Here it comes, the inevitable fall preview post that is on every TV blog!
It is going to be so huge that I’ll have to split it into three parts (yes this is a lot of work).
First up right now, we’ll take a look at the shows that are coming back, and I’ll even adventure myself into making somewhat-wild guesses on the life expectancy of the shows.
They’re back. For the better and for the worst.
– The Big Bang Theory – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 22): Clichéd geeks are not, I repeat, not, geeks. I’m not watching that. Some people do so I’ll give the show 2 more seasons.
– How I Met Your Mother – Season 4 (premieres Sept. 22): Haaaaaave you met Ted? Of course I have. One of the only “classic sitcoms” I watch and enjoy. Despite me loving Sarah Chalke, I’m not that into her being the mother. Let’s hope I’m wrong and she’s not! Now suit up and watch so that the show has at least 2 years ahead of it.
– Two and a Half Men – Season 6 (premieres Sept. 22): No thank you.
– C.S.I.: Miami – Season 7 (premieres Sept. 22): Who puts a C.S.I. right after sitcoms? Anyway, the franchise is trying to change its main cast in each shows it seems as Megalyn Echikunwoke replaces Khandi Alexander. Unfortunately, since we’re talking about a C.S.I. series, my guess of how many seasons remain will probably be wrong, but what the hell: 4 seasons remain! Yeah, right.
– NCIS – Season 6 (premieres Sept. 23): I don’t watch that show, sorry. But given its strong ratings, I’ll give it another 4 years too.
– Without A Trace – Season 7 (premieres Sept. 23): Not watching so, uhm, ditto.
– Criminal Minds – Season 4 (premieres Sept. 24): Still not watching. And I’ll venture a guess and say 2 seasons remain.
– C.S.I.: NY – Season 5 (premieres Sept. 24): Woohooo, 100 episodes! You guessed it: I don’t watch, and since it’s a C.S.I. show, I’ll say maybe…3 seasons left. What can I say, I’m an optimist!
– Suvivor – Season 17 (premieres Sept. 25): Who said anything on me talking exclusively about non-reality programming? Survivor is awesome! And it is finally in HD, and now in Gabon (Earth’s Last Eden as they say, although I strongly doubt it). Unfortunately it follows an extraordinary Fans versus Favorites season and as the Survivor Law states: one in two seasons will suck big times. So my guess is that Survivor Gabon will be bad. Real bad.
– Cold Case – Season 6 (premieres Sept. 28): Season 5 plummeted in the ratings, perhaps this is linked to the Strike. Anyhow, if this trend continues, the show will be dead within a season or two at most.
– The Unit – Season 4 (premieres Sept. 28): As usual on CBS, I’m not watching this show but given its ratings, it’s losing its appeal real fast. Maybe another one or two seasons and then buh-bye.
– Ghost Whisperer – Season 4 (premieres Oct. 3): Again, ratings are going way down and the cast is being recycled. Perhaps 2 seasons?
– Numb3rs – Season 5 (premieres Oct. 3): Being the most watched show on Friday nights, I’m not too concerned about Numb3rs lasting at least 2-3 more seasons.
– CSI: – Season 9 (premieres Oct. 9): You know that cast change I was talking about earlier? Well the main even happens in the main CSI franchise show: CSI. Fishburne himself joins the cast and will probably be the long-term replacement for a Petersen that wants to GTFO. Goodbye also to Fox and Dourdan, but hello to Smith! Anyway, the show is getting tired and is losing leads like a hemorrhage, so I’m gonna say 2 seasons left, unless Fishburne pulls it off, in which case the show might never end. Hey, we’re talking about CS-freakin-I here folks.
– Heroes – Season 3 (premieres Sept. 22): A sucky second season, and apologies from Kring, lead me to think that the third volume will be much better, and perhaps be as good as the first season. The show probably has around 3-4 seasons left, at least, if they don’t blow it all away with crappy storylines.
