The average American watches over 34 hours of television a week. Wowza! Given that statistic, today – the start of fall network TV premiere week – could be considered a national holiday. (And I don’t think I’m the only who feels that way. Check out my friend Amy’s post on the topic.)
While I don’t think my viewing keeps pace with many of my compatriots, I admit that I do watch a fair amount of television. Here are the shows that I’ll be tuning into now that the summer wasteland of all-reality-TV-all-the-time is finally over:
Tuesday: Private Practice. Yikes, I’m starting with a kind of embarrassing one. This Grey’s Anatomy spin-off jumped the proverbial shark a few years ago and continues to jump it over and over again. I have a deep and abiding love for Addison Forbes Montgomery (formerly) Shepherd, but now I’m starting to think it might be time to give this one the boot.
Thursday: Grey’s Anatomy. I’ve watched this show (almost) from the beginning and I still love it. I’ve been a sucker for hospital dramas since George Clooney graced the halls of County General. Shonda Rhimes, the creator and lead writer of Grey’s, knows her way around a cliff-hanger and last spring she left most of the cast stranded and ailing after a plane crash. I can’t wait to see what’s become of them.
- Scandal. Okay, clearly I’m in Shonda’s thrall. All three of my shows so far have been her creations. A mid-season replacement last year, Scandal is about a political crisis team led by a former White House insider. I like it because it gives me occasional moments of fast-talking, high-minded West Wing political reverie (and it also features the guy who played Desmond on Lost; I love the guy who played Desmond on Lost), but I’m not sold yet. This one might be on my chopping block. Oh, Shonda, why can’t I quit you?
Sunday: Revenge. My sisters-in-law got me hooked on this show over the summer. It’s the story of a young woman who moves to the Hamptons to seek – say it with me now – re-venge against the people who framed her dad for a crime he didn’t commit. I’ve only seen a handful of episodes, but I really enjoyed what I saw.
- And last, but certainly not least: The Good Wife. I’m just going to come out and say it: this is the best show on network TV right now. I realize that my previous admissions may cause you to doubt my judgment here, but you’ve got to trust me on this one. Julianna Margulies gives a sublime performance as Alicia Florrick, an attorney who charts a new course for herself personally and professionally after her state’s attorney husband (played by the fabulous Mr. Big himself, Chris Noth) is caught in a sex scandal. This series has it all: legal plot lines, political in-fighting, and terrific performances from an ensemble of heavy hitters. This is my one must-see show (not to mention the only show that I watch that my husband will watch next to me without making disparaging comments under his breath).
I also look forward to the eventual returns of Downton Abbey and Top Chef and a rather large helping of sports (pro football in the fall, college basketball in the winter, and tennis and pro cycling whenever they’re on), not to mention the occasional soupcon of old series on Netflix.
But right now I’m most excited about that fall ritual that I’ve practiced since the days of The Cosby Show and Dallas (1.0): sitting down to welcome back my favorite network TV shows.
Do you watch TV? What shows are you looking forward to watching this fall?
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Girl! You need to watch parenthood! It is unbelievable. Past seasons are available on Netflix or dive in on Tuesday nights! Seriously, there are moments every week that make you laugh or cry. Promise!
I too love your sows and can’t wait for downton Abby!
I would agree about The Good Wife. I’ve watched Private Practice and Grey’s in the past, but they are starting to wear on me. I also like Parenthood and Castle, and the kids and I enjoy watching the Amazing Race together.
I don’t watch medical shows. I used to love them, but now I get enough medical reality in my own life. And just about every one of those shows has a horrifying preemie story line that I just can’t bare to watch. That said, I do watch quite a bit of TV too. I am jumping up and down for the return of Homeland on Sunday – not network, but so, so good. Gripping story, amazing performances. I love Parenthood and so far I’ve enjoyed The New Normal.
I’m excited for Parenthood (love it), Boardwalk Empire, Homeland, Dexter, Mad Men and White Collar. Hooray for fall tv!
How I Met Your Mother is my favorite, followed closely by Community. I also enjoy Two Broke Girls (not one for the kids, that is for sure), Mike and Molly, Glee, and Modern Family, though if I miss any of those, no big deal.
I used to watch Private Practice, but as you said, it jumped the shark, so I left. I stopped watching Grey’s when Meredith “died/drowned” a few years back but miraculously was okay within a day or two, it seemed. I watch occasional episodes of Dancing with the Stars, but since Apolo Anton Ono is back on this season, I may have to watch more frequently.
I really miss Lost, 24 (even though that was so ridiculously violent and I am pacifist)), and Desperate Housewives. But TNT’s Dallas could be my DH replacement.
