(12/22 – 12/29)

Yikes. That was not what you would call a good week of television. As usual, the holiday tossed the broadcast schedule into disarray, and new scripted programming was mighty hard to find. The only thing that passed for regular programming was the CBS Sunday night. Elsewhere, it was a mish-mash collection of movies, reality, and game shows. The interesting bit of that is found in the numbers. In some cases it looks like the networks would be better off going with repeats, as opposed to cheap, albeit original, filler programming.

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(12/7 – 12/13)

I work with a guy that has the barest of the bare bones cable packages. Thirteen channels. It amounts to the networks, Discovery, PBS, and shopping. It was a tough week of television for him. There were a lot of repeats. The CW only managed 3½ hours of original programming for the week, for example. Add in a host of Christmas specials and the pickings were a little thin. Taking advantage of all of that, CBS had great numbers for the introduction of Laurence Fishburne on CSI. Some of the other shows that did manage to air originals were not so lucky.

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I am still mad that NBC has canceled the Christian Slater vehicle My Own Worst Enemy. Any time I like a new show, it seems, it gets canceled before it ever has a chance. Some examples include: Daybreak, Journeyman, Moonlight, and The New Amsterdam. I refuse to believe that I am some kind of a bad luck charm, but Tim Roth in the upcoming FOX show Lie to Me? Better watch your back.

Even though I have been a Christian Slater fan since he and I were both teenagers, Slater is not the only reason I am angry about the cancellation of Enemy. Mike O’Malley is the best-kept secret on that show. O’Malley plays the dual role of the happy, dumb-looking Tom Grady and the cold-blooded Raymond Carter.

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CBS

(Ratings Clack 11/9 – 11/15)

That post title really sums up the season so far where NBC and CBS are concerned. It’s looking more and more like NBC just can’t get anything right. The successes they do manage to find are either short lived, or modest at best. And over at CBS, they continue to just chug right along with their collection of procedurals, knocking down viewer wins like clockwork.

Unfortunately, for NBC, there isn’t really anything on the horizon that looks to change its fortunes. Halfway through November, we can probably call this season as a bust. They are the Washington Huskies of network television, which would make Ben Silverman the Tyrone Willingham. That comparison should offer TPTB at peacock HQ a clue as to what their next best move is.

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Good comments once again don’t go unnoticed. Brookie Crawford, a frequent commenter (using the pseudo name ‘vacelts’), divides her time between her children and her love for good TV.  She writes reviews for Napping at Redlights and Newsvine. We asked her if she’d like to contribute something this week and she was nice enough to respond. Here’s Brookie’s report on the best shows so far this fall.

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It’s hard to believe that it’s already November and that we are two months into the fall TV season.  Sweeps will be starting soon and it’s time to see how this fall’s new shows measured up.

I have to admit that overall – with a few exceptions – it’s not been a very impressive freshman crop.  I’m guessing it’s a result of last season’s writers strike and can only hope that we can expect better in the future.

Without further ado, here’s my report card for this season’s new shows:

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ABC

Everyone’s got their own ideas of who’s sexy, who’s ugly, who’s funny and who’s scary on television. One thing that most people can agree on is what makes someone a complete douchebag. Jay already gave a good list of some real TV personalities who deserve a punch in the face. I don’t think I need to go into the qualifications here, but here are a few fictional people who deserve a handy reminder to lighten the fuck up.

Martin Posner (Eli Stone)
Wait, a lawyer as a douchebag? Naw! Posner hasn’t been on Eli Stone for very long, but anytime he graces the television screen, I wish Eli would have one of his visions that reveals Posner will be run over by a streetcar, and he doesn’t warn him. “Taking a walk to the courthouse, Mr. Posner? Uh … enjoy the weather, sir!”

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NBC

(Season 1, Episode 3)

What I like most about My Own Worst Enemy is the inner battle between Henry and Edward. The family life scenes and the missions are only a means to an end to put Henry/Edward in unfamiliar settings and situations that can create conflict. “Hello, Henry” offered just that: conflict between for the lead characters and that’s why I enjoyed the third installment of the new NBC show.

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