– Law & Order: SVU – Season 10 (premieres Sept. 23): I’m not watching that but given that this is a L&O show, I think it can go to its 12/13th season and beyond.
– Lipstick Jungle – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 24): This has been renewed? Seriously?
– My Name Is Earl – Season 4 (premieres Sept. 25): I thought the third season was a bit less interesting than the first two but the show still has potential. I’m giving the show another 2 seasons.
– The Office – Season 5 (premieres Sept. 25): Yes, I’m going to watch The Office, over, and over, and over, and over, and over again. Let’s hope the show has 5 bright years ahead!
– E.R. – Season 15 (premieres Sept. 25): The show’s final season? Again? I’m not watching anyway.
– Chuck – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 29): Awesome first season but I’m not sure how they can pull it off again without going into the typical boring procedural. If they can do it with honors, I hope they get at least two or three more seasons.
– Friday Night Lights – Season 3 (premieres Oct. 1 – On Direct TV): Season 2 was pretty disapointing for me but I loved the first season so hopefully they can create the magic again…and not be canceled. But realistically, I think FNL won’t stand another season.
– Life – Season 2 (premieres Oct. 3): Great show and a pretty great surprise for me. I’m not really into cop shows but this one has a twist, heart, and mythology, hence me loving the show. Although not much information can be taken out of the U.S. ratings of the first season (due to the Strike), and despite the show’s top position in Australia, I think that NBC’s decision not to film any more episodes of Life after the Strike shows that, unless Life has great ratings, the series won’t last another season or two.
– 30 Rock – Season 3 (premieres Oct. 30): Fantastic second season. I’ll definitely be there for the new season and hopefully the next one, and the next one, after that…even though again, the poor ratings lead me to think that the show is not in a good spot.
– Boston Legal – Season 5 (premieres Sept. 22): The show’s last season. I won’t watch. I never watched that show anyways. Not much else to tell.
– Grey’s Anatomy – Season 5 (premieres Sept. 25): Ratings are strongly declining thanks to storylines that become more and more boring. Perhaps the show has another 2-3 seasons in it before it dies a horrible death. I’ll glimpse at it.
– Ugly Betty – Season 3 (premieres Sept. 25): I for one thought that the second season was much better than the first. With that in mind, the show still has some issues that perhaps the New-York move will fix. I’ll watch to see if I spot the differences in scenery (probably). 2-4 seasons left?
– Brothers & Sisters – Season 3 (premieres Sept. 28): I tuned out the moment Baitz left the show, and from what I heard season 2 went downhill from there on out. I suppose it has still at least 1-2 seasons left.
– Desperate Housewives – Season 5 (premieres Sept. 28): The time jump was a bold move, if not a desperate one (no pun intended). I’ll watch to see how it turns out but for me this is the make it or break it move (with or without Neal McDonough) leading DH to leave the air sooner than 2011.
– Dirty Sexy Money – Season 2 (premieres Oct. 1): The show I wanted to see last year with high hopes for it and boy did it deliver. Unfortunately the behind-the-scenes fights and problems (Cerone leaving to make room for the new showrunner, Big Shots’ creator Feldman) lead me to think this new season probably won’t be as good as the first one, at the very least. Is the implosion imminent? My guess is probably. Perhaps another season or two left at most.
– Private Practice – Season 2 (premieres Oct. 1): I thought the first season to be much fresher than Grey’s Anatomy’s 4th season but still lacking great storylines and ratings. Will it last as long as the mother ship? I’ll watch and see.
– Pushing Daisies – Season 2 (premieres Oct. 1): I loved the first season (not as much as others though). I’m anxiously awaiting the second season which promises to be even better and more, shall we say, mythological, even though a series reboot was announced due to the Writers’ strike. To put PD after PP is a bold move I think so I’m not so sure if PD will be able to produce even better ratings than in its first season. I’ll hazard a guess and say that Daisies has 2 years left.