Oh my gosh, I totally forgot about Community! I love it too! In general, I don’t really like sitcoms, but my husband and I both find this one hysterical. (I don’t think it’s on this week; I wonder when it returns.)
I’ve also heard really good things about How I Met Your Mother, but have never seen it. Maybe now is the time to give it a chance?
So many votes here for Parenthood, I might have to give it another try! I watched the first season, but found myself highly annoyed by the older sister’s character so I didn’t stick with it. But since posting this morning, I’ve been thinking about giving Private Practice and Scandal the boot.
Maybe Parenthood will take their place?
Wish we had Showtime so I could watch Homeland too!
NCIS, NCIS:Los Angeles, and Once Upon a Time. And, of course, I’ll be impatiently tapping my foot waiting for the third series of both Downton Abbey and Sherlock to get here to the US.
I loved the premise of Parenthood (and that it has Lorelai Gilmore – er, Lauren Graham in it), but I literally got a headache every week from trying to decipher them all talking over the top of each other (very realistic, but painful), so I quit watching it. I’m not a big TV fan in general, though – I watched the Emmy’s last night and realized “huh, I’ve never even HEARD of half these shows.” And then I went to bed as soon as Sherlock was done NOT winning anything. The End.
We have watched the first two seasons of Sherlock too and found them fun (if, at times, a little over the top). Did you know that Martin Freeman (Watson) plays Bilbo in the new movie version of The Hobbit? (And Benedict Cumberbatch – is there a better name in existence?! – is the voice of the Necromancer.)
Top Chef!!! I so love it. And New Girl. I love you for loving tv.
Wow, 34 hours a week is a lot of TV! And a lot of wasted time if you ask me. I don’t have cable TV so I watch only a few select shows online:
- Grey’s Anatomy. I wish this show has ended in May because I’m getting sick of them killing two or three main characters a season. Just blow the whole hospital already!
- Modern Family. By far, the FUNNIEST show on TV.
- Once Upon A Time. I really enjoy this show and I can’t wait to see what happens this season.
- Grimm. I got hooked on it this summer and caught up all of Season 1, getting a friend hooked on it too. To a great second season!
And that’s it! Unless I discover a new show I love, I’m not planning to spend any more time watching shows, except for movies here and there. After all, I do need time to read!
And that’s just it, isn’t it? For every minute I spend watching bad TV, I have one less minute to spend reading a good book. I need to remind myself of that next time I get sucked into a TV show instead of heading to bed with my books.
It’s easy to get into a good book, but not so much into a bad one. Television is less discriminatory and you could lose hours of your life watching nonsense. I don’t miss my TV bill one bit.
Finally someone who still watches Grey’s! I can’t wait for Thursday! And The Good Wife…can’t wait for Alicia either!!!
I love the Good Wife. AND Parenthood. Enjoy!!!
Wow. I don’t watch any network television (I now realize). I will admit, at your suggestion, a few months back I dug up some episodes of The Good Wife on cable… very good!
But other than Mad Men, truly, and increasingly CNN on politics (when I can), that’s about it. Oh, and Housewives in the background. Sometimes.
I think I’m lending some of those 34 hours to someone else… or using them on my laptop!
I’m curious, D, what you thought about the fact that Mad Men was shut out of the Primetime Emmys after its years of dominance. It seems like Homeland is the new “it” show.
Boardwalk Empire, The Good Wife and football with some Big Bang and assorted movies thrown in.
Where does everyone get all this time?
After almost 6 years of living without TV (or at least TV I could understand) I’m now living the dream with channels! That I can clikc! And change! And surf! I can’t get enough. Though I’m pretty much exclusively watching The Asian Food Network because yum, but by “watching” I mean I’ve caught half an hour of TV in the past two weeks. Oh well…too busy having fun. Thanks for reminding me about The Good Wife though….I’m off to go find the last few seasons at the fake dvd market!
I’m just glad I didn’t see “Real Housewives” and “Gossip Girl” on your list ;-)
I watch Parenthood through Hulu, but without cable, I don’t really watch much TV. However, on Netflix, we’ve caught up with Mad Men, Downtown Abbey and Sherlock. I like marathon nights with My Guy. It’s my favorite in-home date nights. We do that while we fold six loads of laundry together. Multi-taskers!
And I also love Dexter and Californication, but without Showtime, I just have to wait until those come out on DVD. *sniff sniff*
Please note that the Science Channel is going to host a Firefly reunion this fall. Not sure if you can get this through Hulu, but I thought you might be interested! ;)