Stargate Atlantis began it's 4th season with a pretty big bang. I made a point to watch it live (although I recorded it as well) which is something I rarely do anymore. Appointment TV is a thing of the past for me since the invention of the DVR but this was a premiere I was really looking forward to. The show did not disappoint.

I'm most impressed with the direction the writers are taking to write Elizabeth Weir out of the show. Hopefully the arc won't end with her dying because the situation they've created with her just seems ripe with possibilities for additional stories in season 5 (which hopefully the show will get). I'm also a big fan of Carter so I'm thrilled to see her crossing over to Atlantis. I can't wait till next week when she'll have more to do.

The sequence that impressed me most was the jump Sheppard and Zelenka had to take. The 360 the camera did as they crossed the chasm was some of the best CGI I've seen on TV in a long time. I also enjoyed the Asteroids bit and the chance to see some of the background characters getting their moment in the sun.

The episode was an absolute blast. Regardless of whether or not you like sci-fi... the show offered up moral and ethical dilemmas and huge action sequences. There was plenty of drama and lots of touching moments. The episode had something for everyone.

I also had the chance to catch Ghost Whisperer, Moonlight, and the premiere of Numbers last night. Ghost Whisperer continues to be an hour of enjoyable television but it's not something I kick myself over if I miss. Numbers was fun with motion picture director Tony Scott at the helm. You could tell the show was faster paced than usual and Val Kilmer was a nice touch as the baddie. Moonlight, however... yikes. I wanted to like this show. Really I did. But the opening sequence was inane. The voice over drove me nuts and I cared nothing for the female lead. There were a few moments of promise but not enough to get me to record this one again. Maybe once the behind the scene stuff evens out so will the show - if it lives that long.

I also caught up with Grey's Anatomy and CSI. Both were pretty good first eppies for the season but CSI gets the edge. They really put the Sara Sidle character through the ringer. Harrowing stuff. I'm mildly claustrophobic so the scene with Sara trapped under the car with a flash flood raging around her gave me the willies. I hope Jojora Fox got paid well for that. Not to mention that the character got tasered, jumped out of a moving car, and wandered through 110 degree heat in the desert after managing to free herself from the car. I'll remember all that the next time I have a bad day. Kinda puts things in perspective... On a side note - I was surprised at how much I hated to see Louise Lombard's character reduced to recurring. I guess I liked her more than I thought. I know she had a pilot over at ABC but I don't think it got picked up. Maybe she'll be back to opening credit status before the season's over.

In contrast, the lighter touch seemed to be back on Grey's after last season's heavy and often depressing episodes. I do, however, want to smack Meredith for ignoring her sister. I thought I was going to hate the Lexi character but I wound up really liking her. I think she will be fun to watch. Especially in her scenes with George. I was also worried about all the new interns coming in but I found them to be refreshing for the most part.

Finally - I tried to watch the pilot for K-Ville and just couldn't do it. I was pretty bored from the get go. I do applaud them for shooting on location in New Orleans. The backdrop of the city is intriguing enough but once you toss in the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina you should have a recipe for awesome drama. I'm just not feeling the love, though. I'll wish this one the best, however - for the city's sake.

Premiere Week!

Premiere week has finally arrived and given me many shows to chat about. It's now Thursday and I'm counting down to the premieres of CSI and Grey's Anatomy tonight, but the week has afforded me plenty of tasty TV... and a few bitter morsels to chew as well.

First the good. It may seem a silly thing to dwell on but I am so glad Olivia has her cool hair back on Law & Order: SVU. The long thing just wasn't working for me. And the first episode back wasn't half bad. I am feeling a little short changed, however. When we left our friends at the SVU squad almost everyone's job was in jeopardy. Now everyone is back as if nothing happened. Hopefully we'll get some additional insight into the missing time between the finale and the premiere as the season progresses. Cynthia Nixon's performance was suitably creepy - especially in the scene at Stabler's house. I wonder if we'll see Sam Waterston crossing over as the new DA anytime soon...

The premiere of Bones rocked. I especially loved Hodgin's reaction to seeing a picture of Angela's husband... "His hands are the size of shovels..." Angela is my favorite character and seeing her at the FBI giving Booth a hand was a kick. I've always loved the team episodes of the series and this was a good one. I only had one quibble but I'll get into that later.

I am so onboard with America's Next Top Model this season. This is the one reality show I watch. Too much campy fun and you just can't wait until the bitchy/crazy ones get what's coming to them. I've already got a few favorites. I have to root for Heather if only because so many of the other girls are as shallow as a wading pool when it comes to her disability. As for Bianca... she'd be very pretty if that personality didn't keep getting in her way.

Now the mediocre. CSI: NY and CSI: Miami didn't wow me. Although I will give props to the casting department on the latter. That kid really does look like he could be David Caruso's son.

House was okay. The janitor bit was somewhat humorous. I called the switched identities twist almost from the start. By the time we got to the big reveal I was so over this episode. Hopefully getting in a new team will improve things but I'm already missing Cameron, Chase, and Foreman. And I never even liked Chase...

