Win Vs. Fail: The New Season Premieres

We start out running with a FAIL: I *think* I understand why CBS Monday has created the schedule it runs, and I'm not happy about it. The schedule sandwiches two positively dreadful shows (Accidentally on Purpose and Two And A Half Men) between How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory, which are fantastic shows. That way, you tune in at 8 for HIMYM, and stick around through the two bad shows to watch BBT at 9:30. 

Pretty sneaky, sis, but I'm not happy about it. Let's see what else is going on in the new season thus far; Win vs. Fail style!

 

MONDAYS:

WIN: How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory for the yuks, House for the dramz. Some people hated hated HATED the premiere of House, but I think it was a solid stand alone that will color the rest of the season in the ways House will deal with other people. It's such a solid show, and that is directly related to Hugh Laurie and his awesomeness. 

FAIL: Oh, Heroes. I tried. I really, really tried. But you know what? YOU didn't try. No, you're so busy giving people new powers and taking away old powers and who has what power now and I simply don't care anymore. I've given up on the show ever getting back the fire it had in the first season. And that saddens me. It's off the DVR.

TUESDAYS:

WIN: NCIS. There, I said it. And no, I'm not a geriatric. It's been on for seven years, and you know why? Cause it's a really solid show. Plus, Mark Harmon. Yes please. As for new new shows, there's some promise in The Good Wife in a Judging Amy kind of way, and man, I get such a delight out of that shot of Juliana Margulies WHACKING Chris Noth across the face, I wish they'd start and end the show with that clip every week. I'd tune in for sure.

FAIL: The Forgotten is forgettable, at best. It's a snoozefest, and it breaks my heart to say it, but Christian Slater is not 25 years old anymore, and I don't think he's charismatic enough to lead a show. I still love you and your 1993 floppy hair, Christian, but this show is a pass. 

WEDNESDAYS

WIN: Um, y'all are watching Glee, right? I mean, if you weren't, well that would just be crazy talk. CRAZY INSANE. Glee is the best new show of the season, hands down. Also wins: Top Chef on Bravo, and So You Think You Can Dance or Top Model for guilty pleasures.

FAIL: Actually, Wednesday is a FANTASTIC teevee night, so the only glaring exception would be the g-d forsaken Jay Leno Show, which sucks, and I would rather watch the Shamwow infomercial instead any night of the week.

THURSDAYS

WIN: Flash Forward is a freaking fantastic show. And if you want something that messes with your brain like Lost, only without the island, this is it. Aaaand I'm gonna give The Office and Community a win as well, although I ain't gonna lie, that's when I'm yelling/crying/spitting at Grey's Anatomy, and of course, Project Runway at 10. 

FAIL: Vampire Diaries. You're not Twilight, nor shall you ever be. Paralyzingly boring, but with pretty boys with blood fetishes if that's your thing.

FRIDAY

WIN: Ah, the wastelands of Fridays. Catch up on your DVR. And I would be remiss if I didn't root for Josh Whedon's Dollhouse, so DVR that one, if you're out having a life or something.

FAIL: Season Eleventy Million of The Ghost Whisperer and Medium on CBS. It's bad enough when you don't have a date for Friday night, but these shows just.... well, they rub it in. 

So there you go! That's where we are thus far. So what about you? What shows have you tuned in for? Hit the comments with your own WIN vs FAIL!

Comments

[Monica]

Ooooh, LOVED Flash Forward, and I went in a little skeptical. Like they were just trying to appease the LOST fans and prepare them for the ending of the best show to ever hit television. But, it was goood.

How I Met Your Mother is also one of the best sitcoms in years, people. Love it. Don't particularly love the time it's on, I DVR it and watch it at a more acceptable time.

Those are the two that particularly knock my socks off and that I would take with me if I were going to a desert island.

[Cheryl]

Mondays are the nights that we eat leftovers or pizza because we're too busy watching T.V. to be bothered with making an actual dinner. We've actually got the shows mapped out as to which ones we watch with commercials and which we'll catch on the DVR later that night. FYI, it's HIMYM and BBT live, and House and Top Gear on BBC America on the DVR. Top Gear flys below the radar but it is one of the most hilarious shows ever. They set a camper on fire (completely unintentionally) and participated in the downhill ski jump in a Mini; how is that not awesome?

