ABC top picks

by Zenseeker

It's Back....

Lost - Thursdays @ 9pm/8c
Lostonline

So I took the weekend to relax and enjoy the first episode back of Lost and I must say I'm glad it's back. There is a sadness from a last season occurance (I won't spoil for those you are just finishing the catch up from season's past.) Let's just say someone is gone and it's always so bittersweet when it's a character you really liked having around.

I may have to let my Tivo record a few weeks worth so that I can watch more in one sitting.... I hate how it's over so quick and I have wait a week.

Obsessed with Lost (or just bored) check out oceanic flight 815 or the fly oceanic air.


Cashmere Mafia Wednesdays 10pm/9c
Cashmeremafiaonline

For those of you not watching yet:

Creator, Darren Star, attempts to re-create some of the magic that glued most of us to our televisions for that 23 minute fix each week of Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte on "Sex and the City".
He's at it again but instead of seasons of who's sleeping with whom and who's the hot guy, he's now jumped ahead and these female characters are more grown up. These highly successful, half-of-them-married women are trying to figure out how to fit the men into their lives.

The two lovely British actresses,with impeccable American accents, Miranda Otto (Lord of the Rings, The Starter Wife) and Frances O'Connor(Mansfield Park) make it fresh. Lucy Lui (Charlie's Angels, Ally McBeal) and Bonnie Somerville (Kitchen Confidential) keep it perky. I don't know if it's because there isn't a lot to watch these days but I'll keep turning it on for awhile. Powerful women, independent women who are still vulnerable, relatable.... I'll watch that.

Until everyone is up and running with new episodes you can follow the links to catch up on episodes online now....

If you're in the mood for zany and clever:

Pushing Daisies -   Wednesdays at 8pm
pushingdaisiesonline

The cleverness of this show comes from the creator, Bryan Fuller ("Wonderfalls", "Dead Like Me" and a writer on "Heroes", last season) He twists everything around to make it all new again.   Highlight,  Kristen Chenoweth is gived the opportunity to showcase her Broadway chops…. One week she belted out Grease’s “Hopelessly Devoted to You”   

For those of you not watching yet:  Ned (Lee Pace, NY actor previously on “Wonderfalls”) was born with the ability to touch a dead thing (person or animal) and bring it back to life. However after being alive for a over a minute, someone/something must take the deceased’s  place. If also has to be very careful because if he touches something he brought back to life again, it will die for good. Charlotte, “Chuck” (British actress Anna Friel) is Ned’s childhood crush that he brings back but now can only touch or kiss through plastic or other barriers or he will lose her forever. Olive (Kristen Chenoweth, NY stage actress, "Wicked") is in love with Ned. 

Ugly Betty – Thursdays at 8 pm
uglybettyonline



It's fun when camp works and this show works so well because of it’s genuine heart. The cast is also really cohesive. You can’t help but fall in love with Betty (America Ferrara, "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"). Receptionist Amanda( Becky Newton) and Flamboyant  Marc (Michael Urie) are hysterical.

For those of you not watching yet:   Odd Duckling Betty Suarez  gets hired as a secretary to work at the elite fashion magazine “Mode” by the head of the company, Bradford Meade (Alan Dale, "The O.C" ) to assure that his son, Editor in Chief,  Daniel Meade (Eric Maibus, "Welcome to the Dollhouse", "Resident Evil") isn’t sleeping with his secretary and focus on the magazine. Betty and Daniel form a engaging friendship. 

If you feel like you may want to join a tv family or move to a small town…. Try these…..

Brothers and Sisters – Sundays at 10 pm
brothersandsistersonline

Calista Flockhart, (known for Ally McBeal) Sally Field, (known for the Flying nun and to some her oscar speech), Rob Lowe (known for being the good looking one in the brat pack)  but now they should be known for this show. Each has come into their own and brought real people to their characters. They do have a ton of drama and conflict but it’s refreshing to see at the end of the day that they are truly a family no matter what. Confession --- something makes me cry every week on this show.

For those of you who aren’t watching yet: Nora Walker (Field) is the matriarch of the Walker Clan having survived the recent death of her husband, who she discovered after the fact, had a mistress and…… a daughter. She’s still mothering her 5 children, three adult men and two adult woman and as much as they complain about it, it’s obvious they that still need it.

Men in Trees - Fridays at 8p.  
menintreesonline



Can we all move to Alaska to write and hangout with these cool people?  Oh and date the hot yet sensitive mountain man?? Reminiscent of Northern Exposure where simple life seems so inviting. Light, Romantic, Quirky. 

