Three Weeks In

Three weeks into the new TV season, and what are our preliminary impressions?

How I Met Your Mother
This season has felt a little slow so far, with the show not quite as sharp as it's been, and, while we are only four episodes in, there''s been a little too much "Ted's and Robin's wacky dating escapades." And giving us a tease about the mother (we know now she will sport a yellow umbrella), while nice, is going to start coming across as just mean if they don't follow through with it soon. All that said, it's still solid and reliable and easily worth the 22 minutes.

Two and a Half Men
Still not breaking ground, still makes me laugh out loud. Not asking for more, really. and, so far, they are doing a nice job of acknowledging the kid's advancing age and decreasing naivete without being obnoxious about it.

Aliens in America
Liked the first two episodes, but I'm not sure how much I'll watch. It's very Everybody Hates Chris-like in that regard; I like the show but never make time for it.

Heroes
Considering giving up on. I only got around to finishing season one a few weeks ago, and am already behind an episode now. As much as I like parts of the show, it just doesn't coalesce as a whole very well, and the wheel-spinning they have going on right now is getting very visible.

Chuck
Ti-Fauxed four episodes and haven't watched a one.

Reaper
Loved the pilot, liked the second ep fine, and haven't watched the third yet. This is a show the kind of fantasy-sci-fi-laden show the wife has no use for, so not sure how much I'll really continue with, especially if reports keep showing it as formulaic.

Pushing Daisies
Lovely. It's got a pretty wonderful tone going on - not at all serious, and yet just serious enough. The coy and precious elements don't bother me at all, especially given how consistent the show is, tonally. And Kristen Chenowith is wonderful as the pining-away pie shop waitress. Given the central conceit impacting the two main characters (they can't touch), I have to wonder if long-term plans have Chenowith and the Pie Maker getting together down the line.

Back to You
Seen two episodes. A decent show, but not worth obsessing over.

My Name Is Earl
The prison conceit was inspired; Earl continues to make me laugh more than most shows can. I'm very curious as to how long they'll keep him in jail; given how well they have handled it so far I would not be surprised if he stays in all season.

The Office
The hour-longs are too long, not to mention the garishness of the very visible seams showing where they have stitched two relatively stand-alone episodes together. And they keep verging on making Michael too cartoonish. And yet so much is still so right - from the empty odiousness of Ryan the boss (I have to wonder if they are setting him up for a big fall or if they will go the "life sucks" route and have him succeed despite his arrogance and lack of skill) to the sweetness and simpleness of Jim and Pam as a couple to the deepening of Dwight through his breakup with Angela.

30 Rock
A delight. The most hysterical laughter I have experienced in years (literally years) came during last week's episode - "She said my vanity plate was inscrutable! 'ICU81MI" - 'I see you ate one. Am I?'"

The Simpsons
As tired and worn out as the show is plotwise (I've said it before, but wouldn't it be great if they ages the characters? Wouldn't it open up new plots for them?), they still can deliver funny, funny stuff week in and out. It's not the genius it was ten years ago, but it's still damn funny.

Until Whenever