[Amber]

I'm not getting the Heroes hate going on over here! What am I seeing/not seeing that the Mamapop crew is seeing/not seeing? Have I become too complacent in my Heroes viewings? Or....maybe I am thinking about this too hard, actually. But I am still liking it just fine, thankyouverymuch.

Also, I read the Vampire Diaries books in high school, so I was super-interested to see how it was going to play out on TV. The female lead, Elena, is nothing like she was in the books. She's like...Bella lite or something, which is so disappointing.

Elena is supposed to be this blond, blue-eyed, vivacious cheerleader, used to getting what she wants, who goes after Stefan hardcore only to be rejected time and time again. For awhile. He had to reject her because of his tortured soul. As it goes with vampires.

So, for me: Heroes yay and Vampire Diaries boo.

[lori]

I just went all crazy evangelical about Flash Forward when telling a friend about it so yeah, I'm a fan of that one. Some of the returning shows are getting a 3 episode try out before I decide whether or not we are breaking up.

A couple of new ones I enjoyed that weren't mentioned here were Modern Family and Cougartown (cougarville? name escapes me). I also liked Mercy and Trauma, but I'm a sucker for the medical drama and needed to fill the hole in my heart left by ER.

[Calvinette]

Maybe it was just me enjoying the high of my Wednesday nights. Belly dance class, followed by Glee, followed by pajama pants ... but honestly, Eastwick didn't suck. I don't love Rebecca Romaine (or however you spell it besides the lettuce), but she does seem to be playing someone her age. Also, that awesome Geoffrey guy from "Slings and Arrows" (CBC) is in it, and he's totally hot in an evil, creepy kind of way.

[ljpock]

You forgot Fringe!!! How could you forget the awesomeness that is Pacey Witter?

Ok, so admittedly that's why I *might* have decided to watch an episode and then I got hooked. Freaky and wacked, but love it and LOVE Walter. I want to keep him as my pet.

[Renee]

No mention of Parks and Rec? I mean, if you're going to stop watching Vampire Diaries ANYWAY, this comes highly recommended. If you didn't like last season, I suggest you give this new season a try anyway. It's funny.

[Amanda of Shamelessly Sassy]

The Jay Leno Show really pisses me off. I hate when a show swoops in a fucks with a tv lineup. I guess I'm specifically miffed that Law & Order SVU is now on Wednesday nights at 9. In other news, I was one of the few that LOVED the House season premiere. Loved it.

[jen]

I'm still toughing it out with Heroes, mainly just for the yum that is Peter Petrelli. I would also add Lie to Me, Fringe, and Bones to the list - and second the vote for FlashForward. I'm interested to see where that show goes!

[Issa]

I am a HUGE NCIS fan. I haven't watched the new one, but I have it DVR'ed. Also Big Bang Theory is the funniest thing on TV. I'd have to add Modern Family. It was just too dam funny.

I gave up on Heroes last year. I just don't understand it. I want too, but I don't. I liked Flash Forward, but I fear it will be another thing that is too convoluted after a year.

[PaintingChef]

Why is there never any love for "Castle" on Monday nights? NATHAN FILLION! He is MAGNIFICENT! Sure it's on after my bedtime but that's why Al Gore invented Tivo... right?

Also? I'm going to come out and say it... I love the new Melrose. Ashley Simpson is TOTALLY CRAZYPANTS. Plus? Michael Mancini and the rumored return of Amanda Woodward? How could you not watch?

And I'm KIDDING... OBVIOUSLY Al Gore didn't invent TiVo. Everyone knows it was Jesus.

[jen from boston]

MODERN FAMILY!! (WED. 9, ABC.) Probably one of the best pilots I've ever seen.

[Goddess in Progress]

I couldn't agree more on how Heroes has never gotten anywhere close to the awesome that was the first season. Sigh.

Definitely loved the first episode of Modern Family, hope it continues to be as good!

