18 posts tagged “house”

I think I got about four hours of sleep last night, so these might be interesting, and not in altogether good way, but rather a sleep-deprived, random, scattered way.

Anyway.

1.  I'm watching Regis and Kelly, and they've got this 11-year-old math genius. I'm all about fostering intelligence in one's kids and encouraging advanced education, etc. That's precisely why, if I have kids, I'm going to homeschool them. (Well that, and the fact that I don't want the liberal-choked teacher's unions to warp their brains.) However, I think the parents of kids such as this 11-year-old math whiz are doing them a great disservice by not teaching them social skills. I'm not saying they should be all pop-culturally oriented or whatever. However, they should be able to carry on a freaking conversation and be able to, I don't know, emote. Seriously. This kid was a robot. Jimmy Kimmel (guest-hosting) and Kelly were being friendly and funny and asking him different questions, and he barely responded. Never cracked a smile or really even changed expression. It was kind of pathetic.

2.  I watched Grey's Anatomy last night because I forgot to cancel my Season Pass and honestly, I can't believe that a couple weeks ago, I was absolutely raving about its post-strike return and yet last night was ridiculous and uneven and pandering and did I mention ridiculous? It's pretty sad when a show I used to revere for its characterization has painted normal, sweet, emotionally stable characters like Lexie and Rose as being somehow, I don't know, abnormal or, in Rose's case, almost villainous. Cristina behaved so out of character last night I almost didn't recognize her. Don't get me started on the stupid, unrealistic and insipid Callie-Hahn storyline. The writers ruined what was an awesome storyline -- and Emmy-worthy performance by Elizabeth Reaser -- when they took the Rebecca-Alex story down the  ill-fated soap opera path it's on. I'm so glad Reaser is getting her own show in The Ex List next season, and am even more excited that she'll be playing Esme Cullen in Twilight come December. Steve Betz and I commiserated on the decline of Grey's recently and he made a point that I whole-heartedly agree with: the decline started as soon as the writers started trying to tell the stories of too many characters. Sloane, Callie, the despicable Hahn, even the Chief and Bailey -- they're minor, supporting characters. Frankly, I could care less about their personal lives. Perhaps Steve's best point was that Bailey was always the rock and I loved her unshakable, "at work" mentality and how she was such a stabilizing force for the interns/residents. Now that isn't the case. I don't want to see her fall apart. Anyway, I find I just don't care about this show anymore. At all. And though there are no details forthcoming, if ABC president Steve MacPherson's comments (and the analysis of those comments) are to be believed, Shonda's planning some drastically different directions for the show next season that nobody is all that enthused about. I'm glad to be getting off the train before it derails.

3.  The Office finale was probably the best episode of its season, and maybe the best since "Casino Night." I loved it and didn't even notice that it was an hour -- and I'm one of those who believe super-sized episodes are too much of a good thing. The cold open was HILARIOUS, and my obsession love for Jim Halpert (and John Krasinski) has been heightened. If that is possible. (Is cloning really so immoral if it's used for good -- namely so that Cori and I can both have him?) I wasn't spoiled, but I figured that Jim and Pam wouldn't get engaged, only because we knew it was coming, and so how would it be a surprise or somehow shocking if it happened in the finale? I am so glad the writers have fixed Pam because as I've said before, my love for her has returned to Season 1 and 2 levels and I'm happy to forget Season 3 Pam. Also, how great is Amy Ryan as the very Michael-like Holly? I look forward to seeing more of her next season.

4.  The penultimate episode of Bones was beyond awesome. Best this season, and that's saying a lot, because Bones is one of those shows that -- almost non-traditionally -- has gotten better with each season. I am regularly amazed at how frakking funny David Boreanaz is. His comic timing is unbelievable. And it goes without saying that his chemistry with Emily Deschanel is fantastic. I am so excited that John Francis Daley has been brought on as a regular cast member instead of just recurring. It's so weird to see him all grown up after watching him as the tiny, adorable Sam Weir on Freaks and Geeks, and I now have a ginormous crush on him. He's so very Acronym-y.

5.  The first part of the House finale -- "House's Head" -- was phenomenal. As with Bones, best this season, even topping the awesome post-Super Bowl episode. Hugh Laurie is bound to get yet another Golden Globe and Emmy nomination for this performance alone, and gee, maybe he'll even win the Emmy this time. It's long past due. The man is brilliant. Also, as an unimportant aside, I can never call Thirteen by her real name. The first and last names don't go together. At all. And her first name is...weird. So yeah. Thirteen it is.

6.  No, I haven't watched the first part of Lost's three-part finale, because there's just the little matter of the four previous episodes I still have to watch. And I know, as always, I'm setting myself up to be spoiled -- and I already know a couple of things -- but I'm looking forward to diving face-first into, like, five (what better be) spectacular hours of the best show on television.

7.  If you didn't see my previous post, you must check out the bits of Fringe and Dollhouse that have leaked. They both look awesome -- especially Fringe -- and I expect Fringe alone to replace a woefully derailed Heroes as the sci-fi cult show of the moment. It could possibly reach Lost heights.

8.  And because I wouldn't be my obsessive self without a mention, I thought I'd post a yummy Edward Cullen picture. Because last night in my four hours of sleep, I dreamed that he turned me into a vampire. It was...lovely, and I definitely didn't want to wake up. Would that any boy (especially one this dreamy) look at me like this...

ETA: Dollhouse paired with 24? House paired with Fringe? Almost enough to stop me from rolling my eyes at the return of the show that WILL NOT DIE. (That would be Prison Break, in case you hadn't guessed.)

I'm sure I'm the only one that bothers putting in the time to compile stuff like this -- or even cares about it -- but whatever. It's my blog, and I want it available for easy reference.

