Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? (FOX) 8pm
The FOX game show returns tonight with a two hour episode featuring model Kathy Ireland testing her smarts against the precocious middle-schoolers.

Samurai Girl (ABC Family) 8pm
The mini-series is based on a series of young adult novels by Carrie Asai. The story follows Heaven Kogo, the adopted daughter of a Japanese crime boss, who tries to find her brother’s murderer while uncovering the mysteries of her own past. Parts 1 & 2 of the six part series airs tonight and stars Jamie Chung (Greek, Days of Our Lives) and Brendan Fehr (CSI: Miami, Roswell).

Monk (USA) 9pm
Monk airs its milestone 100th episode tonight. The episode will see the return of a number criminals and characters that Monk has encountered during his career. Guest stars include: Sarah Silverman as Marci Maven, Monk’s obsessive #1 fan, Jon Tuturro as Monk’s severely agoraphobic brother Ambrose Monk, Howie Mandel as former cult leader “Father” Ralph Roberts, and Sharon Lawrence as Capt. Stottlemeyer’s ex-girlfriend Linda Fusco. The latter two are convicted murders that Monk helped capture.

Psych (USA) 10pm
Detective series Psych also returns from its Olympic-induced hiatus tonight. Faux-psychic Shawn and his partner-in-crime solving Gus assist in a case involving a string of robberies connected to a local roller derby.

Stargate Atlantis (SCIFI) 10pm
The SG-1 spinoff keeps trucking along tonight with more intergalactic adventuring. Sorry, this show’s just not my bag, baby. I’m at a loss to explain it’s longevity. But this is the network that saw fit to make us suffer through an entire season of Flash Boredom, er, I mean, Gordon.

So I’m watching the show and I’m thinking that all the personal drama of the various characters kind of overshadows the crime solving. In fact, it’s really much more the focus of the show. I admit, it took me a minute to realize: that’s the point. And therein lies the show’s genius. It is a drama, wrapped in a comedy, inside a procedural. Peel the onion, people.

I loved the writing. The dialog is clever and funny without trying to hard. And all expertly delivered by a cast that has killer chemistry. And we got not one but two mysteries deftly woven together. Again, me likey!

Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan is smart without being an uber-nerd (though the world does need its uber-nerds) and Booth is just obnoxious enough to still be likable, unlike some other FOX characters that shall remain nameless. (*cough* House *cough*) And yes, I’m totally in love with Angela and Hodgins and I demand they be reunited! Eugene Byrd (Crossing Jordan, Night Stalker) was perfection as the straight-laced newbie trying to do his job amidst all the drama. Personally, I think they need to bring him back. His character is a great wink at the audience.

Any downside? Just one little thing, really. The whole will-they-won’t-they thing is kind of cliche. But it was only annoying in a couple of spots and is more or less forgivable considering the high overall entertainment value of the show.

Knight Rider (NBC)
Online premiere: W 9/17/08
Broadcast premiere: W 9/24/08

Lipstick Jungle (NBC)
Online premiere: W 9/17/08
Broadcast premiere: W 9/24/08

Chuck (NBC)
Online premiere: M 9/22/08
Broadcast premiere: M 9/29/08

Life (NBC)
Online premiere: F 9/26/08
Broadcast premiere: F 10/03/08

Let me take this opportunity to beg you to please, please, please, watch Life. It’s one of those shows that had its debut season truncated by the writers’ strike. It is a really good show. The characters are fun, the stories are interesting, and its long-term story arc is intriguing as all get-out. This show really deserves a chance and I really think people should check it out.

America’s Next Top Model (CW) 8pm
Top Model returns tonight with a two-hour premiere. This season marks the first for a show as it will feature a transgendered model. Not sure what stage of the transition our little changling is in but it’s reality TV so I’m sure it’ll all come out. (I mean that figuratively!)

By the by,  reality TV is giving the transgendered a real opportunity to leave their mark on the TV landscape. VH-1 series I Want to Work for Diddy features a transgendered contestant. A season of The Surreal Life also starred Alexis Arquette who is perhaps the most widely recognized transgendered actress. But the young woman on Top Model just might be the broadcast network debut of an openly transgender actress. Two snaps up for that. It’s 2008, people!

Bones (FOX) 8pm
Bones is back for a fourth season of forensic intrigue. True confession time, people: I’ve never watched Bones. I know, I know, it’s all the rage. But tonight I intend to remedy the situation by tuning in for the two hour premiere. Tonight our intrepid investigators venture “across the pond” to solve the murder of a British heiress.

