drama about nine people who survive a bank robbery. While the nine tend to be more interesting than the inhabitants of Jericho, Kansas, they still aren't compelling enough to actually get me excited about the show. I keep watching because I want to see what happened in that bank and see how it plays out over the season, but something tells me the payoff is going to be disappointing. I also really dislike Tim Daly's character, which is a shame since his story has been getting more play than the others. But then when I do think about the other characters, I actually can't think of any I'd want to see more of, so I guess that criticism isn't really valid. I will say I thought the ending to last week's episode, with the teenage girl's realization about the 911 one call, was very effective. But it remains a small part of a bigger mystery that is, at this point, just not that riveting.

Finally, for one more week (meaning tonight) we've got "Project Runway." I'm glad to say that this reality show remains the best reality show on TV, and this season can only end up being better than last season's, since none of the designers is showing signs of having a collection as horrendous as last season's winner, Chloe Dao's. (Oh, the "Dynasty" nightmares those dresses gave me!) For the record, I'm rooting for Laura. She has a boring aesthetic I find quite pleasing. (And I think the previews showing jerkwad Jeffrey's breaking down crying are probably his crying with relief that he hasn't been disqualified for cheating. Although I'm kinda hoping he does get busted for something. He's just so ick.)

Following the finale of "Runway" is the premiere of "Top Chef," which was suprisingly good last season. Unlike "Hell's Kitchen" that other reality cooking show, the chefs on "Top Chef" have to have actual talent to win, and not just the ability to put together generic menus while someone screams at them and calls them donkeys. Unfortunately, the show is taking place in LA this year, instead of San Francisco; part of the fun of the show was seeing the local eateries and neighborhoods being featured each week. But maybe if this season does well they'll bring it back to SF for season three.

State of TV: Tuesdays

Part two of my daily rambling about what I watch and why I watch it.

Tuesdays. 8pm. First and foremost is "Gilmore Girls," even though I completely hate the plot developments that happened last year. So many people bemoan the loss of the Palladinos, and I maintain that they were the writers that threw Luke and Lorelei together--something fans have been dying for for many years--and they were also the writers that totally fracked up that relationship by introducing April, Luke's out of the blue illegitimate daughter (and an ex-girlfriend as her mother), and turned Luke into a total asshole. If it was the intent all along to get Lorelei and Christopher together, they could have come up with a better plot line than that love child ridiculousness to separate Luke and Lorelei. In fact, why bother having them get together at all?

It gets me really worked up and, again, I blame it all on the Palladinos. If this season sucks, there's no one to blame but them. All that said, I still watch, just because I want to see if the show can pull itself out of the black hole. Also, the whole "Lane is pregnant" thing? I'll place the blame of that on the new guy. What a horrible way to treat a fun character. Have her marry too young, have a horrible honeymoon complete with unenjoyable (first time!) sex, and end up pregnant as a result. What has Lane ever done to deserve that?? *Sigh.* At least Jess is gone...for now.

I've already talked about giving up on "Friday Night Lights," which is also on at 8pm. I ended up watching the second episode while working, and remained just as uninterested. I don't think I can invest much more in it, since the ratings have been abysmal, and it's likely to get cancelled anyway.

The 9 o'clock hour brings us "Veronica Mars" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." I don't think I need to go into why I watch "Criminal Intent," but just in case, I'll reduce it to two words: Vincent D'Onofrio. The episodes with Chris Noth are just annoying filler.

As for "Veronica Mars," I continue to be more and more disappointed with the show. It has yet to reach the high bar set by the first season, and I've said before that I found the second season a bloated, confusing mess. It seems the series will be presenting more one-off storylines in an attempt to attract new viewers, but the underlying mystery of the on-campus, head-shaving rapist is a little grim (albeit not as grim as the first season's murdered girl mystery); it's just I don't like the idea of rape being a constant plotline. They've covered this area before with Veronica's first season rape (and horrible conclusion to the mystery last season) so I hope they conclude this arc soon. As for the mystery her father is involved in, I am hopelessy lost about that one. I have no idea what the hell is going on. Also? Having all the characters ending up in the same college is just so..."90210." What happened to Veronica getting into Stanford? Was that another second season plotline that got buried in the mess?

You'll probably be surprised to learn that I watch "Help Me Help You" at 9:30, and even more surprised to learn that I actually like it. It's the one starring Ted Danson as a group therapist, and it's...funny. Not uproariously funny, but not completely asinine either. The "Arrested Development" influences are obvious: single camera, no laughtrack, and hopelessly dysfunctional characters, but I can excuse the copycat aspects now that there isn't the real thing around to watch anymore. If you haven't already, I'd say give it a shot. Can't hurt ya.

Unlike watching an episode of "Nip/Tuck" this season. That can be really painful. In all fairness, it's better than it was last year, with the stupid "Carver" plotline, but I just think the show's outrageousness has played itself out. This year's recurring plot involves Christian fearing he might be gay, and Sean dealing with having a deformed child. And murder. And a psychopathic psychiatrist. And organ snatchers. And Scientology. And a dying man paying Christian to have sex with his wife. And Jacqueline Bisset. And a dwarf nanny. And naked Rosie O'Donnell. These aren't single-episode storylines, people, they're what this season is all about, so I think it goes without saying: It's all too damn much.