Without further adieu, the network schedule for the 2008-09 fall TV season. Obviously, FOX hasn't had its turn at the Upfront presentations yet, so I'll be updating this with their schedule announcements tomorrow.

(all times CST; * denotes new show; red highlights indicates guaranteed Season Passes; green indicates shows almost certain to gain SP status; purple indicates shows on a trial basis)

(Yes, you're reading right -- I'm done with Grey's.)

Monday
ABC: Dancing With the Stars (7-8:30); Samantha Who? (8:30-9); Boston Legal (9-10)
CBS: The Big Bang Theory (7-7:30); How I Met Your Mother (7:30-8); Two and a Half Men (8-8:30); Worst Week* (8:30-9); CSI: Miami (9-10)
NBC: Chuck (7-8); Heroes (8-9); My Own Worst Enemy* (9-10)
FOX: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (7-8); Prison Break (8-9)
         [Midseason: Dollhouse (7-8); 24 (8-9)
CW: Gossip Girl (7-8); One Tree Hill (8-9)

Tuesday
ABC: Opportunity Knocks* (7-8); Dancing With the Stars (8-9); Eli Stone (9-10)
CBS: NCIS (7-8); The Mentalist* (8-9); Without a Trace (9-10)
NBC: The Biggest Loser: Families (7-8:30); Kath & Kim* (8:30-9); Law & Order: SVU (9-10)
FOX: House (7-8); Fringe (8-9)
CW: 90210* (7-8); Surviving the Filthy Rich* (8-9)

Wednesday
ABC: Pushing Daisies (7-8); Private Practice (8-9); Dirty Sexy Money (9-10)
CBS: The New Adventures of Old Christine (7-7:30); Project Gary* (7:30-8); Criminal Minds (8-9); CSI: NY (9-10)
NBC: Knight Rider* (7-8); Deal or No Deal (8-9); Lipstick Jungle (9-10)
FOX: Bones (7-8); Til Death (8-8:30); Do Not Disturb* (8:30-9)
CW: America's Next Top Model (7-8); Stylista* (8-9)

Thursday
ABC: Ugly Betty (7-8); Grey's Anatomy (8-9); Life on Mars* (9-10)
CBS: Survivor (7-8); CSI (8-9); Eleventh Hour* (9-10)
NBC: My Name is Earl (7-7:30); 30 Rock (7:30-8); The Office (8-8:30); SNL: Thursday Night Live* (8:30-9); ER (9-10)
FOX: Moment of Truth (7-8); Kitchen Nightmares (8-9)
CW: Smallville (7-8); Supernatural (8-9)

Friday
ABC: Wife Swap (7-8); Supernanny (8-9); 20/20 (9-10)
CBS: Ghost Whisperer (7-8); The Ex List* (8-9); Numb3rs (9-10)
NBC: Crusoe* (7-8); Deal or No Deal (8-9); Life (9-10)
FOX: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader (7-8); Don't Forget the Lyrics (8-9)
CW: Everybody Hates Chris (7-7:30); The Game (7:30-8); Top Model repeats (8-9)

Sunday
ABC: Extreme Home Makeover (7-8); Desperate Housewives (8-9); Brothers & Sisters (9-10)
CBS: The Amazing Race (7-8); Cold Case (8-9); The Unit (9-10)
NBC: Football
FOX: The OT (7-7:30); The Simpsons (7:30-8); Family Guy (8-8:30); American Dad (8:30-9)
CW: rented to Media Rights Capital

Winter/Midseason plans:
ABC: Lost; According to Jim; Scrubs; The Bachelor
CBS: Rules of Engagement; Harper's Island*
NBC: Law and Order; Friday Night Lights; Medium; Office spin-off; Merlin*; Kings*
FOX: Dollhouse; 24; American Idol; Hell's Kitchen; Secret Millionaire; Sit Down, Shut Up; The Cleveland Show
CW: Reaper

Mondays used to be so sparse when it came to watching TV, especially after Prison Break became so ludicrous that I abandoned it. (Speaking of, the fact that they're bringing the supposedly-beheaded Sara back next season is kind of insulting to even semi-intelligent TV viewers everywhere.)

After a craptastic week and a weekend that saw lots of sleeping and lots of watching movies that make me somber (Atonement, Juno, Speak, In the Land of Women) and/or that are just plain depressing with no redemptive quality that I can think of, except for the Tracy/Chris storyline that was far, far too short (Into the Wild), I'm definitely looking forward to the return of the last of the shows affected by the writer's strike.

Except the schedule's been majorly shifted around.

Tomorrow alone brings brand-spanking-new episodes of Gossip Girl, Bones, and House, all three of which I watch, in addition to Dancing With the Stars (seriously, what is up with me and reality TV this season?) and Medium.

Tuesdays are less crowded now that House and Bones have jumped to Mondays -- other than American Idol, I watch NCIS and Women's Murder Club (which returns April 29).

Ditto with Wednesdays: just one non-Idol show in Criminal Minds.

Thursdays are jam-packed now that both Grey's and Lost have returned, because in addition to both of those, I still watch The Office, Scrubs, CSI and Without a Trace. Yeah. That's a lot of TV in one night. Thank God for TiVo (especially since Grey's, The Office and CSI are all on at the same time.)

I'm trying to get into Moonlight, which is on Fridays, but that's the only thing I watch that day after never being able to quite get into Ghost Whisperer and getting tired of Num3ers.

On Sundays is yet another (awesome) Bruckheimer criminal procedural in Cold Case. 

While I was working on my LOST blog from this morning, I had to find the post where I quoted Damon Lindelof and Matthew Fox. So I hit up my LOST tags and found 50 posts. I started reading through them, and I have to say, some of them -- particularly my more in-depth reviews and the (multiple) posts ridiculing all the LOST whiners -- are pretty good. Apparently not only do I write better than I think I do, but I also apparently understand LOST a lot better than I thought I did. Who knew?

