Grading the New Fall Shows

Lots of new shows this year and surprisingly most of them are actually good! Better yet people are actually watching them meaning, most of them have already gotten full season pick-ups. Here are my general thoughts on the new shows I've seen at least one episode of:

Accidentally on Purpose - I am not a fan of Jenna Elfman and I pretty much started watching this because it's on right after HIMYM. But the cast is likable enough and it's not THAT bad. It's definitely not on par with sitcoms I watch now like Big Bang Theory or the aforementioned HIMYM, but good enough for me to keep watching. B-

NCIS: Los Angeles - I have this friend who LOVES NCIS so I pretty much checked this show out to appease her. I only ended up seeing the first episode and even though I thought it was a solid show, I just realized I'm more than okay not getting into it so I stopped watching. N/A

Melrose Place - Not sure why I was compelled to see this. But I did and I didn't really like what I saw. Some of the cast were likable enough, but the dialogue was excruciating. Still I saw about 45 minutes of an episode vs. the 15 minutes of 90210 I saw last season. D

The Good Wife - The good reviews online made me check out this lawyer show even though I told myself I wasn't going to go there. But I'm quite glad I did, because the journey of Julianna Marguiles' character is really quite compelling and you are just really rooting for her. B+

Modern Family - Other than Glee, was there any other show that had so much hype before it aired? In any case, this show lived up to the hype and then some. It seems as if every episode is stronger than the next and the cast... the cast is perfection, every single one of them. A

Cougar Town - Like Accidentally on Purpose, I started watching it because it was on after another show I watch (Modern Family). Unlike with Jenna Elfman, I *love* Courtney Cox so it was easy for me to get hooked on the show. Again not on par with other comedy shows I watch, but pretty damn funny at times. B

Eastwick - This show SO would be right up my alley as a guilty pleasure except this show is a stinker. I managed to see three episodes, but the female characters are so one dimensional, it hurt watching them on screen pout and whine. The Halliwell sisters would've kicked their ass. C

The Beautiful Life - Remember that CW show that got cancelled after two episodes? Neither do I. But seriously, I saw the first episode and didn't feel compelled to watch a second episode especially since it was on Thursdays. N/A

Glee - How do you explain what's so good about this show? How about how it's just so different from anything out right now? Yes, the plot and its heavy use for autotune are its most jarring weaknesses, but the strength more than make up for them. Love most of the songs and the cast are a delight. Oh and give Jane Lynch an Emmy now! A-

FlashForward - Here's the thing about this show. It's good. In fact it's really good, but I don't feel passionate about it. I remember when Lost premiered I just ate it all up and I *still* do. Would I feel the same way about this show after four seasons (hell, after this season)? Still the mystery continues to intrigue me and the cast is worth it. B+

Community - Love Joel McHale and really enjoyed all the promos for this show which is why I watched it. The show is still pretty damn awkward, but it does provide moments of absolute hilarity. The character of Abed is a standout. I think they need to find their footing. B-

The Cleveland Show - Oh Seth McFarlane. Was this show REALLY necessary? I mean I enjoy Family Guy from time to time (okay most of the time), but I don't watch American Dad. This show is very much made in that same vein so it all feels a bit passe. C

Stargate Universe - It's hard for me NOT to compare it with either Battlestar Galactica or the previous installations of Stargate. When I do that, it falls short. By itself, it's not too bad, but it has a long ways to go. My biggest problem though is the general joylessness exhibited by every character with one exception, the Eli character. B-

The Jay Leno Show - I refuse to watch He Who Is Ruining Television. I still think this is the worst thing to happen to television since MTV stopped playing music videos and started airing reality crap. F

Still Looking Forward To: ABC's remake of V starring Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost), Scott Wolf (Party of Five), Joel Grethsch (The 4400), and Morena Baccarin (Firefly). It will premiere on November 3rd and will run for four weeks and then take an extended break until Spring 2010.