Three New Shows Worth Watching

This season started as one of the best TV years in recent memory. The lag in worthwhile plots, however, has led to a lull in quality programming in the last month or so. I can only guess how much worse the writer's strike will make the upcoming months. (Speaking of which, the word is the networks will fill air time with reality shows should the strike continue for much longer. Ugh. Here's hoping the Mavs are playing seriously meaningful basketball during this strike or my DVD player is going to be carrying more than its fair share of the load.) "Heroes" has been so stagnant even the creator is apologizing to fans. "Grey's Anatomy" has fallen into the trap it had so successfully manuvered around to this point by allowing the romance to completely take over the rest of the show. "The Office" is just about the only returning show that has held up its end of the bargain by not only staying the course but by getting even better in its fourth season.

That said, there are three new shows this season that have not only captured my attention but have retained it thus far. All three deserve more attention than they've gotten thusfar and so here goes my attempt at swaying viewers to at least flip the Tivo on for these shows.

3. Journeyman
First of all, no that's not 80's star Anthony Michael Hall in the lead here. It took me about 4 weeks to be absolutely sure of that but it is in fact Kevin McKidd of "Rome" fame. This show is "simple" enough in its premise - out of nowhere, Dan Vasser, a San Francisco reporter begins to take trips back in time. He soon discovers that each time he goes back there is something he is to accomplish. Usually there is a person he must save or forever change the life of in order to better the future in one way or another. Sometimes the results are direct (a gambling addicted lawyer that is to committ suicide becomes a powerful attorney affecting civil change) while sometimes it's more indirect (a man he saves repeatedly turns out to be a criminal who's son becomes a world renowned scientist). Vasser must balance this new power with the demands of family and job and a jealous brother who each passing week grows closer and closer to sending his brother to prison for the crimes he believes he is committing. It's an entertaining show, if nothing else, and McKidd is a great actor, even if he does seriously resemble Anthony Michael Hall. With every sci-fi show, however, "Journeyman" walks the line between intriguing and ridiculous. Let's hope the shows creators can continue to keep on the right side of the line because it's rare that a sci-fi show can make it on network TV and this is good enough to do so.

2. Chuck
Alright, when I saw the ENDLESS previews for this show that NBC threw out for the months leading up to the premiere, I thought "That looks like the dumbest show ever." I pronounced "3 weeks" to my wife, meaning I would bet the show lasted 3 weeks before cancellation. Still I Tivoed a couple of episodes and I must say this is the most pleasantly surprised I've been with a show in a long time. "Chuck" is really funny. It's well written, well shot, and surprisingly well acted. The show centers around Chuck Bartowski, a geek who works for the "Nerd Herd" (aka Geek Squad) at "Buy More" (aka Best Buy). A real genius, he was kicked out of Stanford for cheating and now has no life and makes no real attempt to get one. His ex-roommate, who coincidentally got him kicked out of Stanford, went on to become a CIA operative and on a rouge mission, he sends Chuck a batch of video encoded government secrets which become imbedded in Chuck's brain. So every once in a while (I would say about once a week and always on a Monday) something jogs his memory and makes him think of a government secret and a mission ensues. He is accompanied by a CIA operative, Sarah, and an NSA operative, John. It's a silly show but that is in fact the greatness of the show. "Chuck" delights in its silliness and never takes itself too seriously. The supporting characters are brilliant: Joshua Gomez's Morgan is a geek cliche but still humorous and Adam Baldwin is finally getting another opportunity to show his brilliance after "Firefly" was so unceremoniously killed. But the show hinges on Chuck, played by Zachary Levi. Levi is an essential unknown and in the previews for the show I really thought he was going to overact the whole thing. But in reality, Levi's deliver is smooth and well timed. His dialouge is witty and he strikes just the right cord of being nerdy without falling into the annoying cliche nerdiness that most of these characters become. It's easy to believe that at one time this character wasn't a complete nerd but has become so due to circumstances. Chuck comes across as a slightly less cool version of Jim Halpert from "The Office." It's a fun show that I look forward to each week and really isn't that about all you can ask from a TV show?

3. Pushing Daisies
ABC gets a spot in my top three with what is really the only new full length show the network came out with this season. While the execs in all their wisdom decided "Cavemen" was a worthwhile program, they also greenlit "Pushing Daisies" so I can't hold too much against them. "Daisies" was created by Barry Sonnenfeld, the same person who gave us "Men In Black" and "Get Shorty" and even the most amatuer of film students can see the simirities in the way these works are shot. Dark is overly dark but light is just as overly light, the plotlines are over the top but in a fantastic way, and the dialouge is just a little different than your average TV show. "Daisies" centers around a pie maker who at an early age discovers that if he touches something that is dead, it will return to life. However, there are several other rules which apply to this ability, including the fact that if he ever touches the reborn again, it will return to death. Therefore he cannot and does not pet his dog and he is unable to touch his girlfriend who was his child hood love and whom he brought back to life while attempting to find out who killed her so he could collect the reward money. Sound a little out there? It is. But as in the case of "Chuck", this show knows it's crazy and celebrates that fact. The way this show is shot is awesome but the true brilliance of the show lies in the actors. Lee Pace plays the lead role perfectly so that the viewer can feel sympathetic to poor Ned but not so much that he becomes a sad figure. Kristen Chenowith is humorous in her role as the assistant pie maker who is head over heels in love with Ned. Anna Friel, the dead girl who's not dead, is amazing and brings a glimmer of sunshine to material that could very easily become dark without her presence. I hope to see more of her in the future. The real find here, however, is the ALWAYS underrated Chi McBride who plays the private investivator Ned partners with to solve crimes and more importantly, collect reward money with. Chi's brand of obvious sarcasm is perfect for the role and I can only hope that this show can vault Chi into more mainstream roles than those he has had to take over the years. It's a fun ride that "Daisies" takes us on and I was extremely pleased to see that ABC has picked the show up for the full season in spite of its lackluster numbers.