Anyway, that led me to the realization that my blog is much better suited to the purpose for which it was originally intended after all: pop culture and (pretty much) nothing but pop culture. Oh, sure, I'll throw in some other stuff for good measure, but any personal stuff will be suitably tagged and filtered. I've realized over the past couple weeks that not everyone cares to read about my trials and tribulations, and for that, I offer up my profound apologies. I've rearranged my filters accordingly.

There. Now that that's out of the way, some TV musings.

House: I have thoroughly been enjoying this season of House. Do I wonder why Cameron and Chase have practically been relegated to the most far-reaching corners of the background? Occasionally, and usually only because I really do like Cameron and would like to see more of her. Chase (and certainly Foreman), I can do without. I far prefer Taub, Thirteen (for some reason I cannot call her "Remy"), and Kutner. If they could find a way to get Cam more involved, awesome. I hear that Katie and David (Jacobs and Shore, House PTB) still have a penchant for a House/Cameron hook-up, and that pleases me. Jen Morrison and Hugh Laurie have some fantastic chemistry.

The post-Super Bowl episode, "Frozen," was fantastic. I'm normally pretty ambivalent about Mira Sorvino, but I really liked her character. A lot. And I particularly liked how she had House's number from the beginning and how obviously attracted to and intrigued by her he was.

Someone who wrote into Matt Roush's twice-weekly Ask Matt column today complained that House was getting too formulaic. He, as usual, called said whiner beautifully by reminding her that, ahem, House is a formulaic show. Like CSI, Without a Trace, Criminal Minds, etc., the structure of each episode remains largely unchanged. What makes the show so fascinating -- and popular -- is the cast and the writing and, of course, Laurie himself. He, Lisa Edelstein (Cuddy), Morrison, and Olivia Wilde (Thirteen) are on the cover of last week's TV Guide, and Wilde is quoted as saying that when she looks into Laurie's blue eyes, she melts a little bit. If that's not the understatement of the year, I really don't know what is.

I am so looking forward to the 4-6 new (!) episodes that shall be returning in April/May.

On to one of television's newest offerings, Eli Stone.

I love this show. I cried 15 minutes into the pilot. Greg Berlanti's (Everwood, Brothers and Sisters) touch was immediately felt -- he manages to weave excellent storytelling with faith and heart and evokes a great deal of emotion in his writing. Matt Roush described the show as part Pushing Daisies (for its undeniable charm and whimsy) and part (much less silly) Ally McBeal. I have to whole-heartedly concur. Who knew a show would come along that can conceivably work George Michael into its concept? (All of its episodic titles are Michael/Wham song titles, and he makes several cameos.)

Jonny Lee Miller is awesome (and definitely an acronym), and it goes without saying that Victor Garber is a fantastically stellar addition to any cast.

I absolutely adore this show and am glad it landed a plum post-LOST time slot.

ETA: Well, crap. If I have LOST on the list, then I have to put Veronica Mars on the list. It just feels like VM's been gone a lot longer. Naturally, it ties with LOST.

So Kristin just posted her Top 10 shows of 2007 and because I am nothing if not a stalker follower (seriously, isn't there some saying out there about imitation being the best form of flattery or something?), I thought I'd post my list as well.

Except...it's really a lot harder than I expected. For one, we are in total agreement about our top show -- okay, it's #2 for her, but I don't have Showtime and when I did, found Dexter to be way too bloody for my taste -- but the little dilemma is that it hasn't aired this season. Technically, it did air in 2007, but if that's the case, then I'd have to move shows like Grey's Anatomy and Heroes higher, because they rocked the last half of last season. Not so much the first part of this season.

What to do, what to do...

Screw it, it's Damon and Carlton.

Okay, now that that dilemma's been settled, here's how I decided: obviously writing was the first factor taken into consideration. I mean, The Hills might be entertaining, but a) it's, er, "reality," and b) there's just not a lot of substance there. The second factor was the entertainment value, from the glitz and glamor and sophistication of Gossip Girl to the bonus of staring at John Krasinski for half an hour on Thursday nights. And finally, I took into consideration when I watched it. For example, Pushing Daisies is better written than Chuck, but I'd watch Chuck live or at least the night it aired every single week and sometimes PD got pushed off onto another day.

Finally, remember that these are my top 10 shows. I understand that there are some stellar shows out there, such as Battlestar Galactica and Brothers and Sisters, to name a couple, but somewhere along the way -- in the middle of Season 3, actually -- I lost track of BSG and I still have to finish Season 1 of B&S. And so I'm going with shows I watched regularly this year.

