Here we are again. For those who haven’t seen my previous TV previews, this is the fifth year I’ve done a write-up of what I think about the coming season – I read all the entertainment press so you don’t have to :)

A couple of notes before I dive in: Right off the bat let’s acknowledge that I watch too much TV (if there can be such a thing). But if that’s the worst thing that can be said about me, so be it.

Let’s be clear that this is not meant to be an objective analysis. These are my opinions, reflecting my taste. While it goes against every fiber of my being to acknowledge, it may be that you won’t like everything I do and that I may dismiss some shows you’ll love. So be it. We’ll go with the Vulcans and embrace IDIC (Infinite Diviersity in Infinite Combinations), and yes my TV obsession goes back to watching the original Star Trek way back when.

Also before someone asks, I don’t include any pay channels in my write-up and yes it’s true I don’t watch Mad Men.

And finally, you might notice that I haven't posted on this blog since the last TV update - these days I do shorter posts on Facebook - but this topic cries out for the extra space. Now, without further delay, here is what I do watch…

My schedule for the fall season with the premiere dates in parenthesis next to the title and new shows that I'll be sampling in bold.

A google docs PDF or editable spreadsheet

And the image:

The details:

The returning shows I am keeping:

• Archer – animated James Bond meets South Park
• Big Bang Theory – They’re geeks and yes I do identify
• Body of Proof – Yes it’s another procedural, but it has Dana Delany
• Castle – Great cast, fun plots
• Chuck – The end is near, the show that was going to be cancelled after 1 year makes it back for a fifth and final season
• Community – The funniest show you’re not watching
• Desperate Housewives – It’s officially the last season, so come back and say good bye to the women of Wisteria lane
• Fringe – Great characters, unique story
• Glee – The most uneven show on the air, but I still watch for the times they get it right
• The Good Wife – Julianna Margulies moves to Sunday nights this year – set your DVR to record an extra hour for the inevitable football overruns.  What?  You’re not watching one of the best shows on TV?  Well you should be
• Happy Endings – The closest thing to Friends since Friends…  Funny with good characters and no cougars chasing Jack’s daughter (look it up http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Bauer).
• Hawaii 5-0 - They had me last year at “Book em Danno
• How I Met Your Mother – After seven years how can I give up on finding out who she is (for a sign of how long ago this started the daughter is now chasing Nikita over on a different network)
• House – On the fence about sticking with the show, but he is still a great character so we’ll see where they take him this year (after the year he spent in jail)
• The Mentalist – On a network known for their stock characters, he is different
• The Middle – Funny, just really really funny
• Mike & Molly - One of last year’s new shows that made it – not groundbreaking but a sweet funny show about nice people – imagine that!
• Modern Family – See comment for The Middle
• Nikita  - Not sure about the changes resulting from last season’s finale, but I’ll stick with it for now
• Raising Hope – A comedy about real people in some ways (they struggle to pay bills) and unreal in others (raising your child after a one night stand with a serial killer)
• Rules of Engagement – Can’t really defend this show, it just makes me laugh
• South Park – From the guys that brought you Book of Mormon, no wait, they started on this show first.  It may be a little tired some weeks but at its best still the best satire on the air
• Two and a Half Men - Admit it, you’re curious about the post-Sheen version so watch the premier and see what’s going on this season
• Vampire Diaries – One of the great guilty pleasures on the air – just plan fun
• Walking Dead – Zombie Apocalypse…. Enough said

And two returning shows that won’t be back until mid-season

• 30 rock - Scheduled this way to account for Tina Fey’s pregnancy 
• Cougar Town - A very funny show that doesn't get the recognition it deserves, perhaps because it’s still living down its poor name 

My take on some of the new shows (for complete run-downs see the resource section lower down)

First the ones I’ll be sampling:

