How I'll waste my fall

A couple of weeks ago, I was obsessively checking TV Tattle like an expectant father. The reason? The nation's TV critics were gathered in Pasadena for the fall TV Press Tour, in which the networks talked up their new fall lineups and previewed what was going to happen on returning shows. The tour sounds blissfully fun to me -- one of the things I regret never getting to attend in my last job, like Sundance or SXSW.

Even without being there, the tour (at least, the accounts from the tour) gave me a pretty good idea of how I'll schedule my TV watching beginning this month. Some shows, like 24 and American Idol, won't return until January, throwing the rest of Fox's schedule into flux at the same time.

Here's basically what I'll be watching -- or trying to watch -- in pretty much the order of importance. If I have to be out of the house on any night, I only have 2 VCRs, so only the top 2 shows are likely to be taped.

My gods, I need a life.

Sunday:

• 7 p.m.: The Amazing Race 10 (CBS) -- Even after the disastrous "Family Edition" two rounds back and the high annoyance factor of last season, I'm still hooked on this show. As is my sister, so I've got to tape it regardless. (Premieres 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17)
• 7 p.m.: The Simpsons (Fox) -- I'm still a fan, even though I ended up missing most of last season for one reason or another. I'm glad it's still there when I want to watch it, though. (Premieres Sept. 10)
• 8 p.m.: Desperate Housewives (ABC) -- Yes, the second season was absolutely dreadful, but I have hopes that this go-round will be better, thanks to greater influence by series creator Marc Cherry, a renewed commitment to showing the central quartet interacting together, and a better thought-out central mystery. We'll see. (Premieres Sept. 24)
• 8 p.m.: Cold Case (CBS) -- Hopefully, I'll be able to tape this more regularly this season, especially given that I'll be taping TAR anyway. It's one of the best crime procedurals on TV, along with its new lead-out (see below). (Premieres Sept. 24)
• 9 p.m.: Brothers and Sisters (ABC) -- Possibly a standard-issue family drama, but the cast (Calista Flockheart, Rachel Griffiths, Sally Field, Balthazar Getty, Ron Rifkin) holds great promise. I may not even hold it against the producers for kicking Betty Buckley out in favor of Field. (Premieres Sept. 24)
• 9 p.m.: Without a Trace (CBS) -- As alluded to two shows earlier, this is one of the best crime shows on TV. After performing so strongly against ER, it was moved. Hopefully, that won't hurt it much. (Premieres Sept. 24)

Monday:

• 7 p.m.: Prison Break (Fox) -- This one got a little hit-and-miss for me toward the end of last season, but now that they're out (and filming in Dallas), I hope the plot contrivances slow down a bit. (Premieres Aug. 21)
• 7 p.m.: The Class (CBS) -- The commercials don't look to promising, and it's astounding how very, very white the reuniting members of this 3rd grade class are, but I'm a fan of Jason Ritter, so I'll at least give it a shot. (Premieres Sept. 18)
• 7:30 p.m.: How I Met Your Mother (CBS) -- One of a handful of sitcoms I bother with anymore, but a great one. I missed the season finale, but as I understand it Lily (Alyson Hannigan) and Marshall (Jason Segal) are on the outs, Ted (Josh Radnor) and Robin (Cobie Smulders) are giving it a go and Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) is still Barney. Incredible potential here for a lasting hit. (Premieres Sept. 18)
• 8 p.m.: Heroes (NBC) -- Random people across the globe start developing superpowers in yet another serialized drama -- the one I most look forward to watching this year. It boasts the creative input of great comic book creators Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, which only makes it more promising. (Premieres Sept. 25)
• 8 p.m.: Vanished (Fox) -- One of a couple of kidnapped-themed shows, but this one turns on an ages-old conspiracy. Might be interesing, might be pure crap. (Premieres Aug. 21)
• 8 p.m.: Runaway (CW) -- Mark Wahlberg stars as the head of a family on the run. Sounds similar to the film Running on Empty, which makes it worth checking out, at least. Even if it is in the timeslot were Everwood should be. (Premieres Sept. 25)
• 8:30 p.m.: The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS) -- Worth catching every once in a while, thanks to Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and a returning, recurring Wanda Sykes, but not a necessity. (Premieres Sept. 18)
• 9 p.m.: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (NBC) -- The new drama I'm most looking forward to in the fall, thanks to the involvment of creators Aaron Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme, and cast members Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford, Amanda Peet and more. It's one of two backstage looks at a Saturday Night Live-type show on NBC this fall, but it also looks to be in the vein of Sorkin's late, lamented Sports Night. I'll write more on this one after watching the pilot, which I'll be getting from Netflix in a few days. (Premieres Sept. 18)
• 9 p.m. What About Brian (ABC) -- This series, a surprise pick-up from last season, showed mostly unmet promise, but I'll give it another shot -- but only if it means I don't have to miss Studio 60. (Premieres Oct. 9)

