…with the TV watching schedule and hopeful early drop outs…Community was actually really good. One of the better first episodes of a comedy I’ve ever seen.  There were several laugh out loud moments and most of the rest was regular funny and enjoyable.  The cast had really good chemistry.  Like the kind of chemistry you expect from a show that’s in its second or third year.  As predicted Chevy Chase was the least interesting aspect to me but it’s now in the Tivo…so somebody else is going to have to drop out…volunteers?

Conundrum.

For whatever reason this Fall, I have a disproportionately high number of shows I’m vaguely to seriously interested in.  And as someone that has whittled her television watching down to 30 Rock, The Office, a handful of HBO shows (usually about two per “season”) and a handful of “good” reality programming (also strangely clocking in at about two per “season”) I’m not sure why I’m so interested in what’s going on via my window to the world this Fall – chock it up to unemployment, contributing to a new TV review blog, or perhaps avoidance of really hard projects that “technically” have no deadline.  Whatever the reason I wanted to highlight what I’m planning to check out.

Modern Family (ABC).  On paper this SO does not look like my show.  But two different previews literally had me laughing out loud (even Adam laughed out loud – which is almost impossible for sitcom television unless your name is 30 Rock, maybe The Office).  So two good previews is proof enough to me that it deserves a shot.

Bored To Death (HBO).  I’m a big Jason Schwartzman fan, so already, before we even get started I’m in.  I loved him in I Heart Huckabees and from the previews, while it is a totally different character, the show seems to have a similar off beat sensibility that I think I’ll enjoy.  I like the idea of an amateur private investigator, and if feels like that concept could have ideas for years and years without getting stale.  I also love the idea of someone that is struggling with writing a book for um…obvious reasons.

Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO).  I’ve always like Curb, despite my general dislike of uncomfortable television, but I’ve somehow fallen off the wagon with Curb.  This year I fully intend to get back on.

The Good Wife (CBS).  I have to admit to personal bias on this – my boyfriend works on this show and so I have a vested interest in it being good and doing well.  That said, I think the show looks good.  I’m a fan of Julianna Margulies and I have it on good authority that the scripts are really good.  I also feel like CBS is doing a great job of promoting this show, and so I feel like they’re pretty committed to it, which makes me slightly less nervous about getting invested in it myself.

Flash Forward (ABC). This show wins the advertising war for me hands down this year.  I am tuning in for that hook alone. The cast looks good,the production values look good, the writing seems good, but it’s the hook my friends, the hook had me at hello.  Just that shot of everyone falling down in the bank all at the same time insured that I would at least tune in for one episode.  We’ll see how it goes from there.  But the concept, while dangerous in terms of running out of steam, is original and fascinating.

Community (NBC).  I’m really on the fence with this one.  I’ll probably give it a chance, if only because of where it falls in the line up, but I haven’t been that wowed by any of the previews.  I really like Joel McHale from E!’s The Soup, but the last time I saw Chevy Chase it was in that terrible Law & Order episode that was loosely (or you know, exactly) based on the “Mel Gibson situation” and I was really unimpressed.  Then again, The Three Amigos was on cable the other day and he was hilarious.  I’ll give it a shot, but call me cruel, with this much already on my tentative viewing schedule I’m not setting my Tivo until I laugh out loud half a dozen times.  I’d love for it to be another must see like The Office, but I’m suspicious it’s going to be a little more must miss like My Name Is Earl.

New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS).  I know this isn’t new.  But I’ve decided this year I’m going to try to watch it.  Every single time I’ve caught an episode in the past, or even just part of one, it’s been funny.  Like, laugh out loud funny.  And I love Julia Louis-Dreyfus, so why aren’t I watching it?  I think mostly cause it’s in a crappy time slot for me, I never remember it’s on, but this is what Tivo is for.  It’s going on the Tivo, I’ll report back if it stays on.

I’m considering trying out Dollhouse (FOX) again since they’ve added Alexis Denisof to the cast, but we’ll see.  I watched about half a dozen episodes last season and just couldn’t get on board, despite my usual love of all things Joss Whedon and the great concept.

I’ve also been kind of vaguely interested in Fringe, but with all this other TV it’s unlikely its got a chance to be added to the schedule.

It would be great if all these shows were awesome, but honestly, it’s a good thing if they don’t all deliver.  I’m already watching or planning to watch Project Runway, Top Chef, The Office, 30 Rock, The Venture Brothers, Big Love, and Flight of the Conchords – and if I’m honest I’m also watching Flipping Out and Rachel Zoe and every episode of HGTV’s House Hunters (long story) that I can get my hands on – so that is A LOT of television for me.  Not to mention I’ve started Netflixing Mad Men so I can catch up with the rest of the world on that one.