Sons of Anarchy (FX) 10pm
Sons of Anarchy is a new original series created by Kurt Sutter, a writer for FX hit series The Shield. Set in California, the show follows the exploits of Jax Teller and his gang of bikers. Even if the pilot wasn’t written by a writer on the The Shield and even if it didn’t star Katey Sagal (Married with Children), who I adore, I would still tune in just on the strength of FX’s track record of producing intriguing and edgy shows. I also like stories wherein the “good guys” are pretty much bad guys because I find them emotionally challenging. I’d say this one is a must watch.

What does this have to do with TNT’s Raising the Bar? Well apparently this show is about a group of friends from law school who all end up working together, more or less. ADAs, public defenders, judicial clerks – all one stop shopping for the alumni mailing list.

The good news is that Raising the Bar is waaaay better than Saving Grace. The bad news is – that’s not saying much. The word that comes to mind is “overwrought.” It’s kind of like TNT is trying too hard to live up to their slogan “TNT is drama.” So they gave you tons and tons of drama and not much in the way of a story. At least not a story you want to watch, even without commercials.

I so wanted to like this show. It’s got Mark-Paul Gosselaer (Commander in Chief), Gloria Ruebens (ER), J. August Richards (Buffy), Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle)…doesn’t that just sound like the recipe for a good show? But the characters are all so one-dimensional and unengaging. *sigh*

I applaud TNT’s efforts to bust up the broadcast oligarchy. But Monday nights are tough and TNT will have to bring its A-game. Raising the Bar just isn’t it.

BTW, someone should tell Steven Bochco that in 2008 a gay law clerk just isn’t that shocking.

…a TV Angel report a few months ago from the New York ComciCon. The Sci Fi channel announced their plans to release five titles in collaboration with Virgin Comics, first as comic books then as television series. The Stranded and Superbia were the first two properties slated for development by the TV net. No word yet how the collapse of Virgin Comics might impact the Sci Fi channel’s plans but its certain to put a glitch in the matrix, n’est pas?

Here’s a summary of what’s new on TV tonight.

Prison Break (FOX) 8pm
Prison Break returns with a two hour premiere. Last season NBC held sway over me Monday nights with their sci-fi leaning block of Chuck, Heroes, and Journeyman, so I had pretty much given up on Prison Break (though Wentworth Miller was never far from my thoughts. ) But I’ll definitely be checking it out again this season if for no other reason than to see how they are keeping up with the break-out theme. Michael Rapaport joins the show this season as a federal agent who makes the brothers an offer they just can’t refuse. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of numbers the show gets between the hurricane coverage and the Republican Convention.

Gossip Girl (CW) 8pm
Gossip Girl says “Bring it on!” to the Parent’s Television Council with another season of tawdry and salacious teen melodrama. CW’s cranked the freak switch up to 11 with new ads that quote the show’s critics while featuring cast members in, ahem, intimate poses. Looks like the producers of Gossip Girl have not only taken critical lemons and made lemonade, they’ve also spike the lemonade with some Henney! What!

One Tree Hill (CW) 9pm
OK, I never really got the point of this show. Something about feuding step-brothers…IDK. Methinks the show is a bit past its expiration date but what do I know ’cause here it is, back for its ump-teenth season. But I can’t get mad a network for keeping the cast and crew gainfully employed. OTH is not my thing, but if it’s yours, check it out tonight.

Raising the Bar (TNT) 10pm
That’s right people, TNT is stepping up their game (much like they did during the upfronts, bogarting their way into the network week). Raising the Bar is a new original series from producer Steven Bochco (NYPD Blue, LA Law). The series stars Mark-Paul Gossalaer (Saved by the Bell, Commander in Chief) and Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle). I’m not really sure what their hook is, if Gossalear is some ivy league educated idealist toiling in the public defender’s system believing he can save the world, or maybe he’s been blackballed by the legal community because he ticked off the wrong partner and now he’s trying to work his way out of purgatory. Whatever the case may be, they’ve got a lead-in from TNT’s terrific series The Closer and Raising the Bar premieres commercial free! I think it’s worth a look and it cannot be any worse than Saving Grace.

TiVo alert!: Don’t forget an all new ep of The Closer will be on TNT tonight at 9pm. That conflicts with the second hour of the Prison Break season premiere. Poor saps like me who don’t own a TiVo will have to catch a rebroadcast of Closer at midnight. (Yeah, I’ll be up. I’m a night owl. Hoot-Hoot!)

Speaking of “out of the loop,” the vaunted Academy took the step this year of announcing top 10 Emmy contenders in two categories so we could all know exactly who did not make the cut. Um, ouch. It’s kinda like finding out you had the 11th highest score in the Miss America pageant, y’know? So here are the shows currently wearing the title of Miss Close-But-No-Cigar:

(Not the) Best Comedy Series

Family Guy (FOX)
Flight of the Conchords (HBO)
Pushing Daisies (ABC)
Ugly Betty (ABC)
Weeds (Showtime)

Thoughts:
Family Guy? Really? Even though I’m glad to see animated series gaining parity with their live-action counterparts, Family Guy is not the best representative of the genre. Although with the animated shows presently on television, it may be the best of a bad bunch. Personally, I’d have gone with King of the Hill. (Someone deserves an Emmy just for creating Boomhauer!)