Top 10 Shows of 2007
10. Grey's Anatomy: Um, seriously? What happened this season? If it weren't for the excellence of last season -- say what you'd like, but last season was why this show stands out in my mind and hasn't been cast aside as just another Desperate Housewives -- Grey's wouldn't make the list at all. I swear, Izzie -- and the whole ridiculousness that was Izzie and George -- nearly ruined the entire show. If it weren't for the last two-parter, and more importantly, the awesomeness that is Bailey, I probably would've banished my Season Pass for good.
9. Heroes: That's right, it's at No. 9, when last year it probably would've been at No. 3 or 4. I just couldn't bring myself to care through most of this season, and the characters I didn't care about seemed to multiply. Also? Am I seriously the only one who just wants to yawn whenever Peter Petrelli is on the screen? Or, at the very least, shake him and implore him to use another expression -- or any expression at all? Still, the last three or four episodes, plus Matt's dad's power, plus Kristen Bell was enough for Heroes to remain as both a Season Pass and a candidate on my Best Of list.
8. Friday Night Lights: Writing-, acting-, and quality-wise, this show should be nearer the top. It really is one of the best shows on television. But the others above it scored higher in the other two categories, especially since I've only watched the first two episodes of this season and have been saving the rest to catch up on later.
7. House: Talk about night and day. I was so bored with last season -- and annoyed with the deterioration of the ducklings, primarily Cameron -- that I bailed with about four or five episodes to go. (And I still have no desire to see them.) I almost didn't tune in this season, but I am so glad I did. I loved the Survivor-style approach to House's finding his new team. It was fresh, it was entertaining, and hey, we were spared Foreman's glowering for most of the season. (I still wish he'd fall off a building and disappear forever.) Plus? Olivia Wilde is an excellent addition to the cast. I just hope Thirteen's real name is not what's circulating.
6. Gossip Girl: That's right, I'm ranking GG above the rest because it gets points in the entertainment and "When Jen Watches" categories. GG is fun and glamorous and...well, fun. Plus, it's well-written, well-acted, has a killer soundtrack, and there's even a surprising amount of substance and profundity underneath the glitz. (And before you roll your eyes, Kristin, Michael Ausiello, and Matt Roush have consistently talked about how much they enjoy it, too -- and it made Kristin's Top 10 list. I always suspected my taste was more in sync with hers.)
5. Criminal Minds: Usually I don't rank procedurals because of the very nature of the show, but I have to say, CM is not your usual procedural. There's a surprising amount of character insight and emotional payoff, and when combined with the angle -- delving into the minds of the most aberrant serial offenders -- and the execution, you get one excellent hour of television. I actually don't understand Matt Roush's hatred for this show. It's no darker than Dexter, which he loves.
4. The Office: Okay, so, it was definitely proven that The Office is better in a half-hour format this season, but what can you say about this show except that it is side-splittingly funny, even when you're squinting at the clock on your DVD player and wondering when the hour is going to end. And finally we get back the Pam from Seasons 1 and 2 and I could squee over Jim and Pam again instead of wondering when she'd been replaced by a cyborg. (Which is what I thought for much of last season.) And like I said above, 30 minutes of John Krasinski? Bonus points galore.
3. Pushing Daisies: Oh, Ned, you stole my heart from the first second you were on-screen. What a delightful, whimsical, and charming hour of television. This show from Bryan Fuller easily wins the Best New TV Show award. It is smart, funny, endearing and bittersweet, with an engaging and unique concept and one of the best ensemble casts I've seen.
2. Chuck: This is where my rating system comes into play. As I said, Chuck might not have been the best-written show on TV this season (although it came pretty close) but the premise and its execution, the exceptionally stellar cast -- most specifically the charmingly adorable Zachary Levi -- and the fact that you had a show that infused action with both heart and wit made this one of the few hours I scheduled around, TiVo be damned.
1. Veronica Mars: That's right, I have two No. 1s. Anyone got a problem with that? I can't talk much about it, because I think I've finally (finally!) gotten a handle on the Veronica-Mars-is-canceled depression I had going on there for a while, but like LOST, this is one of the best shows I've ever seen. Ever. And yes, I'm including Seasons 2 and 3, because as I have said an infinite amount of times, while Seasons 2 and 3 as a whole didn't compare to Season 1, their worst episodes were still better than 99.9% of what was on TV. Plus? Two words. Kristen. Bell.
1. LOST: It is simply the most sophisticated, complex, gripping, and intriguing television show I have ever seen. I actually pity the viewers who bailed, because obviously this is not a show for the attention deficit-inclined, and they missed out on seeing how some of those seemingly -- and frustratingly -- random details fit into the complexity that is the LOST mythology. And if that's not enough, the frakking flash-forward in the finale alone was mind-blowing enough to land it at the top of the pile.

There you have it. My choices are actually largely in keeping with the real columnists -- or at least the Big 3 -- with the obvious exception that I don't have Showtime or HBO (nor do I like The Wire or Dexter), find Ugly Betty a bit too campy for my taste (although their general consensus is that UB was off its game this season as well), and can count on one hand (with two fingers left over) the times I've laughed while watching 30 Rock.

I hope this frakking strike ends soon.

Um, I realize I just kind of spoiled last night's House with that title. Sorry 'bout that. But really, if anyone thought a certifiable star like Olivia Wilde was going to get cut in House's Survivor-like storyline this season wasn't really thinking things through.

Anyway, I won't spoil the rest of the outcome, except to say what a frakking fantastic episode. This season has been awesome so far -- if anyone remembers, I stopped watching last season with about six episodes to go because I had about had it with the writing. It was getting monotonous and Chase, Cameron, and Foreman were getting on my everloving nerves. That was pretty much standard fare with Chase and Foreman, but the writers decided to smoke crack while they were writing Cameron because she became nauseatingly unwatchable during the latter part of Season 3.

This season has been fantastic, because in addition to Chase, Cameron, and Foreman being largely in the background, House has gone through a competition wherein he has fired 37 doctors in four months to find his new Ducklings.

Olivia Wilde, who calls herself Thirteen, has been my favorite by far. She keeps everyone at arms' length and won't reveal a thing about herself to anyone, including her name. I will probably call her Thirteen forever, even when her name is revealed. And I'm sure it'll have to be once new episodes return in January, because as a patient or relative of a patient, I'm not sure how confident I'd feel if my doctor introduced herself as "Dr. Thirteen."

Anyway, a lot of people have been (unfairly) comparing her to Cameron. And yes, they do resemble each other, I suppose, but Thirteen is far more like House (and intriguing to House) than Cameron is, in that Cameron is all about feelings and fixing the broken and healing the wounded and Thirteen keeps herself -- and by extension, her emotions -- hidden.

I doubt there are any romantic feelings there, but the stupid romantic in me hopes the writers will at least incorporate some UST in the storylines, even though, um, House is, like, old enough to be her father.

What a fantastic re-imagining of an already fantastic show.

When all else fails and you can't think of an appropriate post title, just use a random-yet-fun line from a Good Charlotte song...

