Reviewing The Week of 9/24

Wow, what week. Lots of stuff premiered. So much, in fact, I was not able to watch it all during the week, and I still have not gotten to Cane, though I am very interested in it. Oh well.
The Simpsons started Sunday and they were right back on the road. The open included a couple of references to the movie, including an appearance of Spider Pig. It was good. Lionel Richie made an appearance. There was a riff on greed being bad. It was a good episode. Just like I like.
Monday saw the beginning of Chuck, the second chance for K-Ville, and the beginning of Journeyman on my calendar. I liked Chuck a lot. I thought the tone was very good. It was kinda light, spy-stuff but not afraid to poke fun at itself. At some point, I was reminded of Ed, which I really liked in the beginning. I think the main guy is funny, though his friend is a bit off. Too dorky, maybe. The NSA guy is appropriate (he was also on Daylight, which got cancelled, Adam Baldwin). The CIA girl is appropriately cliche in the Jennifer Garner on Alias way. And, like I said, the tone is right on. It's not farce, but it's funny. This will stick for my Tivo season.
K-Ville, on theother hand, bid farewell this week. This episode was a lot better, in my opinion, but I felt like they were trying to go dark and didn't earn it. It felt a little bit like The Chief. I liked the idea of the show, I liked Craig T. Nelson, but it always felt a bit hokey. I like Cole Hauser, I like cop shows, but this one just couldn't find the right tone. Oh well.
Journeyman was another good one. It presents a mystery that will go on for a while, it reminds me of Quantum Leap, and I like the lead actor. When we saw Reed Diamond, I was a little worried because he looks a lot like the main character, but then it turns out they are brothers, so that was OK. I like Moon Bloodgood, though it is a bit odd that the last show I saw her in also dealt with weird time things (Daylight). Maybe this one will last longer. I hope so.
Tuesday gave us Cane, which I have not seen yet, Damages, and House. I really like House a lot and I still do, even without Omar Epps. I think Hugh Laurie is especially good, particularly when you realize what he really sounds like. I think his antihero is particularly enjoyable because it often seems to be a bit of an act and he's a softy underneath. I like Robert Sean Leonard and his character is good. I also like Cutty. This show introduced the premise for the first part of the season, that House is going to choose among a gazillion people to hire for his staff. I think it will be good. I'm excited.
Damages was good this week again. Glenn Close got a moment to seriously fall apart and I thought she did it well. Not a lot of Ted Danson survives in my memory until now, but I feel like I can imagine how the next season of this show could still have Rose Byrne in it, which I initially thought would be impossible. This is another winner for my Tivoing.
Wednesday got nothing.
Thursday was a good one, seeing the start of The Office, My Name is Earl, ER, and Grey's Anatomy. I love The Office. I am excited to see the tension with Dwight and Angela. I like Jim and Pam together. Nipple chaffing was very funny. And, of course, Steve Carrell is great. I liked him no less this week.
My Name is Earl was good. Earl is in jail and one of the people in jail was Russell Crowe's #2 from 3:0 to Yuma. He was very funny. And, this show saw too little Eddie Peeples and Jamie Lee Pressley, but it set the bit for the first part of the season with Earl in jail. And, I enjoyed it. I think it is funny that Earl moralizes more than most other TV shows, but I am generally cool with the morals he espouses. I think Jason Lee is good.
ER is an old friend that pretty much can't do anything unforgiveable. This episode was not great, but it was fine. It filled the typical spot. I think we are setting up for the show to revolve around Abby. I like Stanley Tucci's character. I am also warming up to Morris. They keep checking in.
Grey's Anatomy was back for another season. I thik I will miss Isaiah Washington, though I won't miss supporting his homophobia by watching a show he is getting paid for. I like Meredith's little sister. I think she will be a good character. I wonder if she will replace Ellen Pompeo at some point. I hope Derek and his old friend get back to being friends. I think that would be a good relationship. I hate Karev's hair. I hope Callie stays on the show, I like her character, though I am a bit worried now that George and Izzy are doing their thing again.
Friday offered up Numb3rs, and I decided to cut it loose. I never thought it was a great show, but I liked David Krumholz and I liked the possibility of hearing some mathematical jargon with which I was familiar. Now, though, it just seems a bit lame. The math connections are being stretched, the tone is shifting to trying to be too badass, it just doesn't work. I don't care about it anymore, so I am cutting it loose.
I still intend to watch Moonlight, but I haven't seen it yet.