Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Program

Let's start with an easy television primer. I'll start with Sunday night and work my through the week. I'll try to only pick one show (and one backup - you know, in case of reruns) per day (no guarantees though).

Sundays: Desperate Housewives - This show is infectious. It started really strong and is only getting better. Granted it's all women and that might turn some people off a little (Why? You might ask. I have no idea).

(Arrested Development is worth your time as well though. Jason Bateman returns to television. That is the good part. If you also like Jeffrey Tambor (twice), David Cross and a host of other either really funny or totally annoying characters, well, that'd be another good part. For me it's the bad part.)

Mondays: Las Vegas - This show is like candy for the eyes and mind. Nikki Cox anyone? I thought so. Molly Sims? Check too. And for the girls it's got Josh Duhamel (you know, that guy from Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!). And for all the guy's guys James Caan plays the casino boss. And with more star cameos than you can realistically expect to see in an entire season of television programming this show delivers a fun watch.

(The new Chuck Lorre (Dharma & Greg) comedy 2 And A Half Men is really good too. John Cryer is back and he's playing the straight man to Charlie Sheen. It took me a while to really start laughing at this show but now I do regularly.)

Tuesdays: Gilmore Girls - This show has had a few rough spots (the reading tree?) but as far as solid casts and solid writing go, I pick this for consistently being the best show on television.

(But Veronica Mars runs a very close second and is probably my favorite new show of the season. I'm also a sucker for One Tree Hill if only for the soundtrack but also for the really cute girls. This is the night when I often have to make difficult decisions about what gets taped and what doesn't.)

Wednesdays: Lost - If you're not watching this show, you're missing great television. A plane crashes on a deserted island and 40 something survivors are forced to deal with all its mysteries. And there is a LOT of weird stuff going on.

(I would say Lost narrowly beats out Smallville because it is just that good but everyone knows I love Smallville too. Kristin Kruek is totally hot. And the whole Superman thing is just plain awesome. They squeeze in a lot of foreshadowing and really cool inside jokes as well.)

Thursdays: The O.C. - This one was easy. The most addictive show on television. It's no 90210 but it's good. Peter Gallagher is great too but it's really Adrian Brody that makes the show so great. Rachel Bilson is my favorite girl on television though. She hooked me with the Wonder Woman costume but she really had me at hello.

(I'm starting to really like Joey too though and then, since I can't change the channel with my VCR any longer (damn you cable companies and your stupid little boxes) I can watch E.R. too. And see Linda Cardellini (Freaks and Geeks) and the gang at County General.)

Fridays: Third Watch - I'm not a big cop show fan. I never watched Hill Street Blues, I don't watch NYPD Blue and I can't stand those awful CSI shows but this show keeps me coming back. I'd like to see them get back to their original format of not really focusing on one department (paramedics, police and firefighters) but it's still one of the most watchable shows on television.

(The hard part here is that Fridays also offer some of the best half hour sitcoms of the week. What I Like About You is worth watching if only to see 90210 alum Jenny Garth and I think Grounded For Life with Donal Logue is the funniest comedy on right now. Monk is on Fridays as well. But that's on USA and cable shows don't count toward regular TV watching.)

Saturdays: I don't really tape anything on Saturdays. Big shock I know. But if I did, it'd probably be Cold Case. Mostly because there's nothing else on but also because while it is a police forensics show, being rooted in the past gives it something those other shows lack.

Well, okay. I stuck to my rules (for the most part). And for that I'm happy. I deserve a reward. I think I'll take a nap.

Until next time (where I'll make all new picks, I'm sure), sleep tight.