So, I haven't posted here very regularly lately. Originally I was going to wait till next weekend so anyone who wanted to could post scavenger hunt items, but I suppose I've gotten all that I'm going to get. Maybe I'll just shuffle around my filters and post the pictures for only those who commented with suggestions to see.

Anyway, I'm just checking in with some awesome TV tidbits before it's off to watch tonight's delicious episode of Chuck sans commercial interruption. I fraktastically adore this show. It is beyond amazing and Zachary Levi just makes me feel all warm and tingly inside.

1) Gossip Girl has moved to #1 on my TiVo list. Seriously. It might not actually be the best show on TV, but it is the one I absolutely without fail must watch every week and usually watch more than once. Following GG are Pushing Daisies and Chuck. Grey's has dropped to fourth, followed by, in order, Heroes, The Office, House, Bones, Friday Night Lights, Scrubs and Criminal Intent. Everything else I was watching has been punted because it either sucked (Private Practice), didn't hold my attention past the first episode (Journeyman, Women's Murder Club), or I really like but have no time for and will thus catch up on over the summer (How I Met Your Mother, Samantha Who, Dirty Sexy Money).

2) Looks like the Heroes PTB love Kristen Bell as much as those of us with intelligence do -- word on the street is that they are all working to make her a regular instead of giving her just a 13-episode arc.

3) Woohoo! Kal Penn and especially Olivia Wilde are indeed sticking around as two of House's newest ducklings. The third is that balding plastic surgeon guy. I kind of wish it was the Mormon dude House calls Big Love, 'cause I like him. I'm just happy that Cutthroat Bitch (House's nickname, not mine) was canned.

4) This week's Office episode introduces the Dunder Mifflin Utica branch, Karen's back (I loooovvve Rashida Jones), and Joss Whedon directs.

5) Kristin Chenoweth and Ellen Greene singing "Birdhouse in Your Soul" in last week's Pushing Daisies was simply divine. I love this show more and more every week.

6) Matt Roush published my email to him. (Scroll to the bottom -- it's the last one. If you haven't yet caught up on Season 2 of Friday Night Lights and plan to, don't read the included comment from another viewer because not only is she smoking crack and has no idea what good TV is, but it will also spoil you.)

Okay, not that I don't think it's been good. I mean, yes, I fast-forward through the Maya and Alejandro stuff, and the Niki/Micah/random relatives stuff (although Monica's power seems pretty cool), and Mohinder needs to stop whining already, but other than that...

That being said, when I saw Kristen Bell in the previews for next week, I grinned. It is about damn time. And you can already discern that charming little bit of insanity bubbling underneath Elle's surface.

I just caught up on a lot of TV. Way too much to devote much individual blogging time to, so I'm just going to sum everything up in five bullet points or less:

Grey's Anatomy

• For the LOVE. I have gone from general annoyance to downright hatred with regards to Izzie. Seriously -- Cori, I am dispatching you to Seattle Grace immediately to punch her in the neck. I so hope Callie bitch-slaps her next week.
• Kudos to Bailey and Meredith for finally -- if reluctantly -- reaching out to Callie and Lexie, and George? So glad you finally found the balls to tell Izzie to back the hell off.
• Cristina's manipulation game? So. Awesome. I died laughing when she told Alex he needed to go find his own pretend emotion.
• Mr. Gilmore's an intern! Who knew?

Pushing Daisies

• This show gets more adorable by the week. I, er, adore it, because apparently I am not creative enough to come up with a more unique verb.
• I rewound Kristin Chenoweth rocking "Hopelessly Devoted to You" three times.
• I would so make out with Lee Pace through a transparent plastic bag, and install a dishwashing glove in my car so I could hold his hand.
• I had no idea when Chi McBride was glowering through the halls of Boston Public and Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital that he had a really great sense of comic timing.

Chuck

• I, uh, don't think there's any doubt as to why the cast has taken to calling the actress who plays Sara Yvonne Strahotski. I need a copy of her fitness plan.
• I absolutely love Zachary Levi. And hello? At the end, when he's in that rather bicep-defining ringer t-shirt? I kind of forgot that he's supposed to be this lovable geek type. To quote Cori, Raar.
• I totally want to learn to do the tango now.

Gossip Girl

• I finally feel a bit of sympathy for Blair -- her mother is Satan. Ugh.
• The writers -- and Blake Lively/Leighton Meester -- have done a great job, particularly in this episode, at portraying the extreme differences between Serena and Blair, which basically highlight the many reasons Blair's so jealous of her best friend.
• That scene on the roof, where Serena goes to kiss Dan on the cheek and give him a little hug and he backs up because he's unsure of how to respond may have been really subtle, but it was spot-on. I'm SO glad the writers didn't duplicate the book version of Dan. Ugh.

House

• I need to reiterate how awesome Olivia Wilde is. I am totally rooting for Thirteen to make the cut as one of House's three new fellows, because she brings an interesting dynamic to PPTH -- she can go toe-to-toe with House, but she's still vulnerable. Kind of like Season 2 Cameron.
• Speaking of, where IS Season 2 Cameron? 'Cause this new Cameron is boring me. As are Chase and Foreman.
• What a really intriguing twist of the usual Mystery of the Week -- they had the diagnosis from the beginning, but because Thirteen didn't realize the patient hadn't ingested the required pills, they couldn't figure out what was wrong with him before he died. Really interesting. And really well-played, especially the scene at the end between Hugh Laurie and Olivia Wilde.

Bones

• Um, pony play? Really? Gross. And yes, Oprah, I'm judging. Deal with it.

The Office

• OMG I can't wait until the hour-long episodes go away. Michael and Dwight are only good in small doses.
• Jim and Pam are still adorable.
• Was Ryan always this annoying?

