Fall TV

The new season of television programs has begun. Every magazine and newspaper for weeks has featured its own take on what's hot to watch and what's not. Well, I myself am a student of popular culture and have enjoyed a television program or two in my day. Perhaps it's time I weighed in on the issue of what's worth watching among all the new programs vying for our attention on television. After all, we're all busy enough not to devote too much time to the boob tube, aren't we? Everything in moderation.

(Except reading. Read voraciously!)

ABC
Invasion -- I recorded the first episode but haven't watched it yet. It followed Lost and kept most of Lost's viewers on its season premiere; that's a good sign.
Night Stalker -- I have heard very good things about how scary this one is. It premieres next week, so I may have to try it out.

FOX
Kitchen Confidential -- My judgment: "Meh." (Hey, that's better than its outright negative alternative: "Feh!") It was okay with some likeable actors, but it wasn't outstanding, and my time is too valuable to commit to a series that only might be good.
Prison Break -- Ditto Kitchen Confidential's "meh." It has the potential to be engaging in a way similar to 24, but it's not as intense as 24 and, again, I must parcel out my weekly TV commitments.

NBC
My Name Is Earl -- I recorded the first episode but haven't watched it yet. It has gotten good buzz and got excellent ratings, so I may be happy with what I see.
The Apprentice: Martha Stewart -- I watched the first episode just to sample. I don't watch Donad Trump's Apprentice, so I couldn't really compare the two. Also, I don't plan to add this one to my viewing schedule; I just wanted to see how Martha handled it and what her catchphrase is (instead of Trump's "You're fired," it's, "You just don't fit in"). Martha seemed friendly but firm in the first episode, but still, it's likely to be the only episode I ever see.
Three Wishes -- I tried to record the first episode, but I failed as a VCR programmer and got only the first few minutes. Eh bien. I still want to see at least one episode. I'm sure it will be a tear fest, and that's sure to be cathartic if nothing else. Note to self: watch while alone in own house so as not to humiliate self around friends.

UPN
Everybody Hates Chris -- Recorded; haven't seen it; heard great things about it; got good ratings; more to tell in the future.

WB
Supernatural -- Like Night Stalker, this show was reputed to be v-e-r-y scary. Well, at the most, it was "v-e-r-y" without the hyphens. It has an okay premise, but unless they reduce the amount of exposition and increase the amount of unanswered questions about the characters themselves, there will be no reason to tune in from week to week. One could just catch an episode here and there and never feel like one has missed out on much in between.

Now, mind you, this doesn't account for the television shows I'm already committed to. And, as you can see, although I've sampled some new TV, I'm not adding much to my roster. Time is too precious. I'm definitely not an anti-TV snob, but I am a pro-quality TV snob, I guess. Your opinion of what "quality TV" is might be different from mine, of course, but you have the right to be wrong.

(Disagree with me on anything above? Share a comment!)