Let's get the premiere week party started!

Premiere week is finally here!

I'm so happy that I'm not even going to talk about how awful the Emmys were last night. Really they were the worst ever and I think blatantly highlighted the lingering hostility between reality TV and scripted TV, but I digress.

Let's talk about more fun things like the season premiere of How I Met Your Mother (Monday, CBS, 8:30 p.m.). Sarah Chalke returns to reprise her role of Stella and you will learn before the opening credits how she answers Ted's proposal. Last season there was a lot of controversy about Barney developing feelings for Robin. I liked it but then it's my kind of story line. I'm a sucker for a good romance. I actually think both sides of the debate -- those who want Robin and Barney together and those who don't -- will be satisfied with how the premiere plays out. And more than anything the premiere is funny and does what the show does best. How I Met Your Mother finds that natural and relatable humor than exists among a group of friends. In the premiere, an obsession with a certain movie should be familiar to many people.

I also believe it is now time to admit I was wrong about The Big Bang Theory (Monday,CBS, 8 p.m.). The show is much more funny than I ever gave it credit for (bad Amy, very bad Amy). I don't know if it was hitting rock bottom with Do Not Disturb but I have a new appreciation for the comedies currently on TV. And I really enjoyed the season premiere of The Big Bang Theory which finds Leonard (Johnny Galecki) going on his first date with Penny (Kaley Cuoco). This leads to Penny confiding in Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and, well, hilarity really does ensue. Next week Sara Gilbert joins the cast and reprises her role of Leslie Winkle. This episode is equally great and it is so fun to have Galecki and Gilbert reunited on the small screen.

I'm not however as big on Worst Week (Monday, CBS, 9:30 p.m.) but I think that it basically comes down to not being my kind of humor. Kyle Bornheimer stars as Sam Briggs a man who is really, really, really unlucky. In the premiere Sam and his fiancée Melanie (Erinn Hayes) go to tell her parents (Kurtwood Smith and Nancy Lenehan) that they are getting married. And, as you might guess from the title, everything goes wrong. I don't really like shows like this because I become uncomfortable while watching someone continually embarrass themselves. I can't laugh at them. Instead I cringe. And it is fairly easy to guess what stupid thing Sam is going to do next. Three and a half stars.

After you've watch the Monday night comedies, talk about them below and let me know what you think.

Highlights of the Week Ahead

All times listed are Eastern Time for September 22 -- September 28

I thought One Tree Hill would be like an oatmeal raisin cookie for me. You know usually I only eat desserts that involve chocolate (because otherwise why waste the calories?) but when there is nothing else around and I'm craving dessert, I'll have an oatmeal raisin cookie. I thought I had only watched One Tree Hill (Monday at 9 p.m. on the CW) because it was one of the few series offering up new episodes during the writer's strike. I was sure I would stop watching One Tree Hill now that all the other shows are back. But I keep watching and I can't seem to stop myself. Even when the show does blatantly manipulative things like kill off a high school student after making you care about him. Even when the show seems committed to the ridiculous Misery-like storyline with a character named Nanny Carrie for heaven's sake. Even though I don't care at all about Peyton and Lucas, I can't stop watching. And I want to send a special message to the Disney Channel, you need to hire Jackson Brundage and build show around him. He has a natural charm and remains the cutest kid on TV not to mention the best actor on the show.

So I checked in on Prison Break (Monday, FOX, 9 p.m.) and I was surprised by how bored I was by the Sara/Michael romance. After wanting them together for so long, now that they are it isn't that interesting is it? Also is anyone else finding it very upsetting to see Cress Williams, who has always played nice guys on TV, playing such a villain? I do think if the show had gone in this direction last season and skipped the whole Panama prison bit they would be in much better shape. Sure it's an outlandish that the government would hire this merry band of criminals but no more outlandish than the first season.

Boston Legal begins its fifth and final season Monday at 10 p.m. on ABC. There are only twelve episodes left so watch them while you can.

Many of you have written me about how much Simon Baker's new series The Mentalist (premiering Tuesday at 9 p.m. on CBS) seemingly has in common with the USA series Psych. And I have to agree with you --- it is like a dark, disturbing version of Psych, a bizarro Pysch if you will. Baker stars as FBI consultant Patrick Jane who used to pose as a psychic and now uses his powers of observations to solve crimes. But instead of having a trusty sidekick to trade quip one-liners with, Patrick is haunted by personal tragedy that drives his pursuit of the bad guys. I was able to figure out who did it fairly early on in the episode and my guess is you'll be able to as well. So while the show doesn't get an "A" for creativity, it is entertaining mostly because of Baker's innate likeability. Three and half stars.

I'm sadden to say that I wasn't that excited about the second episode of Fringe (Tuesday, FOX, 9 p.m.). In order for this type of sci-fi episodic drama to work I think their cases have to be really innovative and different than what we've seen on TV before. And we've seen the baby that ages rapidly before. I'm also concerned about how whiny Peter still is. He is the voice of disbelief for the audience but I think he can't stay in that position for long. I'm not counting the show out. After all Walter Bishop may be the best new character of the season. I just think it has some things it has to work through. This week the team investigates a bus full of frozen commuters.

Luke Perry and Sara Gilbert guest star on the season premiere of Law & Order: SVU (Tuesday, NBC, 10 p.m.). Michaela McManus, Lindsay on One Tree Hill, joins the cast as new A.D.A Kim Greylek

Zack (Eric Millegan) returns to Bones this week (Wednesday, FOX, 8 p.m.) and I think it's just in time. The show really couldn't go for too much longer without addressing how Zack committing murder affected the team.

Criminal Minds returns with a stressful but really good hour Wednesday at 9 p.m. on CBS. You'll learn who was in the SUV that got blown up. Kirsten Vangsness really shines in this episode.

My Name is Earl and The Office kick off their season Thursday night. As NBC can't stop telling us, Earl (Thursday, NBC, 8 p.m.) is back to his list which I'm glad about. The only thing that's a little strange about the premiere is that there's no mention of all that transpired last year. The series merely picks up as if it were the first or second season. Seth Green guest stars as the man Earl must help. And we'll learn what The Office did on their summer vacation at 9 p.m. on NBC.

Ugly Betty (Thursday, ABC, 8 p.m.) moved from Los Angeles to New York over the summer and filming in New York really suits the series. It's great to have shots of Betty walking down an actual street in New York. It grounds the show among all of its campiness. It's a little unsettling how quickly the show abandonss last season's big cliffhanger (who will Betty choose Gio or Henry?) but I do think the abrupt change of direction invigorates the show. I was particularly thrilled to see Mark and Amanda back to their old tricks. The one thing I remain concerned about is Hilda's affair with a married man (Eddie Cibrian) -- it seems out of character for Hilda and married man affair is so clichéd that it's almost impossible to have it play out in an interesting way.

ER is back for its final season Thursday at 10 p.m. on NBC. Angela Bassett joins the cast as a new doctor at County General and as I'm sure you've heard by now Noah Wyle, Shane West and Anthony Edwards are all slated to stop by this season. I'm still holding out for Carol, Doug and the twins to make an appearance, how about you?

That's all for today. I'm back on Wednesday with reviews of My Own Worst Enemy and Knight Rider (the NBC review DVDs finally arrived!), a look at the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy and Lipstick Jungle and this week's familiar faces. And if you want to know what I thought about Heroes check out my post from last Wednesday. Have a question? Seen a familiar face? Want to nominate a quote of the week? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com. Talk to you on Wednesday.

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