Heroes

• The show seems to be starting out a bit over-ambitiously. Too many characters, not enough development.
• Claire is going to get her dad killed.
• I still am very distrustful of West, and that was true even before the eighth painting was revealed.

The Hills

• Heidi and Spencer are stupid, although I suppose they can't exactly confess on national television.
• I don't get how someone could spend $2500 on a purse. This is not a jealous statement. It's one comprised purely of bafflement.

Dirty Sexy Money

• Hilarious.
• I'm adding Peter Krause to The List. He's total acronym material.

Samantha, Who?

• Hilarious.

Other TV tidbits

• I've cut Journeyman and Women's Murder Club loose, and I've decided to catch up on the new season of How I Met Your Mother over the summer. Mondays are too crowded, especially now that Samantha, Who? has started.
• So I'm left with 12 shows (well, 11, really, since The Hills will end in a few weeks) to keep track of 'till The Return of Jezebel James, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and LOST start midseason.

Welcome to my first weekly recap. I have no idea what type of format I'm going to go with, which is pretty typical with me, so as usual, there will just be a lot of stream-of-consciousness-type babbling.

So without further adieu... (what does that expression literally mean, anyway? I mean, how does 'without further goodbye' make any sense?)

Mondays:
Chuck and Heroes: already raved about them here.

How I Met Your Mother: I have to say, I'm very glad that this is a show that lends itself to jumping back in after skipping a whole season. This is a funny, funny comedy. You'd think that "funny comedy" would be redundant, but sadly, no. Not when you've got series like According to Jim and King of Queens and that awful David Spade sitcom that keep getting renewed year after year. Anyway, Neil Patrick Harris is a comedic genius, and I have a crush on Josh Radnor's Ted and Jason Segel's Marshall. Also? It goes without saying that I'm a ginormous Alyson Hannigan fan. I thought I'd be sad that Ted and Robin broke up, because I thought they were so cute, and after all, Season 1 was all about Ted's undying love and Robin finally realizing she wanted to be with him, too, etc, etc, etc, and blue French horns. They've done a good job at hinting at Ted's wife and how she's out there with her yellow umbrella and it's only a matter of time before they cross paths. Guest stars Mandy Moore and Enrique Inglesias were hilarious, and I died laughing when poor drunk Ted ends up with a tramp stamp.

Journeyman: It was different, and a little slow-moving at first, but by the end, I really liked it. Kevin McKidd is engaging as Dan, and I'm interested in seeing more. I liked the twist the writers threw at us. All along I thought that the reason he kept going back in time was to save the businessman but it turns out he's actually supposed to save the man's son. His first trip back, he saves the man from killing himself, so he can, er, create the boy; the second time, he has a heart-to-heart with the man's girlfriend after she's found out she's pregnant and prevents her from aborting the boy; and the third time is where the twist comes in -- he stops the man from killing his wife and son because, as Dan finds out, the boy grows up and ends up becoming a hero and pulling a number of people from a fire. Pretty cool. Sadly, of the new shows I'm watching, this is probably the weakest, but I like it, I think it fits in well with NBC's Monday hero lineup, and I'll keep watching.

Tuesdays:
Bones: "The Widow's Son in the Windshield" started Season 3 off with a bang. As I mentioned in a post earlier this week, I'd forgotten just how much I missed this show. I suspect that people dismiss this as simply another criminal procedural, but it is so much more than that. The chemistry between David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel is palpable, and the entire cast as a whole gels really well. I especially like Michaela Conlin, and TJ Thyne is so cute. (I am so glad he cut off the 'fro, though.) In the premiere, Booth and Bones get pulled into an odd ritualistic murder that turns out to be part of a centuries-old cannibalistic cult. They are very awkward around one another at first and Bones finds excuses to remain in the lab, mainly because when Angela and Hodgins abandoned their own wedding in the finale, they left Booth and Brennan standing at the altar, and Brennan found herself face-to-face with the very real feelings she has for Booth and vice-versa. By the end, however, they were back to their bantering, sexual tension-imbued awesomeness, although they were unable to find the true serial killer...which will continue throughout the season. I love a good season-long mystery.

House: I skipped the last six episodes of the season last year because I was a bit fed up with some of the character arcs -- namely, Cameron's. She was my favorite character besides House, and for a long time, the writers were doing an excellent job at exploring Cameron's insecurities and her growing steadily more confident, and her love for her boss. And then, somewhere in Season 3, she just...stopped being Cameron. She was annoying. I got bored, so I stopped watching. But I am so glad I watched the season premiere. I read the story the Mystery of the Week was based on in People last summer and I cried. It was so tragic. I really liked how the writers brought it into the Princeton-Plainsboro universe, although it wasn't any less tragic. House is alone for the entire episode and you can tell it bothers him, but, being House, he refuses to admit that he misses Cameron, Chase, and Foreman and that he needs a team. What Wilson said was right -- House became attached to them and was hurt when they left, and so he doesn't want to risk forming any more attachments. (I understand the feeling.) Anyway, I'm actually looking forward to this season, and I set a Season Pass when before it was just on a week-to-week status. Frak, I love Hugh Laurie.

Law and Order: SVU: I don't normally watch many first-run procedurals since they rerun on USA and TNT all the time (and all summer long), but I wanted to check out the premiere because I'd heard good things about Cynthia Nixon's guest-starring role. She was amazing. It was like my favorite Mary Higgins Clark book, All Around the Town, meets Primal Fear. Nixon played a woman with Dissociative Identity Disorder and she rocked five separate personalities. She should definitely get at least considered for a guest-starring Emmy next year.

Wednesdays:
I wrote about Gossip Girl and how much I disliked Private Practice here.

Thursdays:
I wrote about Grey's Anatomy here.