Private Practice was also just okay - but that might be a good thing. I love Grey's Anatomy and the character of Addison but I thought the initial pilot was just plain awful. This episode was an improvement on that. However, Addison seems to be turning into someone else and I'm not sure I like who that is. I'm willing to give the show a few more episodes before I give it a season pass... or pass on it altogether.

Finally the bad... Um, Hello? Can we have the cool opening to CSI: NY back please? The one with the better graphics? I don't mind an update with the talent shots but even the logo looked cheesy. And speaking of cheesy... what in the hell was up with that horrible green screen shot on the premiere of Bones? It completely took me out of the scene and it should have been a really cute scene. But I couldn't get past how freaking obvious it was that they were sitting in front of a green screen. Someone should have lost their job over that lousy shot. At the very least the producers need to find themselves a new effects house.

So that's my thoughts so far. What are yours?

The fall season... so far

Well thanks to Amazon.com's Unbox I've watched NBC's offerings for the fall. I've caught the pilots for Bionic Woman, Chuck, Life, and Journeyman. Of all of them I'm surprised at the one I like the most.

I was very psyched about Bionic Woman since I'm a child of the seventies and a fan of what David Eick (sp?) did with his re-imaging of Battlestar Galatica. So I was more than a little disappointed that the show didn't live up to the hype. Michelle Ryan is fine. My quibbles with the show aren't with the actors. The SFX were horrid in parts - especially when Jamie was running through the woods. I'd rather see Lindsey Wagner run in slo-mo than watch an effect that bad. Ick. The episode seriously dragged until the point where Jamie left the facility where she'd been held since being "upgraded." Then it picked up enough to where I'll give the show another shot. Katee Sackoff is obviously relishing her bad bionic girl roll but they need to give her some better dialogue. I have expected the girl to grow a handlebar moustache to twirl. And was it just me or was she hitting on Jamie in the bar scene? Let me know what you think.

Chuck was just plain cute. The chemistry between all the leads was a nice surprise. And I laughed out loud several times - something most comedy shows fail to make me do. I had little or no expectations going in to Chuck but I'll be programming the DVR for it. I think it's a very nice fit with Heroes, which I can't wait till Monday's premiere by the way.

Life. I'm not sure about this one. It wasn't bad by any means but I wouldn't be surprised to see this one slide from the schedule in a hurry. I like the partner the most but this paring is lacking the chemistry that made Chuck so endearing. The concept behind the show is intriguing. I'll be interested to see if audiences take to this one.

Which brings me to my favorite of the new NBC crop - Journeyman. There is a twist about half way through the pilot episode that was expertly executed. My mouth dropped open in surprise because I totally did not see it coming. I love the lead so much that I need to go rent Rome to see more of him. Again this is a show that took some time with casting and got a cast that works well together. A lot of friends keep saying that Journeyman is a ripoff of Quantum Leap. Watch Monday and get back to me on that. I'll bet you'll be more intrigued by this version of a time traveling man...

So the DVR is now set... Bones, Law & Order: SVU, Heroes, Grey's Anatomy, all the CSIs... they're all back next week and not a moment too soon. Can't wait to check out my old favorites while finding a few new ones...

NBC. Is must see TV back?

NBC. It used to be my favorite network. The only network I watched on a regular basis. Now? I watch Heroes. That's it. Nothing else. But that seems about to change this fall...

Bionic Woman. Journey Man. Chuck. They all look intriguing. I'm especially psyched about the Bionic Woman. I am a child of the seventies and loved the original - campy though it was. Being a fan of Battlestar Galattica as well I feel like I'm getting the best of two worlds combined. The trailer looks interesting. The car wreck scene is amazing in a way I haven't seen since the passengers on board Oceanic flight 815 crashed on a mysterious island three years ago. Toss in some nifty special effects and Starbuck as a villain and I am so there on premiere night. I've heard some reviewers say the show is boring. I'm guessing they don't like Battlestar, either. Thought provoking drama isn't for everyone apparently. Otherwise ABC wouldn't think that Caveman show was a good idea. Ick.

Chuck usually wouldn't be my kind of show. We've seen the formula before in the short-lived Jake 2.0, but there is something very endearing about the title character. The humor in the previews has made me laugh and there appears to be some nice chemistry among the leads.

My curiosity about Journey Man has been a little slow to evolve but after the most recent round of previews there is enough there to get me to watch. Truthfully I'll record just about every new pilot this season but very few will make it on to my season pass list. I have my fingers crossed that this show will turn out to be a good companion to pair with Heroes.

One thing that I will say for this fall season overall is that sci-fi is back with a bang on all the networks. I can't wait.

By the way... if you aren't watching Sanctuary at www.sanctuaryforall.com you're missing out. They just had their season finale... and it kicked major a$$. The first several webisodes are free so there is no excuse not to watch... ;-)