The Season So Far

Well, it's been a while. The new season is in full swing and there is so much TV to be viewed that I don't have time to write about it. I have 10 shows on my PVR on a Thursday night alone. I was on holiday for a week and there were 44 shows to be caught up on when I got back. And with a full-time job eating into my viewing time, most of them are still sitting there, calling to me like abandoned puppies. Of course that level cannot be sustained and network execs will make the list shorter for me in the coming weeks. But I've had to chop a few titles from my repertoire and I had to be merciless.

First for the axe was Brothers & Sisters. I surprised myself by sticking with this show last year. Calista Flockhart bugs me, the family unit was unbelievable, ("Oh, you are my husband's secret illegitimate daughter. You must live in our modest mansion and bring your self-righteous floozy of a mother with you"), but there was something comfortably soapy about it. I lasted 15 minutes into sophomore premiere and hit delete. An openly gay priest? A compassionate Republican presidential candidate? I have other fantasy shows to watch. I forgot to program Reaper and Cane. I'm not hugely upset by that. The Tudors also dropped off my radar.

There are a few on life support. Bionic Woman is clinging on, but as I suspected, Katie Sackoff is the only reason to keep watching. Life has failed to live up to the expectations I had after viewing the pilot. The crime of the week is boring and there is not enough focus on the main characters or that all-important arc. I'm hopeful but not expectant that it will improve. I feel exactly the same way about Dirty Sexy Money. The pilot I saw was different to the one that aired. The sinister Donald Sutherland character has been made more sympathetic and far less fun. I fear it's turning into Brother & Sisters:New York. Big Shots continues to amaze me with its banality, but Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas is now on board. I'll give it a few more weeks to see if he can turn things around. I have yet to catch up with Private Practice, Chuck and Journeyman. I am only one person after all

The only new show that has not disappointed is Pushing Daisies. It's an absurd, charming delight. Everything from the sets and costumes to the surprise musical number is refreshing. I love it and, thankfully, it's been picked up for the year. My only concern is that, being the cynical TV viewers that we are, audiences will become immune to its charms and crave an explosion or a sex scandal.

Please let me know what you think of these or any other shows by adding to the comments section below this post or the individual show posts. I'd love to know what you think.