The Office: I grinned when Kevin called Pam and Jim PB&J. In fact, I don't think that grin left my face for a second during the entire hour-long premiere. Finally the Pam I knew and loved from Seasons 1 and 2 is back. She and Jim are so adorable together. What an awesome hour of television -- from Meredith getting hit by Michael's car (and having more lines in one episode than I think she had in the past three seasons put together) to Michael obsessing over a disease that's already been cured and establishing a Fun Run to Dwight putting Angela's cat in the freezer...kudos to Greg Daniels and his writing team for a triumphant return of the funniest show on TV.

Fridays:
Moonlight: I don't have anything on the schedule till Women's Murder Club starts but I thought, just for kicks, I'd check out Moonlight since Jason Dohring is in it and I loved him in Veronica Mars. Um, yeah. For one thing, Dohring plays his new character like the undead version of Logan, complete with manic hand gestures and facial tics. I watched about 15 minutes before I turned it off. It was painfully awful.

Best show of the week: A really tough decision, but I'd have to go with The Office.
Banned from my TiVo: Private Practice
Newcomers to watch: Chuck's Zachary Levi; Gossip Girl's Blake Lively
Quote of the week: "I wouldn't let you take care of the magical kids I make up to score with single moms." -- Barney to Amy (Mandy Moore), How I Met Your Mother

It's September 1. Know what that means? And no, I'm not talking about anything to do with Labor Day or back to school or the fact that fall and crisp, cool weather's right around the corner -- here in good ol' Texas, I'll be wearing capris and flip-flops till, oh, about December.

Nope.

I'm talking about the start of the new TV season. Woo-hoo. Though the bulk of it doesn't start till September 24, a few shows kick off in less than three weeks.

So I thought I'd run down the list of what's on my TiVo list, what's on a week-to-week trial basis, and what's on the bubble. I thought about listing all the new shows and a brief description, but that's...a lot of research, and Saturday or no Saturday, I'm too lazy. Get your EW fall preview issues when they come out.

All times Central Standard Time.

Season Pass worthy:
The new:
Chuck (Mondays, NBC, 7 p.m., September 24):  A one-hour, action-comedy series about Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi, Less Than Perfect), a computer geek who is catapulted into a new career as the government's most vital secret agent when he unwittingly opens an email subliminally coded with government secrets and downloads the entire server into his brain.

Also starring Adam Baldwin, Yvonne Strahovski, Joshua Gomez, and Sarah Lancaster; from executive producer Josh Schwartz (The OC, Gossip Girl). I've seen the pilot and it is laugh-out-loud funny and packed full of cool car chases and fights with assassins. Think Season 1 Seth Cohen all grown up and working for the Geek Squad-esque Nerd Herd.

Samantha, Who? (Mondays, ABC, 8:30 p.m., October 15): Christina Applegate stars as Samantha Newly, who wakes up after an eight-day coma with retrograde amnesia. It turns out to be a blessing in disguise, because it gives her a chance at a do-over. She realizes she was a horrible -- vicious, selfish, and surrounded by more enemies than friends. She vows to to make better choices and to improve herself moving forward.

Also starring Jennifer Esposito, Kevin Dunn, Melissa McCarthy (Sookie!), Tim Russ, Barry Watson, and Jean Smart. The pilot's not floating around anywhere, but the critics are all giving it great reviews. I'm looking forward to adding another comedy to The Office and Scrubs, because let's face it, truly good comedies are scarce. (I miss Arrested Development. Sob.)

Pushing Daisies (Wednesdays, ABC, 7 p.m., October 3): Lee Pace (Wonderfalls) stars as Ned in a show that's equal parts love story, criminal procedure, and high-concept fantasy. Ned is a pie-baking young man with a very special gift… the ability to return dead people briefly back to life with just a simple touch -- enabling him to help a P.I. crack murder cases by asking victims to name their killers. The twist? If he touches them again, they'll die for good, and if those he brings to life stay alive too long, someone else will die. It's a modern fairytale filled with romance, mystery, and a touch of magic.

Also starring Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Kristin Chenoweth, Swoosie Kurtz, and Ellen Greene. I LOVED the pilot. I absolutely cannot wait to see more. If you don't add it to your must-see-TV list, you'll regret it. And also? Cori will punch you in the neck.

LOST (Wednesdays, ABC, 8 p.m., Mid-season): I think that time slot is correct, anyway. I've heard people weren't happy with the 9 p.m. slot, which I don't get, but whatevs. I suppose they'll bump Private Practice to 9 p.m. and put LOST after Pushing Daisies.

As with Grey's Anatomy, you just have to click on my LOST tag to find that I get...quite prolific about this show. If it's not your thing, that's cool. Just please don't let us know. You might get jumped on. We are quite the LOST-devoted bunch around here.

The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX, Mid-season): I've talked enough about this one. Humanizes Sarah Connor and her son, John, from the Terminator franchise and tells the story of what happens when Sarah stops running and goes on the offensive against the ever-evolving technological enemy bent on killing her son and destroying her life -- and perhaps the world.

Starring Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, and Richard T. Jones. I saw the pilot and it is spectacular. I can't wait till mid-season.

The returning:
Heroes (Mondays, NBC, 8 p.m., September 24): If you haven't been watching Heroes, seriously -- what are you waiting for? The DVDs dropped on Tuesday and you have plenty of time to catch up. After LOST, it was the best show not starring Kristen Bell on TV last season. And guess what? This season it WILL star Kristen Bell. It's a win-freaking-win situation.

If you don't watch it, I'm sure we could convince Cori to throw down on this one as well.

Bones (Tuesdays, FOX, 7 p.m., September 25): This show takes the average crime procedural and infuses it with massive doses of humor, sarcasm, sexual tension, and some romantic sparkage. When it premiered two years ago, I never thought I'd like it as much as I do, but with the third season upon us, it is most definitely Season Pass worthy. I also never thought I'd watch David Boreanaz in anything on TV ever again. Who knew the guy had such natural comic timing? He and Emily Deschanel ooze chemistry, and the supporting cast is delightful.

