fall TV

I’m a fan of fall. Some people don’t like to see the end of summer fun and warm temperatures, but I’m not much of a shorts/swimsuit girl, and anything over 70 degrees is too hot for me. So I love the cooler days, even the first few mornings and evenings with a nip in the air, requiring that long-forgotten blanket or afghan. I love the colors in the trees, the start of football season, cozy sweaters, and Brach’s mellocreme pumpkins (just about anything pumpkin, actually, and this is the one time of the year when pumpkin-flavored goodies are plentiful).

But one of my favorite things about fall is the new TV season. I’ve sometimes compared it to dating. Suitors will be knocking at the door, some new and some already old acquaintances. Many of the new arrivals will not go past the first date -- sometimes the first 15 minutes of that date. Some will require a second and maybe a third date before deciding whether to commit. Others are a case of love at first sight and hopefully the beginning of a long, satisfying relationship. But as a rule, I try not to fall too hard too fast. The ratings gods can be cruel, yanking away what seems like a perfect match without warning.

My routine with sitcoms is to give one a full half-hour: If I don’t laugh, chuckle, or even grin--or worse, if I’m offended or bored--it’s gone. If I find any of the show amusing, if something surprises me, or one of the characters is particularly interesting, I’ll give it another shot. Comedy is so subjective that it’s often hard to tell from just one episode if it’s something I’ll like.

I’ll usually watch a drama at least once. I’m less likely to give a drama a second or third try, just because it’s more of a time commitment. An hour is generally plenty of time to get an idea of the characters, pacing, and general quality. I look for an immediate hook--an opening that has me impatiently waiting through the first commercial break; an interesting or unusual premise; realistic dialogue and some glimmers of humor even in the grimmest crime drama; and characters I want to spend time with, whether or not I find all of them likable. I particularly like strong female characters, and I’ll admit that a good-looking male lead will keep me interested. But ultimately, if the writing isn’t there, even a McStudly won’t bring me back.

I watch very few reality/competition shows. The ones I like are ones where the competitors have specific skills and a passion for what they’re doing, such as Top Chef or Project Runway. I’ll very rarely check out a new reality show, but the same criteria apply: Do I care about any of these people? Does each commercial break leave me anxious to get back to the action? Can I find someone in the group to root for?

So for the next couple of weeks, love may come along with each new click of the remote. Will I find a new obsession or end up watching disks from my Netflix queue? Who knows? I’ll be providing some reviews and thoughts here, so stay tuned!

LH