Tuesday:

• 7 p.m.: Dancing with the Stars (ABC) -- I still think this belongs more during the summer, but no matter. I'll be watching it regardless, hoping they can find someone as engaging as Lisa Rinna this season. (Premieres Sept. 12)
• 7 p.m. Gilmore Girls (CW) -- Creator Amy Sherman-Palladino is gone, which could mean bad things for this show's distinctive voice. But I'm still hooked on the characters, even when they do crappy things like they did, oh, most of last season. (Premieres Sept. 26)
• 7 p.m.: Friday Night Lights (NBC) -- Loved the book, really liked the movie, really not sure about how the TV version is going to work. Kyle Chandler's a good actor, but not half as interesting as Billy Bob Thornton. Still, definitely to be checked out. (Premieres Oct. 3)
• 7 p.m.: Standoff (Fox) --Looks mildly interesting, especially with Ron Livingston and Gina Torres, but doubt it'll compete for me in this heavily weighted slot. Still, it's supposed to move to 7 p.m. Mondays in January, so maybe then. (Premieres Sept. 5)
• 8 p.m.: Veronica Mars (CW) -- My No. 1 most anticipated return. If you're not watching this hysterical but hard-bitten drama about a kick-ass P.I. who just happens to be a blonde chick who just got out of high school, I honestly don't know why we're friends. (Premieres Oct. 3)
• 8 p.m.: House (Fox) -- One of the best procedurals out there, thanks to the phenomenal Hugh Laurie. (Premieres Sept. 5)
• 8 p.m.: The Knights of Prosperity (ABC) -- Like Ugly Betty (see below), I liked the original title of this a lot better -- Let's Rob Mick Jagger. Still, Donal Logue leads an impressive cast in a fun-sounding series about some blokes trying to rob, yeah, Mick Jagger (who appears occasionally as himself). (Premieres Oct. 17)
• 9 p.m.: Smith (CBS) -- Boring title, but interesting concept: A regular-joe businessman has a secret life as a master criminal. Better yet is the cast -- Ray Liotta, Virginia Madsen, Simon Baker. I'll give it a shot. (Premieres Sept. 19)

Wednesday:

