Fall Frency II

As I wrote in my previous post, the month of September saw me scrambling to secure downloaded copies of US TV show season premieres. I checked out 10 new programs, plus 9 of my old favorites that came back for a fresh season. Below is a quick look at each of these returning shows.

"How I Met Your Mother" (Mondays @ 8PM on CBS) is my favorite comedy right now. If you are a fan of "Friends", you would easily warm up to this series and its 5 lead characters. The  whole premise of the show is set in  the year 2030, where lead character Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) narrates to his children how he met their mother. Thus, the title. Each episode recounts these events in flashback. The show is now on its 5th season and loyal viewers still have no idea who the mother is.

"Heroes" (Mondays @ 8PM on NBC) is a science fiction drama that was much compared to X-Men when it first came out. This is not surprising since they both have the same elements - superhuman abilities, good vs. evil, and graphic novel-like stroytelling. The success of "Heroes" is propped by its multimedia campaign. An  extension of the show exists as "Heroes Evolutions" on the internet. Go check it out!

"America's Next Top Model" (Wednesdays @ 8PM on CW) is a modeling reality show which is hosted and produced by supermodel Tyra Banks. Cycle 13 is particularly special because this is the petite model edition, which means all contestants are 5'7" and below. This is also the same cycle where a lot of girls were hurt during a stampede at the New York auditions.

"Fringe" (Thursdays @ 9PM on Fox) follows FBI special agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), mad scientist Walter Bishop (John Noble), his son Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson of Dawson' Creek fame), and their team from FBI Fringe Division in Boston. Together, they investigate unexplained events which is part of "The Pattern". This series is said to be a geek's delight, with fans engaging in episode "mini-games" like "Spot the Observer" and "Break the Glyph Code".

"Grey's Anatomy" (Thursdays @ 9PM on ABC) is a multi-awarded medical drama that remains to be one of the most watched primetime shows on US television. However, the show lost some of its viewers last season  and the 2-hour Season 6 premiere was lackluster. Perhaps this was due to the numerous spoilers that spread on the internet about the death of George O'Malley (T.R. Knight).

"Private Practice"  (Thursdays @ 10PM on ABC) is a spin-off of  "Grey's Anatomy". It stars Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery, the ex-wife of Seattle Grace Hospital's Dr. Derek Shepherd. The series follows Addison as she leaves Seattle and heads to sunny Los Angeles to join a private practice. Fans of both "Private Practice" and "Grey's Anatomy" enjoyed multi-episode crossovers during the first two seasons. I myself look forward to these crossovers.

"The Mentalist" (Thursdays @ 10PM on CBS) stars Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, a "psychic medium" who serves as an independent consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Simon Baker received an Emmy nomination for his role. This series averaged 17 million viewers during its premiere season. It also stars Robin Tunney as Teresa "the boss" Lisbon.

"Project Runway" (Thursdays @ 10PM on Lifetime) is a reality show which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum. I only started watching this show during the season break. I downloaded and watched Season 5 and I was instantly hooked. Season 6 started ahead of all the other shows on August 20.

"Brothers & Sisters" (Sundays @ 10PM on CBS) is a family drama which focuses on the Walker family. The talented cast includes Sally Field, Calista Flockhart, Balthazar Getty,  Rob Lowe, Patricia Wettig, and my favorite, Matthew Rhys. The Walkers are much like the Kennedys and watching the show makes me want to become part of the family.

My other comedy favorite, multi-awarded comedy series "30 Rock", will premiere its 4th season on October 15 @ 9:30PM on NBC.