Grey's Anatomy (Thursdays, ABC, 8 p.m., September 27): If you hit my Grey's Anatomy tag, you'll realize just how much I've written about this show. I don't think there's really any need to add to it. It's in my top-5 shows and I never miss a week. With a stellar ensemble cast, spot-on character development, and some of the best writing ever in television, Desperate Housewives it most certainly is not.

**The Office (Thursdays, NBC, 8 p.m., September 27): I've missed laughing so hard I hurt myself. I just hope the writers correct the characterization of Pam this season, because while I adored her in Seasons 1 and 2, last season, she was...off, and therefore not really all that sympathetic.

Then again, this show could absolutely suck, and I'd keep watching. Want to know why? I'll give you a hint -- it starts with 'John' and ends with 'Krasinski.'

**Scrubs (Thursdays, NBC, 8:30 p.m., October 25): I have to say, I thought the show was off last season. It was almost as if it were trying too hard. That being said, this is its last season, and I wouldn't not watch. Plus, Keri Russell is set to reprise her guest-starring role as Elliot's sorority sister, and she was fantastic.

Scrubs is in the same category as The Office and Arrested Development -- only the coolest a select few really get and appreciate its humor.

**Supernatural (Thursdays, CW, 8 p.m., October 4): I used to make fun of myself for watching, but I have to say, it's pretty addictive. And dude. When did Jared Padalecki go from boy-next-door to holy-crap-hot? Seriously. He has gone from cute to drool-worthy. I'm sure my sister is still kicking herself for not going after him when she had the chance. Sometimes I feel like kicking her myself.

**While The Office and Scrubs are definitely Season Pass-worthy, I'm going to watch them live while I TiVo Grey's and Supernatural. The former, I choose to TiVo because I tend to re-watch, and the latter, for Kevin and Mia. They go to bed at 8, so I save the episodes for when I have them after school. Thanks to the fact I was never able to get my TiVo to read my digital cable box, I can TiVo two different shows at once and watch a third live on the digital box.

Week-to-week (until they prove SP-worthy. Or not.):
Journeyman (Mondays, NBC, 9 p.m., September 24): Completes what could very well be an NBC trifecta on Monday nights. Journeyman stars Kevin McKidd (Rome), as Dan Vasser, a San Francisco newspaper reporter who inexplicably begins to travel through time and change people's lives. Along the way, he must deal with the difficulties and stress at work and at home brought on by his sudden disappearances.

This show is getting favorable buzz and the premise is intriguing. It kind of reminds me a bit of the BBC series Life on Mars -- just not as cop/procedural-based.

Gossip Girl (Wednesdays, CW, 8 p.m., September 19): I JUST wrote about it. The more promos I see, the more excited I get about this show. Let's hope the CW doesn't screw it up, and that Josh, with his attention divided between it and Chuck, doesn't lose focus.

Starring Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Kelly Rutherford, Penn Badgley, Taylor Momsen, Chace Crawford, Matthew Settle, and Ed Westwick.

Private Practice (Wednesdays, ABC, 8 p.m., September 26): I have bumped this Grey's Anatomy spin-off centering on Dr. Addison Montgomery from automatic Season Pass to week-to-week because I am just not as excited about it as I was when it was announced. I have a feeling this is going to be more DH than Grey's, and there's a reason I stopped watching DH midway through its inaugural season -- it had absolutely no substance. But because it is Shonda, I'm going to give it my usual three-episode chance to see if I change my mind.

Women's Murder Club (Fridays, ABC, 8 p.m., October 12): The show is based on James Patterson's novels (First to Die, etc.) about a group of women who, through their jobs (DA, crime reporter, medical examiner, and detective) get thrust into solving mysteries and all that comes along with it.

Starring Angie Harmon, Paula Newsome, Aubrey Dollar, Tyrees Allen, Laura Harris, and Rob Benedict. There are two reasons I'm checking this out -- I loved Angie Harmon in Law and Order, and I've read the books and liked them a lot. Plus, the feedback has been pretty favorable.

The Return of Jezebel James (FOX, Mid-season): Parker Posey and Lauren Ambrose play two couldn't-be-less-alike sisters in Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman Palladino's new series, premiering at mid-season. Posey is Sarah, a type-A, bright, optimistic and successful children's book editor who has never failed at anything in her life. But she realizes that something in her life is missing, so she decides to have a baby, only to be told she won't be able to get pregnant. She devises a plan to have her quirky, estranged younger sister (Ambrose) to carry the child for her. At first Coco refuses, but when she finds out that Sarah has turned Coco's imaginary friend from childhood, Jezebel James, into a children's book series, she's touched and decides maybe reconciliation might be worth a shot.

The fact that it's Amy Sherman-Palladino puts this on the week-to-week list for sure, and I love Parker Posey. It's getting good reviews, and I wouldn't be surprised if The Return of Jezebel James gets promoted to a Season Pass.

That about does it. I'm sure I'll get sucked into American Idol, like I do every year, even though, every year I tell myself I am NOT going to watch. You may have noticed that Prison Break is no longer on my list. Well, that's because I just found out that according to one of my favorite people ever, Kristin Veitch, Sarah Wayne Callies isn't returning except for in a few flashbacks. I'm sorry, Wentworth Miller or no, I just didn't think the show was as compelling when Dr. Sara wasn't in the mix with Michael. I haven't made up my mind about House yet, either. I just was kind of disappointed in the latter half of last season, and I'm not all that excited to tune into Season 4. (Oh, who am I kidding? It's Hugh Laurie. He could be speaking Pig Latin and I'd watch.)

I am still attached to my procedurals, like CSI, Without a Trace, Cold Case, SVU, etc., but since those shows are their respective networks' money-makers, they're forever on in reruns, so I'll catch them over the summer.