State of TV: Mondays

In which I go into agonizing, day-by-day detail about the TV shows I am watching, and whether or not I actually like them.

So, on Mondays we have:

"How I Met Your Mother" at 8pm. I continue to watch this comedy even though the lead character is an annoying boob, and I could not care less about how he met their mother. I mainly watch because of Willow, and the "Freaks and Geeks" Guy, and Doogie Howser. I do laugh occasionally, but it's one of the shows I tend to watch while working since I don't feel the need to pay the utmost attention to what's going on, and it's dialogue-driven, so I don't have to actually "watch" it. I can treat it like a radio show. The same goes for "The Class," which follows at 8:30. "The Class" is actually not as good of a show as "HIMYM," and I wouldn't be the least bit upset if it were to get cancelled. Last week's reveal that the sad, suicidal guy who has finally met the perfect woman for him was completely sullied when they revealed that he might actually be nothing but a cheating louse. I don't care how bad his relationship with Darlene is, I just can't get behind love stories that are predicated on infidelity. It's both hackneyed and icky.

"Everybody Hates Chris" has moved to Mondays at 8pm, making it a crowded hour of television. I caught up with the last season over the summer with reruns, and can say I solidly like the show. Not love, but like. I always laugh at least once, and have a nostalgic fondness for its 1980s setting. But ultimately, I just don't think the show tries hard enough. Too often it relies on Chris Rock's narration to supply the jokes, when it would be a much stronger show if the comedy came from the actors and the plot.

"Prison Break" is also on at 8pm, although it's disappeared for the last couple of weeks due to baseball--always a bad thing for serialized dramas. This season, as last, is completely preposterous, but therein lies the fun in the show. Everything that happens is utterly ridiculous, and almost every commercial break and episode ending includes an "Oh my god, how will they ever get out of THIS one??!!" moment. Needless to say, they always get out of it. No matter, though, as Wentworth Miller remains the dreamiest tattooed freak to grace TV. (And those who watch "Nip/Tuck" can attest that Miller is not the ONLY tattooed freak to grace TV this year.)

Which brings us to 9pm and "Heroes." I'm not going to say that the show has actually gotten any better since the pilot. It's still full of cliched characters, and the normal people/superheroes idea has been done countless times by comic book writers and, apparently, Salman Rushdie, but I don't mind. As far as the "group of strangers brought together by some kind of weird event" genre that has overpopulated this season's schedule is concerned, it remains the most entertaining. Sure, Hiro still looks like he's trying to pass the world's worst dookie every time he uses his powers, and yeah, that cheerleader might have an added superpower of World's Unluckiest Girl: She broke her her neck during an accidental football tackle, and almost got raped by a football jock, only to end up impaled by a branch--straight into the skull. None of that matters, though, because the ending of last week's episode, when she wakes up on that table, completely eviscerated? Was the most awesome ending of any episode of any series all season.

At 9:30 I watch "The New Adventures of Old Christine." Putting it simply, I like Julia Louis Dreyfuss. I think she's funny. I think the show is funny. End of story.

Not let's get back to the awesome thing. Here's something that's not awesome: "Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip." Not awesome in the least. Yes, I continue to watch, but more for its "I can't believe something so bad has come from someone supposedly so great" factor. It's truly ironic that the show is centered on a writer who is again, supposedly, so great that week after week he writes an entire comedy show by himself--and the one time he actually allows something his staff of writers has written to make it on the air, the show ends up in a plagiarism scandal. See what happens when he doesn't write it all himself?? The truly sad part is, not one thing on the sketch comedy show-within-a-show has been the least bit funny, making it that much harder for us viewers to care a rat's ass about this supposedly brilliant writer, and his show, and his pining after a woman who's supposed to be an amazing comedic talent but isn't the least bit funny, and is instead just a whiny shrew. And the worst thing of all is the completely ill-placed sense of importance that hangs over it all. These people act like they're saving television week after week, and they so...aren't. And yeah, I don't know if I'm talking about the creators in "Studio 60" or the creators of "Studio 60" at this point.

Lastly, there's "What About Brian?" also known as "What About thirtysomething?" And yeah, what about it? I think anything that has even a trace of J.J. Abrams on it will get approval on ABC these days, hence the renewal of this midseason replacement that no one watched when it originally premiered. I make no apologies for loving "thirtysomething," even though when I watched it, I was a mere twentysomething (and a teensomething when it started). It's scary to think that the characters that inhabit the world of "What About Brian?" are supposed to be the same age as the characters that inhabited "thirtysomething." Yes, both shows are about self-absorbed, relatively well-off white people, but the maturity level of these thirtysomethings compared to those thirtysomethings? Is pathetic. Obviously 30 is the new 13.

But perhaps the thirtysomethings who were watching "thirtysomething" back in the day were thinking the same exact thing.