Fall TV's New Shows - Snap Judgements

It's now October, which sadly means that summer is over. But the best part of fall is that all, well most, of my favourite shows are back on TV! And a whole crop of new shows have also debuted, here are my thoughts on the ones I've seen so far...

Ringer (The CW)– This is my favourite of the new season shows. I was really nervous watching the first episode of Ringer, it’s Sarah Michelle Gellar, one of my heroes! Luckily I was NOT disappointed, it’s intriguing, dramatic and suspenseful . I’ve seen the first two eps and can’t wait to see what happens next.

Revenge (ABC) – LOVED! Soapy goodness with beautiful people in the Hamptons . Not sure of how it will work long term though? But right now I'm just enjoying it.

2 Broke Girls (CBS) – I thought this was okay. I laughed a few times, but it’s not good enough to watch every week though.

The New Girl (Fox) – I didn’t love The New Girl like the rest of America . I found Zooey’s character a little annoying to be honest. But as the first show to get a full season pickup, it will be around for a while.

Pan Am (ABC) – I really liked Pan Am, it was also soapy goodness. Total ABC show, a little soapy, targeted at women and has lots of back stories. I approve!

Up All Night (NBC) – This was quite funny, although for me some parts of it were a bit too much. I'll watch a little more of it though.

Hart of Dixie (The CW) - Fish out of water dramedy starring Rachel Bilson as a Manhattan based doctor who moves to a small town in Alabama. Charming and funny, this is another one of my faves.

Suburgatory (ABC) - Very funny sitcom about a city Dad and his daughter who move to the suburbs. Will definitely continue watcing.

Fall TV 2010 - Any New Hits?

I have been totally underwhelmed by the lineup of new fall shows this season. And I thought maybe it was just me, until I read this story by one of my favourite TV critics, Ken Tucker, on my favourite website EW.com

Infact most of the new season shows I haven't even been compelled to watch. Here's my take on what I have seen...

My favourite new season show by far is the CW's Hellcats. It's set in college and is about cheerleading and it may be cheesy but it is also awesome. It's centered around pre-law student Marti, who used to be a gymnast and tries out for the 'Hellcats' when she loses her scholarship, she makes the team and gains a cheerleading scholarship. The Hellcats are in danger of losing their funding so must work together to stay on top. In typical CW fashion there's lots of hookups, melt downs and drama.

I loved and lost Lone Star, about a con man living a double life and trying to go straight. I thought it was filled with many things that make a great show - deception, mystery, drama and hot people. But it only lasted two episodes on Fox, despite being the critical favourite of the season. RIP Lone Star.

I enjoyed the pilot of Hawaii 5 O on CBS, although it's not appointment viewing for me. On my new HD TV Hawaii looks lush and beautiful and that definitely adds to the show. It seems like another cop show though and it's not nearly as good as Castle or the CSI's. I think I'd go back to CSI over getting invested in Hawaii 5 O, but I'll watch a few more episodes before I decide.

I really wanted to love Fox's Running Wilde. It stars the awesome Keri Russell and Will Arnett and the creator is Mitch Hurwitz, the genius behind one of my all-time favourites Arrested Development. And Keri Russell's daughter, Stefania Owen, is from New Zealand! But the pilot, about a spoiled rich man trying to win over a down to earth humanitarian woman, didn't win me over. I'm hoping it can get better as the season progresses... and that Fox will give it a chance.

I also excited about ABC's Better With You, starring JoAnna Garcia from the cancelled too soon and under-appreciated show Privilaged. Trust me, it was fantastic. Better With You however is not. It's a sitcom about three related couples in different stages of their relationship - a newly engaged couple, a practically married couple and a married for decades couple. It's a traditional sitcom, but I found myself squirming a bit too much and not laughing enough. I'm hoping it can find it's way though as their cast is great.

Three shows have been cancelled already, less than a month into the new season, and only one show has received a full season pick up. That show is Fox's Raising Hope, about a 25 year old man raising his infant son with his loopy family. There are a couple of mid season shows I'm looking forward to - ABC's Mr Sunshine starring Matthew Perry and Love Bites on NBC. And if they both fail I'll always have American Idol.

Why The Good Wife is Awesome

The Good Wife is one of the best dramas on TV right now, it's intriguing, compelling, has interesting story lines and fantastic acting. I got on board with the show about half way through the first season after my friend Nat told me how awesome it was. And when I found out Gilmore Girls' Matt Czuchry was in it I was sold. In season two former Chicago states attorney Peter Florick (Chris Noth) is out of jail after a sex scandal and running for re election. His wife Alicia Florick (the suberb Julianna Marguiles), the real heart of the show, is still working as a lawyer at Lockhart & Gardner and is not sure where she stands with her relationship with her husband. I also love Will Gardner (Josh Charles), Alicia's boss and potential love interest. They've almost gotten together several times but the timing has always been wrong. I'm hoping one day soon it will be right! And although young hot shot lawyer Cary (Matt Czuchry) was let go of Lockhart & Gardner in the first season, he's now working for Peter's competitor, current state's attorney Glenn Childs. Although there are ongoing story lines, each episode has a new case that Alicia's working on and which is usually solved by the end of the episode. I'll be watching.

The Good Wife is on Tuesdays at 10pm on CBS.

CSI - A TV Classic

Truth be told I have not watched a new episode of CSI in years, since I moved to LA in 2006. When I lived in New Zealand it was one of the few shows that my Dad, sister and I could agree on watching. I loved CSI for many years though and it happened to be a casualty on my TV schedule as there is so much good television on and although I've tried I can't watch it all. But when I heard that this season (the shows eleventh, yes eleventh!) will probably be Marg Helgenberger's last, a wave of sadness rushed over me. Helgenberger's single mum Catherine Willow's was always my favourite character, she'd had a rough past and got her life together to be a successful forensic scientist and crime scene investigator. And although other characters such as Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) and Gil Grissom (William Peterson) have left, CSI without Catherine just doesn't seem like CSI to me. But whatever happens as long as the ratings are good the show will go on! And I'm sure one day I'll catch up on the last few seasons of CSI and watch Catherine Willows kick butt!

Catch new episodes of CSI on Thursdays at 9pm on CBS and reruns on Spike. Or check out www.cbs.com