It’s officially fall TV time! The fifteenth cycle of America’s Next Top Model starts tonight, and my other favorite shows will be premiering soon. So let’s take a little look at what’s in store this fall.
America’s Next Top Model (September 8)
ANTM premieres tonight, and though I’m disappointed that it will soon conflict with Survivor (Survivor will win out – I’ll have to record ANTM and watch it later), I’m still looking forward to the show. It can get boring, but judging really tall, thin, gorgeous people while sitting on my couch eating popcorn is still one of my favorite pastimes. Plus, Model is getting a makeover this season. EW.com reports that ANTM has a new partnership with Italian Vogue and has recruited some guest judges whose names actually mean something in the fashion industry. Think Diane von Furstenburg, Zac Posen and Roberto Cavalli instead of Whitney Port, Lauren Conrad and Kim Kardashian. What do you think, will the change work? Are you going to watch?
Parenthood (September 14)
I love Parenthood. Love it. I can’t say I’m super psyched for Billy Baldwin to appear in the second season, but I am psyched to find out what will happen to the Braverman clan next. Will Crosby, Jasmine and Jabbar move back to California? Will Zeek and Camille get back together? Will Sarah get her act together? I can’t wait to find out.
Survivor (September 15)
“NOWonWED” is the slogan for this season, because it’s now on Wednesdays. Not pleased. Not pleased at all. But, I’m trying to move on and look forward to this season. The cast has been announced, and though I couldn’t care less about that football dude Jimmy Johnson, I am intrigued by the decision to separate tribes by age. This will affect my selections for the Survivor pool (something I have never won, and will not rest until I do) and I’m not sure what to do. Will the younger tribe dominate because of strength and energy? Or will the older tribe dominate because of cooperation and hard work? It’s hard to say.
The Apprentice (September 16)
Oh, Donald Trump. Only he would find a way to profit from the economic slump in the US. Have you seen the commercials for this season of The Apprentice? It’s all “second chances” and “nothing is more American than a comeback”. Nothing is more American than profiting off sadness and desperation! This is the first non-celebrity version of The Apprentice in a while, and I’m not sure if I’m going to watch. The idea that every contestant lost his or her job because of the bad economy is interesting (especially because The Trumpster is no stranger to economic slumps), but I’m not sure I can sit through two hours of this show every week without wacky hi-jinks from the likes of Cyndi Lauper or Dennis Rodman.
Chuck (September 20)
This is a show I got into over the summer, and I’m so happy to be caught up in time for the fourth season. Chuck’s new mission is to track down his missing mom, and there has been a lot of buzz over the summer over who will play her. It was finally announced at Comic-Con that Linda Hamilton (Sarah Connor from The Terminator) would play the part. Nerds everywhere rejoiced. I’m also excited to see how the dynamic of Chuck’s life will change now that he’s “out” as a spy.
How I Met Your Mother (September 20)
Why does this have to be on against Chuck? Why is life so unfair? There has been a ton of buzz about HIMYM this summer, and I’m REALLY excited for the show to return. It’s been described as “a third act” in the series, and we’ve essentially been promised that it will be better than the most recent, very weak season. There will be a wedding in the first episode (Ted? I think so – Rachel Bilson is guest starring, and we know she’s the mom’s roommate) and Nicole Scherzinger will guest star as Jessica Glitter, the co-host of Robin Sparkles’ Canadian variety show. Can it get any better?
Glee (September 21)
I am hugely excited for this show to return. I mean, have you seen this preview?
There is SO MUCH to be excited about. Finn and Rachel together. Kurt getting a boyfriend. A new nemesis for Sue Sylvester. Charice as competition for Rachel Berry. John Stamos. Regionals in New York. Britney Spears guest starring in an episode all about my favorite character, Brittany. And new music! So much new music!
Modern Family (September 22)
I cannot believe I wasn’t watching this show last season. People told me it was funny, but someone should have forced me to watch it. What an pop culture fail on my part! So, I caught up this summer. Actually, that’s a bit of a lie. I caught up last weekend. There was a hurricane, so I watched about 10 episodes in a row on my laptop and was hooked. I finished the season last night (it’s easy to catch up on – there are 24 episodes but they’re only 20 minutes long) and now I can’t wait for the second season to begin. My favorite characters and Mitch and Cam, Gloria, Manny and Alex. OK, that’s like half the cast. And Phil is pretty funny. And…OK, you get it. The cast is hilarious, the show is hilarious, and I can’t wait to see more. And, I’ll be writing about the show for my DVD Flashback Friday this week.
The Office (September 23)
Steve Carell’s last season. I’m going to be sad. I’ve gone through my ups and downs with The Office, the same as I do with any show that’s been on for so many years. It’s gone through slumps, but it’s still one of my favorite comedies. Steve Carell has said he wants Michael Scott’s exit to be quiet and mundane, but the media surrounding his departure has been anything but. When it comes to who the new boss will be people have been throwing names around like tantrums at a daycare. I’m sure I’ll still watch The Office after Carell’s exit, but I don’t think anyone will be able to fill his shoes.
Grey’s Anatomy (September 23)
Rebirth. Healing. Hope. The themes for this season of Grey’s Anatomy have been made clear in the show’s posters. My interest in Grey’s had been waning over the past couple seasons, but they sucked my back in with that gripping season finale. This season will hopefully keep up that momentum – there’s certainly a lot to deal with. Mer and Der have to deal with their trauma, and there will be a big change for Cristina and Owen.
The Big Bang Theory (September 23)
I’m pretty bummed that this show has been separated from How I Met Your Mother, but them’s the breaks. I’m pretty excited for Sheldon’s nemesis Will Wheaton to make a reappearance, and I’m so into the blossoming (ha! get it?) romance between Sheldon and Amy Farrah (Mayim Bialik) that I don’t really care what happens between Penny and Leonard.
The Amazing Race (September 24)
I hope I don’t jinx it, but I really hope this is the year and all-female team wins The Amazing Race. The contestants have been announced, and four of the eleven teams are all-female. Andie and Jenna are a birth mother and biological daughter. They just met, so that could be a liability. Brook and Claire are best friends and are both Home Shopping Network hosts. They’re young, but don’t seem very athletic. Katie and Rachel could be a good team. They’re best friends and are both beach volleyball players. They’re very young, but very athletic and are used to working together as a team. On paper, they’re the strongest all-female team. Nat & Kat, who are friends and doctors, could also do well. They’re both in their thirties – young enough to keep up but old enough to run a smart, calm race. Other teams include three young couples, friends/Ivy League a cappella singers, a father/daughter team, a father/son team, and a team of male 40-something best friends. I like the number of parent/child teams, but I’m surprised there aren’t any married couples or elderly people this year. Still, I’m very much looking forward to the show. Will this be the year for the women?
Dexter (September 26)
Nothing made me wish I’d been at Comic-Con more than seeing the trailer for the upcoming season of Dexter. Seriously guys, it looks so good. Dexter has some heavy issues to deal with, and it should have an impact on his professional life, his relationship with Deborah, his relationships with his children, and his “extra-curricular” work. Will he get blamed for Rita’s death? People will certainly be looking at him. And I know I can’t be the only one who’s looking forward to Julia Stiles’ guest role this season.
So what did I miss? Which returning shows are you most excited about? And are there any new shows that you’re looking forward to?