I don’t know if it’s the first time Family Guy has made the Emmy “short list” in the comedy category but in the past it’s been nominated for and/or won awards for Outstanding Animated Series, Outstanding Voice-over, Outstanding Music and Lyrics, and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation. That much I’ll buy. But one of the best comedies on TV today? Not so much.

I don’t watch Flight of the Conchords, Weeds, or Ugly Betty so no comment there.

Which brings us to Pushing Daisies. Pushing Daisies got robbed! I know every year there is someone saying that about their favorite show. But just because I’m paranoid, doesn’t mean no one’s out to get my show. OK, not really, but Daisies certainly deserves not only Emmy nom, but a win.

Firstly, it’s one of the most original shows on network television today. It’s visually unique and employs the surreal and fantastic type of storytelling usually reserved for Tim Burton films. Secondly, it’s entertaining. Daisies offers a satisfying balance of comedy, romance, and mystery that made the show a bright spot of a lackluster 2007-2008 television season. The fact that Daisies was considered for an Emmy with only nine episodes having aired says a lot about the show. Hopefully a full compliment of episodes next season will secure the show a nom in 2009.

(Not the) Best Drama Series

Friday Night Lights (NBC)
Grey’s Anatomy (NBC)
The Tudors (Showtime)
The Wire (HBO)

Thoughts:
See, I’m in a bit of a stick wicket here because I don’t watch any of these shows. (I know, I know, I’m missing out.) But if I had to pick one of the above dramas to watch, I would probably go with The Tudors. I’m generally not into period pieces but I have to admit, Henry Tudor is an interesting historical figure. And I think Jonathan Rhys Meyers is a talented actor.

There’s enough gritty crime dramas on network for me to pass on The Wire. Grey’s is lacking (just ask Katherine Heigl) and Friday Nights Lights is too much about football for a show that’s not-really-about-football.

I’m actually going to go with the Academy’s list on this one and keep my fingers crossed for Dexter (even though I think Mad Men has this one on lock.) But I have to admit Dexter‘s first season was well superior to the show’s second season. In fairness, comparing Dexter S2 to Damages S1, I might actually have to go with Damages. But I’ll be happy if either show wins.

Anywho, just wanted to take a moment to reflect on the shows that just missed a shot at and Emmy. May they all have better luck next year!

The writing is what we’ve come you expect from The Closer, sharp, witty, and tight. Kyra Sedgwick is really at home in the character of Chief Brenda Lee Johnson and Sedgwick is still as engaging as she was when the show debuted in June of 2005.

The overall storytelling, however, was a little disappointing. I found the story completely predictable and had the firefighter pegged as the killer from his first scene. But what I really bothered me was the underutilization of Bill Croelick. Why stretch back to the first season to find the-one-that-got-away and then not bring any resolution to his storyline. Hopefully it’s an error that will be corrected later this season. Otherwise someone just decided to give Jason O’Mara some screen time in advance of Life on Mars this fall. (O’Mara plays the lead on ABC’s beleaguered British remake about a time traveling detective.)

All told, The Closer is still the same show I fell in love with in 2005, which is this season’s biggest strength and biggest weakness. There isn’t a feeling that the characters or the stories have really evolved. Not to mention, Brenda’s squad is supposed to investigate “high profile” cases, ones that receive a lot of media attention. Yet each case is pretty much solved in a bubble with little or no outside pressure from the media.

A reporter did play a role in the story in “Controlled Burn” and it looks like tonight’s episode promises more in that vein. But the one thing the show is missing is the constant media presence that has only been alluded to up until this point.

• This is one of three Fringe trailers and I think this one does the best job of setting up the series: an increasing number of unexplained events are seemingly connected, Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) has been drafted to help the FBI investigate, Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) is Peter’s father, a formerly institutionalized ‘mad scientist’ type who also works with the FBI.
• Anna Torv, who plays FBI agent Olivia Warren, is a new face to me but I really like her as a series lead. I am, however, dubious about Joshua Jackson. But I’m willing to give him a chance.
• The series’ two hour pilot reportedly cost $10 million to produce. That sets expectations very high. Hopefully the show can live up to those expectations.
• Bottom line: the pilot looks pretty exciting. I don’t know if the show can keep up the level of intensity over the course of a season but I’ll definitely tune in to find out.