PCP on TV - Fall 2011 TV - What's on my DVR

Thanks for coming back for your next hit of PCP:  Pop Culture Panorama.  It’s September 2011, and that means that the fall TV season is upon us.  Today I’ll be talking about what is on my DVR for my wife and I to enjoy this fall:  what’s new, what’s returning, and what didn’t make the cut.  I’ve had to drastically reduce the amount of shows I watch compared to in the past, because of a few reasons:  1) I want to have a life, 2) I have grad school 2 nights a week, and 3) I’m having a son in December, so I can’t go too overboard.  Unfortunately, that means I’m not going to be watching as many of the new shows as I want to, but oh well, there’s always DVD in the future like I did for Lost this summer.  Thankfully, through the power of DVR, I can watch these 15 shows in only 9 hours a week when I skip out the commercials.  I have just enough time each week to manage that.  So, here’s what’s on my DVR this fall in no particular order.

New to my DVR for this fall:  4 shows

Ringer – I’m a huge fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so the fact that Sarah Michelle Gellar is returning to TV had me on board for this show from Day 1.  Adding in Lost’s Nestor Carbonell and Veronica Mars’ Jason Dohring were the icing on the cake for me.  Definitely looking forward to this one.  Premieres on the CW on 9/13.

Up All Night – Considering that I’m going to be a parent myself in 3 months, it’s fitting that this show about new parents is making its debut now.  Starring the very funny Christina Applegate, Maya Rudolph, and Will Arnett, this show has a great comic pedigree.  Hopefully it’ll be good.  Premieres on NBC on 9/14.

The Secret Circle – I’m giving this show about witches a shot because it comes on right after my #1 guilty pleasure the Vampire Diaries, and it’s from the same creators.  Hopefully it will be more like Charmed than like Eastwick when it comes to shows about witches on TV.  Premieres on the CW on 9/15.

Terra Nova – this one meets my need for a sci-fi fix:  time travel, dinosaurs, and it is produced by Steven Spielberg.  I’m so there.  Premieres on Fox on 9/26.

Returning to my DVR for this fall:  11 shows

 Read what's coming back after the jump:

Castle – Starting its 4^th season, my favorite show on TV returns from a whopper of a season finale where one cast member was killed and another was shot at that one’s funeral.  I love this show, it’s hilarious and a ton of fun, way more entertaining and lively than most cop shows on TV.  Season debut is on ABC on 9/19.

Fringe – Hands down the best sci-fi show on TV right now, this one from Lost’s JJ Abrams is so good, it’s what persuaded me to go back and watch Lost this summer.  Last season’s cliffhanger was a doozy, I can’t wait til this one comes back on.  Season debut is on Fox on 9/23.

The Big Bang Theory – The only returning sitcom on my DVR, I think it is quite hilarious.  As a bit of a nerd myself, I get a lot of the jokes, and I can’t believe it’s starting its 5^th season already.  I love this show.  Bazinga!  Season debut is on CBS on 9/22.

Hawaii Five-0 – One of only 2 freshman shows last year that made it to a second season on my DVR, this cop show in gorgeous Hawaii should be even better this season with the addition of Lost’s John Locke:  Terry O’Quinn, as well as the now sober Tom Sizemore.  It’ll also have a crossover with NCIS: Los Angeles later this season.  Season debut is on CBS on 9/19.

Nikita – The other freshman show from last year that got renewed, this actioner starring the gorgeous Maggie Q is back to liven up my Friday nights.  That girl can kick some major tail.  Season debut on the CW is on 9/23.

Glee – Yes the 2^nd season had its crappy moments, but it also had some good ones too.  If the show can return to its first season form, it’ll get renewed on my DVR for a fourth season, but if it continues to suck more than it is good, I might have to consider making this one a cut show next year.  Season debut is on Fox on 9/20.

The Vampire Diaries – As I mentioned earlier, this show is my # 1 guilty pleasure.  With a great cliffhanger or shocking moment at the end of every episode, this show keeps pulling me in week after week.  Lots of fun and way more entertaining than the other vampire related pop culture phenomenon – Twilight (note – I don’t have HBO so I haven’t seen True Blood).  Season 3 debut is on the CW on 9/15.

Gossip Girl – Sometimes I can’t believe this show is still on the air, it can sometimes be so bad.  On the other hand though, when this show is good it’s great.  Looking forward to where it goes in its 4^th season, even if it is starting to get a bit repetitive.  Season debut is on the CW on 9/26.

South Park – Still the funniest and most topical animated show on TV.  It can be silly at times, or take a joke too far, but when it’s great, it’s the best.  Season debut is on Comedy Central on 10/5.

Desperate Housewives – This nighttime soap returns for its 8^th and final season.  Some of the past seasons have been bad, some good, but hopefully the show, knowing that it is ending after this year, goes out with a bang and not a whimper.  Season debut is on ABC on 9/25.

90210 – Cheesy at times, and a number of plots are completely ridiculous, but it can still be a lot of fun.  As long as they stop making Adriana such an annoying character this season, I’ll be happy.  Last season she was just too much of a shrew that it actually dragged down the whole show.  4^TH season debut is on the CW on 9/13.

New shows that didn’t quite make the cut:

The Playboy Club – Thanks to my 2-channel DVR, this show is not in because it is up against Castle and Hawaii Five-0.  It’ll probably get cancelled anways though, like anything else NBC has attempted in this time slot.  Series debut is on NBC on 9/19.

Charlie’s Angels – Again due to the 2-channel DVR I had to make a tough choice in this time slot, and in this case the Angels lose to Big Bang Theory and Vampire Diaries.  Sorry Charlie.  Series debut is on ABC on 9/22.

Person of Interest – This is the one show that I wish I could watch this fall, as it is from JJ Abrams and stars Michael Emerson (Ben from Lost) & Jim Caviezel (Jesus in The Passion), and it has an interesting and mysterious premise, in typical JJ Abrams fashion.  However, due to time constraints of my schedule, as well as my wife having no desire to watch this no matter how hard I try to convince her, it just isn’t going to fit on the calendar.  I’ll wait and see on this one to see if it gets renewed for another season, and if so I’ll catch it on DVD.

Cut shows from my DVR this fall (sometimes you just gotta make some room):

The Sing-Off – I love a cappella music, and I enjoyed the first 2 seasons of this singing competition.  Unfortunately, it comes on at the same time as Terra Nova and Gossip Girl, so this one gets the cut.  Thankfully, there’s always Hulu.  Season debut is on NBC on 9/19.

Body of Proof – I gave this one a shot last year, but just wasn’t feeling it.  I’d much rather watch Castle if I want a fun police procedural.  Season debut is on ABC on 9/20.

Happy Endings – I don’t know why ABC chose to renew this but cancel Better With You, which I thought was far funnier.  Like Body of Proof, I just wasn’t too sold on this one to give it another season pickup.  Season debut is on ABC on 9/28.

Cancelled shows:

These shows were cancelled, so they aren’t returning either (though the only ones I’m gonna miss are V and Better With You)

V; Better With You, The Event, Undercovers, Hellcats.

So that’s my fall TV preview of what is on my DVR.  Thanks for dropping by!