Each fall, I try to evaluate the ads for new TV shows and make a decision as to which ones might be worth adding to our already-crowded DVR schedule. Last year, I made the fantastic decision to add The Big Bang Theory and Chuck, both of which have turned out to be really funny shows, worthy of space on my DVR (although Chuck is usually watched on Hulu instead).

This year, I didn’t see very much to get excited about. There was Gary, Unmarried - a sitcom starring Jay Mohr which I’ve not been inspired to watch and Kath & Kim, an NBC remake of an ultra-popular Australian sitcom starring Molly Shannon (who, like Mohr, should definitely have her own show) and Selma Blair. Here’s a clip from Kath & Kim:

Not only is the show disappointing…it’s just completely unfunny. It’s a total waste of some very talented comedic actors on a show that struggles to get even a sniggle of laughter. The funniest part of the show is unfortunately the last 1-2 minutes, called “Wine Time” where Kath and Kim sit on the back porch drinking wine and reading US Weekly and InTouch magazines. But you can’t fill a half-hour sitcom with that. You just can’t.

So I’m sorry to say, Kath & Kim…you’re deleted.

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One of the things that is always fun to do is to figure out what shows I’m going to try out as some of my favorites are inevitably canceled (Studio 60) or put on hold until February (Lost). I’m excited for fall TV because How I Met Your Mother did not get canceled as it was reported it might. Overall, though, the fall TV season isn’t looking all that promising. There aren’t a ton of shows that I’m clamoring to see, but a couple have caught my eye and I’ll take a look at them.

Bionic Woman

Ever since we lost Alias, Alli and I have been a bit morose. That filled a certain void that we didn’t want to fill with 24. NBC has been promoting the heck out of Bionic Woman, which was helmed by one of the co-creators of the new Battlestar Gallactica. I haven’t watched much Gallactica, but the idea of a super-awesome bionic woman is intriguing and I’m going to give it a shot.

Carpoolers

Jerry “Mr. Rebecca Romjin” O’Connell stars in what looks like a funny look at the daily commute to work. I’ve been pretty patient with ‘Til Death (which turned out to be better toward the end of the season than it started out), but I don’t know how much patience I’ll have for this show. It looks funny though. There aren’t a lot of sitcoms out there that get into dude relationships all that much. This could be funny.

Big Shots

Touted as “Sex and the City for Dudes” (isn’t that what Entourage is?), this show brings back Dylan McDermott from The Practice and pairs him with Michael Vartan, formerly Michael Vaughn on the aforementioned Alias. Vartan, McDermott and two other guys (that look familiar but I can’t place them) play best friends and powerful businessmen at the top of their game, but somehow hampered by the women in their life. This has the potential to be a good show based on the actors it contains, but shows that are heavily geared towards dudes (see Carpoolers above) are traditionally canceled by mid-season.

Samantha Who?

Christina Applegate is a good TV actress. Most famous for portraying Kelly Bundy on Married With Children, she’s managed a pretty good career. Her portrayal of Rachel Green’s even brattier sister Amy on Friends was terrific (she won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in 2003). Even her pretty terrible show, Jesse, managed 42 episodes. Samantha Who? sounds like a good show in concept. Applegate plays the main character who wakes up from a coma to find that she doesn’t remember a thing from her former life. She eventually discovers that she wasn’t a nice person at all and goes to make good on her previous mistakes. Think of it as a spin on My Name is Earl.

Chuck

I don’t know a lot about this show, but the previews I’ve seen for it make it look kind of funny. Chuck accidentally becomes a government agent. That’s about all I know. Sounds good. I’ll give it a shot.

There are also some new shows that I don’t have any interest in at all, particularly Back to You (starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton on Fox) and Cavemen (Prediction: the idiot that green-lighted this show will be fired by the second show).

What shows are you excited for this fall?

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I’ve been looking forward to the fall TV season since Entourage went off the air back in early August. All of the television pundits claim that this is a banner year for TV with many great new shows coming out this fall. I’ve had my eye on a few, but I don’t know if I’ll find a way to watch all of them…I can’t imagine that one won’t be cancelled soon.

We’ve checked out a few shows so far, with a few more to come. Here are my initial thoughts:

‘Til Death - I had high hopes for this show starring Everybody Loves Raymond star Brad Garrett and Eddie Kaye Thomas (Finch from American Pie). We’re two episodes in and there’s not much good to say. The show has some funny moments, but for the most part, it’s just another sitcom with a lousy view of marriage. The premise of the show is that some newlyweds move next door to a couple that has been married for a long time. The older couple does everything they can to undermine the enthusiasm of the newlyweds with their pessimism and crankiness. If the show doesn’t get better quickly, it’s getting cancelled from the DVR season recorder.

the class - An ensemble sitcom from the creators of Friends? Count me in. The first episode was last night and I think it kind of served to set up some storylines, but it could be interesting. The only people even remotely recognizable (could be said for any of the Friends cast too, initially) are Andrea Anders (who co-starred with Matt LeBlanc on the oft-maligned Joey) and Jason Ritter (son of the late John Ritter). If the writing is smart, it could be a good show. I’ll give it 4 or 5 episodes to wow me, but not more than that. It has the benefit of being on Monday before How I Met Your Mother (which also started last night…YES!), so it might get a little more leniency.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - This has to be one of the most anticipated shows of the new season. Giant cast (Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet, Bradley Whitford, Steven Weber, Sara Paulson), high-profile writer (Aaron Sorkin of The West Wing fame), and a decent time slot (it only really has to compete against the juggernaut, Miami-flavored, awful David Caruso starring CSI. I really was looking forward to this show, especially to see what Matthew Perry would do in a more serious role. The show is centered around two guys who have taken over a Saturday-Night-Live-esque show on the fictional network NBC…errrr….NBS. I never really was able to get into The West Wing, but I LOVE this show. Alli and I are really excited because we finally have another hour-long show to replace Alias. The first episode was fast-paced, riveting, and well-acted. I thought Amanda Peet was terrific and I’m really excited for this show over most of the others that will likely get cancelled. By the way, they are showing the entire first episode on nbc.com.

So that’s it for now. There are others coming up that I’ll be recording, particularly Twenty Good Years with John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor, which looks good, although I don’t know if there will be enough scenes for each of these guys to chew. I also am anticipating Tina Fey’s first foray into sitcom writing with 30 Rock, although I can’t assume that NBC will put THAT many good shows on TV. Let’s hope though. I’m also looking forward to JJ Abrams’ new show Six Degrees. Could be interesting.

I’m a TV freak, I know, but hey…that’s me.

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