New Fall TV shows

I'd like to start this entry by saying that it's my job to watch TV. I have to know what the smart new shows are on TV so I can advise my clients on them. So stop thinking I'm a loser for watching so much TV!

Actually thank goodness for Tivo (oops, don't tell anyone that I don't watch the commercials) or I'd never have the time.

So I've tried to watch at least a few episodes of as many of the new shows as I can fit in. Here are some of my thoughts...

BIONIC WOMAN
I told you earlier that this would be a good one. And after two episodes, I do still like it. As I forewarned, it's very similar to Alias. Maybe so much that I'm a little let down because it just isn't as good. They're trying to keep it a little more "dumbed down" than Alias so the mass audiences will watch it. But it suffers because of that. The plots have been pretty see-through but I do like the characters so far. So I'm going to give it a few more weeks.

BIG SHOTS
Speaking of Alias, I have two words: Michael Vartan. I really wanted to like this show because I really loved him from Alias. But this show is painful to watch. Parts of it are funny and parts of it are serious and parts are just plain stupid. They have an identity crisis...which are you? I can't handle all the personality switches so I'm done. But I'm begging them to please find a decent vehicle for Michael Vartan on his own!!

K-VILLE
It's a cop show set in New Orleans. They film it there and are therefore pumping money into the economy. That alone sold me. But the two lead characters are fabulous and they have smart writing. And with the situation in New Orleans now, they can come up with some interesting new plot twists in the oldest genre. Tune in, it's a great show! And it gets the male vote, my husband likes it.

JOURNEYMAN
A married man randomly travels back in time to help people. He has no control over his own comings and goings. He finds out his old girlfriend, who supposedly died, is also a time-traveler. This is great new territory. The lead actor is great. The writing is really smart. And it has a great reveal quality to it where each week you learn a little more. They assume you have a brain and can remember what happened. Thumbs up!

PUSHING DAISIES
This is so original and so fun! The setting is a "cartooney" world (think Dick Tracy or Batman) where the main character has a magical power to bring people back to life by touching them. But when he touches them again they die. So he uses the ability to help solve crimes. And to bring his childhood sweetheard back to life after she is killed. The lead characters are adorable. They're madly in love but cannot touch each other. It's different and its smartly written. Even my husband liked it, which says alot. I thought he'd think it was too fluffy but he liked it because it was so different.

PRIVATE PRACTICE
I am a huge Grey's Anatomy fan. I really want to like this show but so far it's just whiny and annoying. These are wickedly smart people (supposedly) but they do not know how to deal with the most basic real life issues in their own personal lives. And the great chemistry they had shown in the pilot between Tim Daly and Kate Walsh has not been revived. In fact there isn't really any chemistry between any of the characters. Help!! I can only sit through a few more episodes before I will be forced to make a decision they clearly could not, which is to erase it from my DVR cue!!

DIRTY SEXY MONEY
This had been lauded as a great show. I only saw one episode but I couldn't watch anymore. Like Private Practice, it was just a bunch of whiny, miserable people. No thank you. I usually like to give things two episodes, because the pilots must pack a lot in. But I just couldn't do it here. And I haven't read to see how the show is being received. This will probably be the one that becomes a wild hit and I missed out! Oh well I'll just rent the DVDs later!