I delayed writing about this fall's crop of new shows, mostly because this season's premieres have been so sporadic. But finally, with Thursday's premiere of 30 Rock,"" just about the entire fall schedule will be set up for your viewing pleasure.
So how have the new shows been faring? Well, for the most part, they're doing terribly. But it's still early, and who's to say there's no such thing as a first-season slump? After last season's writers' strike and with election and World Series coverage to distract us, the networks are hoping we will be a little forgiving until TV Land goes back to normal. So here's how this season's rookies have been shaping up.
NBC's new comedy ""Kath & Kim"" continues the trend of international shows adapting for America. Molly Shannon and Selma Blair make a pretty fierce comedic duo in the American version of the Australian hit, and the ratings so far have been good.
The question is, can there be too much of a good thing? Even if ""Kath and Kim"" generate moderate success, it will still most likely be overshadowed by NBC's premier comedies, ""The Office"" and ""30 Rock."" For even better international comedies, check out the U.K.'s ""Little Britain USA"" and ""Gavin and Stacey"" on HBO and BBC America, respectively.
The CW's ""90210"" has been pretty awful. Fans of the original will be disappointed, and it's nothing new for those who didn't watch the series in the '90s. Same goes for ""Privileged."" Please do not watch that show. If we keep watching lifestyles of the rich, hot and brainless, they will keep making these god-awful programs. ""Gossip Girl"" is fine, but I still await the day in which television natural selection fills the networks and weeds out the likes of Lauren Conrad and Lo Boswhatever from ""The Hills"" forever.
The jury's still out on ""Fringe,"" which has probably generated the most buzz out of any new show this season. Promo lines like ""From the mind of J.J. Abrams"" likely had everyone peeing their pants waiting for another ""Lost""-type success, but ""Fringe"" is looking more like a serialized ""X-Files."" After a rough start, ratings have been up for ""Fringe,"" making it this season's only solid network success.
""True Blood,"" HBO and Alan Ball's brainchild based on Charlaine Harris' novels about vampires in the South, is one of bigger disappointments of the season, not because it's particularly bad but because it has yet to reach ""Six Feet Under"" expectations. This is silly because nothing will ever reach those expectations; ""Six Feet Under"" is the best TV show to happen to the world. So the consensus is to keep watching and see where it goes. HBO ordered a second season, despite mixed reviews, so it may stand a chance. But if by the end of the season we're still wondering where it's going, like HBO's other recent bomb, ""John From Cincinnati,"" ""True Blood"" won't last long.
""Eleventh Hour,"" ""Do Not Disturb"" (cancelled) and ""Knight Rider"" (renewed for a full season despite mediocre ratings) are all doing relatively poorly, both critically and ratings-wise. ""Life on Mars"" has had modest success, recently coming in third behind ABC's most popular shows ""Ugly Betty"" and ""Grey's Anatomy,"" and may find a more permanent place on the schedule. So watch on, as long as it's not ""Privileged."" And go Tampa Bay!
If you hold a great amount of contempt toward Lauren Conrad and ""90210"" haters or are rich, hot and brainless, tell Ali you want to be her friend and e-mail her at rothchild@wisc.edu.
