Eric's Fall TV Preview: TiVo or Ti-No - That's the Question

One of the biggest decisions I may make as a TV critic is when you get to see our Fall TV preview.

I know this, because every year, I get masses of emails and phone calls from local couch potatoes wanting to know when they're going to get our annual roundup of what works and doesn't in the new TV season. I know it doesn't feel like it -- thanks to 10,000 promotional ads aired touting all the new product -- but the actual 2007-08 TV season doesn't start until Monday.

So that's why we waited until today and Sunday to roll out my analysis of the 30 new network TV shows coming your way this month and next. The newspaper version consumes next Sunday's Floridian. And to surprise myself, I worked with our online crew to film a special presentation talking up what's worked and what hasn't on TV this fall.

Doing this gig gave me new appreciation for Ryan Seacrest, I'll tell you. It's a lot harder to face a camera, say something entertaining, and not look like you're staring down the barrel of a gun. I didn't always achieve that magical balance, but I hope you can check out my picks, and some samples of the new shows, without bumming out too bad on my delivery. I boiled it down to a simple slogan: Ti-Vo or Ti-No.

As you know from reading this space, I didn't love any new show this year, But here's a quickie list of good to bad, just to help you out. Tivo the top two tiers and Ti-No the rest.

The Best (Check them out):

Pushing Daisies (ABC); Reaper (CW); Back to You (Fox); Samantha Who? (ABC); Chuck (NBC).

Promising (Keep an eye on these, they may soar):

K-ville (Fox); Cane (CBS); Dirty Sexy Money (ABC); Gossip Girl (CW); Nashville (Fox); Aliens in America (CW); Carpoolers (ABC); Journeyman (NBC).

Disappointing (Tough to sit through; probably won't get better):

Viva Laughlin (CBS); Private Practice (ABC); Bionic Woman (NBC); Women's Murder Club (ABC); Life is Wild (CW); Big Bang Theory (CBS).

Just Awful (Likely lost cause; watch only if relatives are in the cast):

Cavemen (ABC); Kid Nation (CBS); Life (NBC); Big Shots (ABC); Moonlight (CBS); Kitchen Nightmares (Fox)

Comments

[Michael Weber]

Under the just awful: Kitchen Nightmares.

I watched the first episode. It wasn't nearly as good as the British version on BBC America. Somehow it got "Foxified" in translation. The editing is all over the place and it almost felt like the producers are trying to hard. I really enjoy the British version of this show and hope the US version tones it down a little.