For those of you not watching yet:  Full blown New Yorker,  Marin (Invigoratingly played by Anne Heche) a relationship writer is on a her way to a stop for her book tour in  Elmo, Alaska when she finds out that her fiancé is cheating on her.(She mistakenly grabbed his laptop and on the plane sees pictures of him and his squeeze). Devasted she arrives in Elmo and realizes she needs to take a break from New York city life and all that it entails. She makes Elmo her new home.

October Road -  Thursdays at 10pm
octoberroadonline



Not as far off the beaten path as in Alaska, but still a small town where everyone knows you, especially after your ‘friend’ writes a tell-all-small-town book about you. But still the familiarity between this group keeps it away from the soapy genre. Abc aired 6 episodes for as a midseason entry which did fairly well and now it’s back this season.  Hit and miss these season in terms of episodes... good, then a bit snoozy and then good again. Update 2/19 -- I am sad to say that I can't watch this show anymore...the last two episodes have been way off. The style of the show seems to have changed and they love to have these montages flashing back and forth between different characters. It's really annoying. Love, love Eddie (Geoffrey Stults), Janet (Rebecca Field) Aubrey(Odette Yustman) and Physical Phil (Jay Paulson) but everyone else gets on my nerves. :(

For those of you not watching yet: Out of high school, Nick( Bryan Greenburg) says he’s going to New York, telling his friends and his serious girlfriend, Hannah, that he will be back in six weeks. Six weeks turns into 10 years. He becomes a published, acclaimed author of a novel based on his teenage years in a small town in Massachusetts. However, when Nick returns home to give a lecture at the college, in hope of breaking his writing block, he’s met with a less than stellar welcome from his friends that he not always so nicely portrayed. He decides to move back home to repair the damage to his friendships and to find out if he’s the father of  Hannah’s nine year old son.

Those “this stuff never really happens at such extremes, but it’s fun to watch anyway” shows:

Dirty, Sexy Money – Wednesdays at 10 pm.
dirtysexymoneyonline





Another show from producer Greg Berlanti  ("Brothers and Sisters",  "Everwood" and the upcoming, midseasonish, fantastic "Eli Stone"). Peter Krause, (wonderfully solemn on “6 feet under"), now gets to smile. A entertaining peek to justify that millions can’t buy you happiness, love and definitely not common sense.

For those of you who aren’t watching yet: When  Dutch, the high-powered, at beck and call lawyer  of the Darling Klan’s empire and also the secret lover of Letitia Darling (the wonderful, Jill Clayburgh) is mysteriously killed in a plane crash, Tripp Darling (beautifully played by Donald Sutherland) asks Dutch’s son, Nick (Peter Krause) to take his place, as chief counsel. Nick soon discovers that he is not only the family’s lawyer but also the buffer and the fix-it guy who must help keep all the wild, adult children out of the papers and out of jail. Though so not Nick’s lifestyle, he’s willing to stick around, close to the family as he tries to find out who killed his father.

Desperate Housewives -   Sundays at 10pm.
desperatehousewivesonline

Last season, we watched, but….. not very enthusiastically -- the novelty having worn off, the repetitiveness setting in.  Happy to say, it’s better this year, it provides some fun and it’s one of those easy to watch, don’t have to think much shows.

For of those of you not watching yet:   Good idea to catch on a marathon dvd watching on the weekend or over the holiday.  

Grey’s Anatomy -   Thursdays at 10pm.
greysanatomyonline



The introduction of Dr.Hahn (Brooke Smith,Weeds) ads spunk – she's kind of a roll up for the missing Burke and Addison. That said, we miss Adison, who left for the spinoff Private Practice, which I have to say has been something I watch only when there isn't anything else to watch but it kinda grows on you.
I still look forward to Grey's ever week.... there is so much going on but it feels like an old friend.

For those of you not watching yet: Yet another one to catch up on dvd.

The ‘Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm’ category:

Samantha Who?  Mondays at 9:30 
samanthawhoonline

A new ratings favorite (if you’re into all that). Okay let me put it out in the world.... I'm not a huge sitcom fan, Expect for "How I met your Mother", "30 Rock". I will probably end up watching reruns of Samantha if this writer's strike continues. Christina Applegate "Married with Children" and Jean Smart "24" would be my two reasons to watch. It just feels a bit too repetitious so far.  

For those of you not watching yet:  Samantha (Christina Applegate) has just woken up from a coma and can’t remember a thing, which is good for her because she was a horrible person before. Will this new girl survive or will she go back to her old nasty self?

The “Don’t blink” category:

Let’s forget about Caveman, (Really?) Carpoolers, (The first show worked and then zzzzz)  Big Shots(Do I really care about any of these boys… er... men?)  They probably won't be around long enough so why waste time getting hooked? I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I know a ton of work goes into producing a show and some click and others don't.