• 2 broke girls – Smart mouthed Brooklyn waitress and rich girl who’s father gets put in jail and she loses all her money move in together… odd couple meets Laverne and Shirley 
• Grimm – Yes Grimm's Fairy Tales gets a procedural twist with a detective who discovers his destiny is to protect humans from the storybook baddies that have invaded our real world 
• New girl - Zooey Deschanel as a socially awkward gal who moves in with three bachelors after getting dumped by her boyfriend, Remember it’s TV so you have to pretend she is awkward and would have trouble getting a date 
• Once upon a time – More fairy tales! Storybrooke Maine (Maine!), a town frozen in time with fairy-tale figures that have no recollection of their real identities. Interested to see if they can make it work 
• Pan Am – Mad Men in the skies? Have to admit I’m curious plus this is getting good buzz, so on the “to be tried” list 
• Persons of Interest – I for one am very interested (sorry, couldn’t resist). JJ Abrams (LOST, Fringe, Star Trek reboot) and Michael Emerson are working together again. He’s a mysterious billionaire who has created a surveillance program for the government that identifies people who will be involved in a future crime, either as a bad guy OR the victim – get it, they don’t know J 
• Ringer – Buffy is back! Sarah Michelle plays twins Bridget and Siobhan, both very un-Buffy-like. Bridget, a recovering alcoholic, is on the run from some baddies and decides to hide out by taking the identity of her wealthy twin sis, who is thought to be dead. Mayhem ensues… 
• The Secret Circle – Lux is a witch, from the folks who brought you the Vampire Diaries – If that sentence doesn't mean anything to you, don’t watch this show. Me, I’ll be tuning in J 
• Suburgatory – I was going to give this sitcom a pass but critics I respect recommend it so we’ll give it a shot 
• Terra Nova - At long last, the Steven Spielberg-produced dinosaur drama (it was supposed to premier last Spring) about the Shannon family who travels back to prehistoric Earth because the future they live in is so crummy. Don’t worry, they've already explained they won’t change the past because the Earth they go back to is on a different timeline. Phew, I’m relived 
• Hell on wheels (coming in November to AMC so doesn’t appear on the schedule above) – Post civil war building of the transcontinental railroad as a backdrop for a confederate soldier looking for the union soldiers that killed his wife. Given the good things to come out of AMC recently (the final episode of The Killing excluded) may be worth a look

Here are a few of the new show’s I’m staying away from:

• American Horror – From Ryan Murphy, the creator of Glee and perhaps more importantly in this case, Nip/Tuck – a psycho sexual horror show – on my definitely miss list 
• Charlie’s Angels – As important as the original was to my childhood (yes I’m that old, no I did not own “The” poster) I’ll give this reboot a pass 
• Heart of Dixie – A fish out of water NY med student takes over a southern medical practice – I might give it a try if it were a summer series, but nothing compelling about it to force it into my busy schedule 
• How to be a Gentleman – this modern day odd couple snnzzzzzzzzzzzz sorry, fell asleep just talking about it, pass 
• Last man standing - Remember how it was the boys against mom on Home Improvement? Well, now it's the girls against dad. What’s old is new again. Been there, done that 
• Playboy Club – Mad Men at the original Playboy Club – hop away! 
• Whitney - Whitney Cummings (who also co-created 2 Broke Girls) headlines as Whitney (get it? It’s really her name) who tries to rekindle the flame with her beau of five years. All the industry buzz says she is wasted here, watch 2 Broke Girls instead

There are a few new shows that won’t premier until mid-season that I’m already interested

• Good Christian Belles
• Alcatraz
• Apartment 23
• Smash 

As much as I look forward to the new fall schedule we now have the cable channels to take care of the summer, so if you’re curious, here’s what I've been watching the past few months.

• Alphas
• Covert Affairs
• Dr. Who (always and forever)
• Eureka
• Falling Skies
• Leverage
• Necessary Roughness
• Rescue Me
• Rizzoli & Isles
• Royal Pains
• Suits
• Torchwood
• Warehouse 13
• White Collar

And finally, for more information about the shows I've discussed or the ones I've ignored take a look at these resources:

TV Guide - Special on-line section with Lots of helpful stuff – A-Z list of all shows, descriptions of new shows, full week calendar, premier day calendar

TV Line (Fall Preview) - Also, a one page September Premiere Calendar

EW.com (Entertainment Weekly Special Section)

And if that’s not enough

ZAP2IT Fall Preview Section

Television without Pity (they always have the harshest take on what to come, hence their name):

Happy Viewing!