[Kaytee]

I have to agree that I enjoyed Modern Family. I am also hooked on Flash Forward, Lie to Me, and Fringe.
Heroes lost it's spark so I put it on for background noise while I am scrapbooking.
I love Glee and Dollhouse.
Parks and Rec is definitely funnier this season and worth the half hour.
Vampire Diaries is KILLING ME. I read the books in highschool to and I liked them so much that I have held on to them and still have them on my shelf 10 years later. I am so completely disappointed in the show. What happened?

[Mers]

I'm going to check out Flash Forward after all the talk about it here, but the shows that I'm loving are:

Glee (even the preview commercials crack me up... on the fortieth viewing.)
Castle (Nathan Fillion - yum, yum)
Eastwick (I was expecting more two dimensional, but so far, so good.)
The Good Wife
Bones
House
Lie to Me

[Kim]

I am going to have to support you on the NCIS topic. I am pretty sure that was the best return season opener this fall.

But you probably should have mentioned the FAIL that is NCIS: LA. Robin and LL Cool J have like, no chemistry whatsoever. God.

And finally I have to know: What on earth does MamaPop have against Supernatural? I love this show down to the tips of my toes. You know, from the waist down. Wait. No. I love it intellectually too!

And finally, I am with those who are wondering why Fringe isn't on the WIN list. I wasn't really going to care about Fringe but Josh Jackson keeps me coming back. Aaaaaand they worked in an X-Files reference. So yeah, WIN!

[Sarah Lena]

Modern Family. Community. Fringe. Hell's Kitchen. Real Housewives of (insert some stereotypical geography here). SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE.

Seriously, there's GREAT tv out there this season!!

(And Glee? Is just NOT part of it, guys.)

[Tracy]

I have to second Cougartown and Parks and Rec. Love it!

And I also love Biggest Loser this season, especially since Tracey (no relation) is soooooo CRAAAAZEEEE!

[Fher]

I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEE COUGAR TOWN,that is my kind of humor and courtney .... cougarlicius¡¡¡¡
Also i have to step up for medium i really like IT seriously like it, i think that the all family is very believeable. you know.. besides the freaky stuff..

[burrito tuxedo]

Hello?
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
It even trumps ProjRun on my DVR.

[Rhonda]

FAIL: MamaPop’s new comments format. Is it just my computer? Is reply gone? Where are people’s little pictures? Am I in an acid flashback? Because really crazier things have happened in those ‘episodes’. At least there are no sparkly unicorns this time. Oh wait. Fuck. WTF, people? Change is confusing. And scary.

Oh, yeah. And tv.

FAIL: Vampire Diaries: I never read the books but thought the show looked like a lot of fun. I know I’m going to sound all Laura Bush here, but WTF CW? There is blatant drinking, drugs, sex. Me no likey. Well. Actually me personally likey a lot. But these kids are supposed to be in high school and that bothers me a lot. There are at least 65 billion 13 year old girls watching this crap and looking up to this swill, and it seems the CW is trying it’s hardest to glamorize high school debauchery. There I am getting all ‘mom’ on your ass again.

I have no WIN! I’m PMSing. I hate everything. Except you. You’re okay. But fix your comments.

[Gina]

I gotta agree with Rhonda all the way.

Win: Flash forward, Mercy, HIMYM and TBBT, Bones, House, (smallvoicegossipgirl)

Fail: Heroes, Vampire diaries (though I'm still watching it, oh yes I am)

I haven't watched glee yet.

[Anissa Mayhew]

Glee makes me tingle inside. In a good way.

[Suzy Q]

I also agree with Rhonda on the comments format changes. Also, am I the only one who is not able to use the Back button on this website? I always have to scroll back up and hit Main. It's haaaaaard.

[mstiegirl23]

I second (third? fifth?) Bones. I don't like those crime shows but Bones rocks. Also, Parks and Recreations has given me the biggest laughs of the season by far. I'm going to stick with Community for awhile but it isn't doing it for me yet. Now, that means my DVR is already recording 2 shows from 8-9 on Thursday, so I haven't watched Flash Forward. However, I'm definitely going to catch up with it now!