Somehow it seems wrong to root for some of these fail though…so I guess instead I’ll try to prepare myself for a lot of couch time. Quite frankly, not a problem. 

*

Okay, so it’s confession time.

When I saw that Daisy, the “loser” from Rock Of Love was getting her own (appropriately titled) show Daisy Of Love I subjected Adam to at least a five minute rant about the downfall of society and more importantly women.  That rant surely included some version of the following “since when is it rewarded (with both money and recognition) to have no real redeeming qualities except sluttiness (and for that matter since when is ‘slut’ a redeeming quality) blah blah blah.”  All said while standing on my soapbox and making the world safe for sanity again.

Who knew I could be so wrong (and/or would fall so far from my soap box-y pedestal)?

Because while in a way Daisy’s show is just as bad as all the other dating reality shows that masquerade as being about love, but are really just about trying to outwit or out wait a handful of other morons for a cash prize, but in another way it’s kind of a good show.

And I think I’ve figured out why…let me break it down for you all scientific like.

1.  Despite the fact that Daisy is actually hard to look at (honey – please stop bleaching that broken hair and get a new weave while you’re at it; learn the roles about removing at least one accessory – or 12 – before you leave the house; and stop whatever botox shit you’re doing to your face/lips) she’s actually pretty likable and entertaining.  She’s certainly no rocket scientist, but she’s kinda sweet. It’s like she’s aware she’s not too smart and that in many ways she’s a parody of herself, but she just kinda shrugs her shoulders and goes, “well, this is what I got…so here we go.” There’s something honest and almost endearing about it.  Yes, I can’t believe I wrote that either.

2.  Additionally, unlike Bret Michaels and New York, who are clearly in it for the money (and fame) and are supremely unlikeable to boot, and Flava Flav who is supremely likeable but hard to take seriously, I believe that Daisy IS actually looking for love.  I doubt she’s stupid enough to think she’d find real love on TV, but to her surprise I think (and the viewers) she has a legitimate connection with at least one of the dudes and it’s kind of refreshing to watch.

3.  In shows like this, you spend more time with the contestants than the “star” and I have to admit that I’m finding Daisy’s dudes far more palatable than the usual skank fest that happens on Rock of Love and Flava (sorry to sell you out ladies – I recognize I’m a traitor if it’s any consolation).  But on the feminist side of things (yeah, I know feminism anywhere near this post is a stretch) there’s very little female objectification going on with Daisy’s show because she’s the only woman.  Instead it’s all about male objectification, which I don’t like to encourage as it’s just as wrong on some level, but considering how rare it is in comparision, there’s something almost progressive about it.  Like I said, progressive and feminism are a stretch in this post…but stay with me.

4.  Daisy has ended up a with a strange mixture of freaks and the meatheads that probably beat them up in high school which adds an extra fun element to watching them interact. Despite that strange mix though there are less unwarranted betrayals, conniving, and backstabbing than the shows stacked with female contestants.  Don’t get me wrong there’s still tons of drama (both manufactured and genuine) but it’s generally less gross than watching what the women contestants say and do to one another.  It’s also WAY more fun to watch these self proclaimed rock star badasses and tough guys crumble like little babies in the confessional after getting dumped by Daisy – it’s waterworks and blubbering oh my!

5.  Lastly, unlike the unlikely pairings that resulted from Flava of Love and Rock of Love (I have no idea who ended up with the horror show that is New York) I could actually see Daisy with a guy or two from this show.  I’m sure it won’t work out that way as we all know real life has nothing to do with reality TV (there’s only one successful TV pairing ever, right?) but you really can see her falling for a guy on here (if you’re watching the show it’s obvious who) and legitimately trying to date him after the show.  And so it’s nice to see something at least CLOSER to real on reality TV for once.

So, now that I, a self-proclaimed hater of the majority of reality TV, has confessed to loving one of the worst kind of reality shows out there, I hope I’ll be able to sleep at night.

* Sadly of note is that this picture is the only non-exploitative, non over the top non naked/ridiculous picture I could find of Daisy in about nine pages of google web search.  This does not bode well for my liking of this show…but I guess I knew that already. On the plus side, she kind of looks like she’s doing an impression of a Chimp…hanging from the bars of her cage…which is sorta cool.