Television Prospects

So we managed to finish all of Dexter's first and second seasons, and the third still looms on the horizon next month. We're nearly done with the first season of 30 Rock, and I don't yet have the second season, so this is definitely a possibility to continue. Here's what I can come up with, from comedy, drama, and action.

House
A favorite of mine for a long time, and a long running show. It's clever and well written, dramatic, and sometimes quite funny. I've dropped off in watching it lately, but when I initially got hooked on it, it was just because of the pilot alone. I didn't really like the show until I watched an episode, and then bam, I was hooked immediately. I blazed through over two seasons in less than a week, so this is a definitely favorite of mine. Hugh Laurie is amazing, and the supporting cast of characters is enough to make the show enjoyable, much less the romantic subplots and medical mysteries.

Heroes
Another pretty good drama with a nice science-fiction/superhero spin. The new season begins on September 22, last I checked, so it would be good to get back up to speed with this show. Although it can sometimes be a let down to see the lack of all-out battles, the character drama and how cool the actual characters are sustains the show pretty well, especially the interactions between Noah Bennett ("HRG") and the powered characters. Season 3 promises to be more action-oriented with the introduction of (up to) a dozen previously unseen villains which break out of the Level Five confinement facility. After how great Sylar alone was as a villain, I'm curious to see where they go with this.

My Name is Earl
A member of the Thursday night NBC block of greatness, alongside its 30 Rock, Scrubs, and The Office. Another in the line of single camera sitcoms that doesn't include a laugh track or studio audience. It's well-written and most of the humor derives from the stupidity or misconceptions of the characters. It centers around Earl Hickey, who is hit by a car after winning the lottery, losing the ticket in the process. He embarks on a quest to right all those who he had wronged as a professional thief, and makes a list of all said people, crossing each off when he rights his mistakes. Earl's goal is to satisfy karma and work his way back to being a good person.

The Office
An office filled with quirky personalities and a few straightman characters, I've been a fan for quite some time. Developing from a British comedy of the same name, it has managed to become a real platform for successful character introspection and interaction. Aside from that, though, it's pretty funny, mainly for these same character quirks. Michael is stupid and inept as a boss, Dwight is ridiculously dedicated and paranoid, Jim is the prototypical slacker who likes to shake up the others, etc.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Local flavor. Danny DeVito. We've already watched some of it, and I'd like to go through them all at least once more, even after watching them quite extensively in the past year or so. Great show.