– Samantha Who? – Season 2 (premieres Oct. 6): I stopped watching after a couple of episodes, although the show seems pretty secure with its last year’s spot as the “highest-rated freshman sitcom of the 2007-2008 TV season”. Probably 3 more seasons at least.
– Eli Stone – Season 2 (premieres Oct. 14): Who watches that show?
– Prison Break – Season 4 (premieres Sept. 1): The show was supposed to only have 3 seasons, instead it continues to go on and on. I’m tuning out. Me thinks Fox will probably hang on the the show for one or two other seasons.
– Bones – Season 4 (premieres Sept. 3):
– Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 8): Even me not being a huge Terminator fan liked the first season (and especially the finale) of the show. The new Terminator movie that is coming out next year will possibly help the show in maintaining good ratings.
– ‘Til Death – Season 3 (premieres Sept. 10): Not watching this. As far as ratings go, the show is on the verge of cancelation.
– House M.D. – Season 5 (premieres Sept. 16): Sorry guys, I stopped the show in the middle of the second season. I don’t really remember why…possibly because it became too procedural for my taste.
– The Simpsons – Season 20 (premieres Sept. 28): It just won’t die, but that’s fine by me. The show may last until the next Simpsons movie, whenever that is.
– King of the Hill – Season 13 (premieres Sept. 28): Never gotten around watching that show. I guess it could also last for a long long time.
– Family Guy – Season 7 (premieres Sept. 28): Has lost its appeal since it came back, but since Seth MacFarlane is the new “it” guy I’m guessing the show will also last for a few years.
– American Dad – Season 4 (premieres Sept. 28): Pretty average show also. Again, made by MacFarlan, so probably also will last some time.
– Gossip Girl – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 1): Yes, this is my guilty pleasure. Yes, I saw the “provocative” ads. Yes, I’m waiting for Season 2 to start. Yes, I believe the show still has a few years ahead of it.
– One Tree Hill – Season 6 (premieres Sept. 1): Never watched that show and don’t intend to. Given The CW’s low ratings in all its shows, I’m not sure if OTH’s low ratings would qualify the show for a cancellation.
– Smallville – Season 8 (premieres Sept. 18): Probably the last season of the show given the fact that everyone is leaving one after the other, and I’m especially talking about Rosenbaum’s departure. No more Lex Lutho? My guess is everyone will tune out (if they haven’t already).
– Supernatural – Season 4 (premieres Sept. 18): Another CW show I have never watched because it didn’t really interest me. The “strong” ratings (for a CW show) seem to indicate a good future.
– Everybody Hates Chris – Season 4 (premieres Oct. 3): I’m guessing since it’s the last UPN show on the air today (besides the other one) it’ll last another two or so seasons.
– The Game – Season 3 (premieres Oct. 3): I barely know what this show is, so I wont make a guess (although it has a good average CW rating).
– Entourage – Season 5 (premieres Sept. 7): Even though Entourage is fun the last seasons were a bit disapointing to me, not much really happened. Let’s hope this new season is Entourage at its best, even though I heard that Michael Phelps was about to make a cameo (I mean really? Doesn’t he already have like his own talk show and video game to worry about?).
– Californication – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 28): I enjoyed the first season but the fact that Duchovny is really a sex addict is too creepy. We’ll see what the second season holds for us. Depending on Duchovny’s future, the show might get the ax earlier than expected.
– Dexter – Season 3 (premieres Sept. 28): I really don’t see how they can make the show original a third time. I saw the trailer for the third season and it was like watching the season two trailer all over again. Showtime has high hopes for the show so it’ll probably last at the very least another one or two seasons.
And it’s done.
Well, at least for the first part.
Don’t hesitate to pass the post and link around folks. Me need some McLovin’!
Join us later today for a review of the new shows coming up this fall, and tomorrow for an analysis of the networks.
