Fall 2007 TV: Premiere Week, Monday

Hey folks. Good TV last night. I thought The Simpsons was sharper and funnier than it's been in a long time; Colbert was great, and the opening credits revision to reflect the aftermath of The Simpsons Movie was brilliant. King of the Hill also kicked ass; loved seeing Hank and crew's devotion to what I guess will forcibly become my second favorite college football team when I finally move to Austin. Hook 'em Horns! "Second favorite" because not even threat of torture (or Texas) can ever challenge my allegiance to the California Golden Bears. Who, by the way, are ranked #6 in the nation this week; Texas is #7. Go Cal!!!

And I really enjoyed the Family Guy Star Wars spoof. Especially the argument at the end between Peter and Chris, over the fact that Robot Chicken beat Family Guy by devoting a full episode to a Star Wars spoof several months ago. Chris, of course, is voiced by Seth Green, creator of Robot Chicken. It wouldn't be Family Guy, though, if several of the gags didn't go on for too long; that bit with the couch was endless. That's the Family Guy philosophy: if you don't laugh during the first minute of the joke, maybe you'll be worn down enough to laugh during the second minute.

Anywho, let's take a look at what we've got coming at us tonight, Monday of Premiere Week.

CBS gives us the return of How I Met Your Mother, which, honestly, I'm looking forward to even more than the return of Heroes. Love this show. It's got a couple big name guest stars, Mandy Moore and Enrique Iglesias, which is the kind of stunt casting I'm usually wary of. Iglesias really troubles me, but at least I know from past experience (Scrubs, Entourage, American Dreamz) that Moore is a fine and funny actress. The hell with those people, anyway, I just want to hear Barney finish the "legen-" he left hanging at the end of last season.

Next up is The Big Bang Theory, which I'm hoping isn't nearly as horrible as the commercials have been making it look. But I ain't betting money on it. The season premieres of Two and a Half Men and Rules of Engagement are next, and if there's a better sign of the sorry state of TV comedy than the fact that the awful Rules has not merely survived to a second season, it's thriving, I don't know what it is. And finally -- hey, CSI: Miami has now been on the air for six years! Isn't that sad?

ABC has 90 minute episodes of both Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor. Thanks for making things so easy for me, ABC.

NBC offers the new show Chuck, which I've already noted is one of the few newbies I'm still looking forward to. Hope it doesn't let me down too badly. As mentioned above, the other exciting return for me this night is Heroes, beginning its second season. Let's see if they've figured out how to avoid that Lost-style sophomore slump. And wrapping up the evening is the new Journeyman, which I am willing to like, but it's going to have to do better than what I've seen of it so far.

The CW is all repeats. Thanks for making things so easy for me, The CW! Not that I would've watched your shows even if they were new. No slight meant to Everybody Hates Chris, a good show I never really have the chance (nor, if I'm being honest, the desire) to watch.

Fox offers new episodes of Prison Break and K-Ville. And, following up on my post about that obnoxious Back To You promo, I've now noticed a promo for K-Ville which proclaims it the "#1 New Drama." God DAMN you, Fox, there is only one other new drama that has debuted so far, and it was the thrice-damned Gossip Girl. Wow, you placed in the top half out of a field of two!!! Whoopty-doo. And the other show is on The CW. Beating The CW is nothing to be proud of.

Idiots.

Expect reviews of Chuck, The Big Bang Theory, and Journeyman by Tuesday. (Maybe.)