• 7 p.m.: America's Next Top Model (CW) -- The newly combined WB and UPN kicks things off with the regular season's best reality show, barring any writers' strike-related difficulties. I still miss Janice Dickerson, but the casting department never strikes out. (Premieres Sept. 20)
• 7 p.m.: Jericho (CBS) -- One of a host of promising-looking serialized dramas this year. This one stars Skeet Ulrich, Gerald McRaney and more as residents of a small Kansas town that appears to be the the sole surviving city after America is hit by a nuclear attack. The timeslot feels wrong for this type of show, and genre fans may be burned out, so I don't actually expect this one to last a full season. Should be interesting while it lasts, though. (Premieres Sept. 20)
• 7 p.m.: Dancing with the Stars (ABC) -- Results show. I'll be taping it so I don't have to watch all the filler. (Premieres Sept. 13)
• 7 p.m.: Bones (Fox) -- I really like this show, especially the chemistry between Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz, but I never have time to watch it. Looks like that won't change this season, either. (Premieres Aug. 30)
• 7 p.m.: Twenty Good Years (NBC) -- John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor should make this one worth checking out, but I don't have very high hopes for it. A quick death would open up space for Scrubs, so I'm hoping this one doesn't even last 20 weeks. (Premieres Oct. 4)
• 7:30 p.m.: 30 Rock (NBC) -- The Peacock Network's other SNL-inspired show, this one created by and starring Tina Fey. It sounds a bit more like a female-centric update of The Dick Van Dyke Show, actually, which sounds promising -- and Alec Baldwin looks like he's having a ball. Rachel Dratch's involvement worries me, because she generally and inexplicably frightens me. (Premieres Oct. 11)
• 8 p.m.: Lost (ABC) -- I must admit, the staggered airings of new episodes last year sapped a bit of momentum for me, and I'm concerned with the way some characters were disposed of, but this still ranks high on my list of must-sees. I'm pleased to see that the producers will air only six episodes in the fall, reserving the rest for an uninterrupted run later in the season. That should keep the drive going nicely. (Premieres Oct. 4)
• 8 p.m.: Day Break (ABC) -- This show, which takes the place of Lost for 13 weeks, follows the frustrated adventures of a man (Taye Diggs) trapped in a day that keeps starting over. I've had those days before. (Premieres Nov. 15)
• 8 p.m.: Justice (Fox) -- The Practice burned me out on lawyer shows (won't even watch Boston Legal), but this one should be interesting, if only for Victor "Spy Daddy" Garber as a showboating defense attorney. (Premieres Aug. 30)
• 9 p.m.: The Nine (ABC) -- The title characters become entangled in each others' lives after living through a bank robbery. I'm not sure how they'll keep things going, but I'm eager to give it a shot based on its solid buzz. (Premieres Oct. 4)
• 9 p.m.: Kidnapped (NBC) -- Another serialized drama, this one following one kidnapping case over the course of an entire season, and another one-word title that doesn't lend itself to easy recall. I had to look this up, but this one stars Jeremy Sisto, Dana Delaney, Linus Roache, Timothy Hutton and Delroy Lindo. Those are all big plusses, but I wonder if we'll see the resolution of the case. (Premieres Sept. 20)

Thursday:

• 7 p.m.: Survivor: Cook Islands (CBS) -- Yes, I'm still frustrated by this show more than occasionally, but not enough so that I'm about to give up watching it. (Premieres Sept. 14)
• 7 p.m.: My Name Is Earl (NBC) -- Part of the best hour of comedy on TV. A little sporadic last season, but generally, it's killer. (Premieres Sept. 21)
• 7:30 p.m.: The Office (NBC) -- With the death of Arrested Development, this is without a doubt the best sitcom on TV, especially when it's not trying to be funny. The poignancy that underlines every episode is the real selling point. (Premieres Sept. 21)
• 8 p.m.: Grey's Anatomy (ABC) -- The most shocking timeslot change of the season (and the most controversial, to my sister at least), but since CSI fell off my radar a couple of seasons back, it works great for me. (Premieres Sept. 21)
• 8 p.m.: Duets (Fox) -- A mutation of Dancing with the Stars, only with nonsinging celebrities teaming with singers in a karaoke competition. Could be fun, or pure crap like Skating with Celebrities. (Premieres 7 p.m. Aug. 31)
• 9 p.m.: Six Degrees (ABC) --Another show from the great J.J. Abrams, but one I'll definitely need to sample before rendering a judgment. In the show, six people in New York gradually become acquainted through seemingly random events. I don't know how it'll play out, but I love the cast: Hope Davis, Campbell Scott, Erika Christensen and others. (Premieres Sept. 21)

Friday:

• 7 p.m.: Ugly Betty (ABC) -- I like its previous title, Betty the Ugly, a lot better, but I'm still greatly looking forward to this, which deals with a plain Jane surrounded by The Gorgeous Ones. Its star, America Ferrara, seems like a doll, and its telenovela roots give it promise. (Premieres Sept. 22)
• 8 p.m.: Men in Trees (ABC) -- It would be an easy shot to joke about Anne Heche starring as a life coach, and contrary to popular belief, I'm not easy. I actually enjoy Heche's work, so I look forward to seeing what she does with this possibly flimsy concept about a burned-out woman starting a new life in Alaska. (Premieres Sept. 22)
• 9 p.m.: Numb3rs (CBS) -- I'm a committed math-phobe, but this show has grown on me. Enough so that I'll even include that stupid "3" in the middle of the title. (Premieres Sept. 22)

Saturday:

• Not a damn thing. Yay.