12 Best Fall TV Shows - Part 1

Halloween's behind us, and to many people (and department stores) this means turning our sights towards Christmas. Since my sights are usually turned towards the TV watching shows on the DVR, I give you my:

Twelve Shows of Christmas This Fall

Please note that this list includes only shows that are on right now (else 24 and Lost would both have gotten the nod for sure).

12. Bionic Woman

I had higher hopes for this one. I was bored with the plot by the second episode, but for some reason I find myself not missing an episode...eventually. Must be the dialogue...

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11. The Sarah Silverman Program

TLM has no time for this show, but I think it's brash and borderline vulgar humor is hilarious. Then again, I also watch a lot of cartoons, and not the Saturday morning variety. We're talkin' Family Guy, American Dad, Metalocalypse, and Frisky Dingo, to name a few. Silverman is right up my alley.

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10. My Name is Earl

Ah, Earl. This year he's in the joint doing time for a crime he didn't commit. Ah, but what better forum in which to continue turning people's lives around in the name of karma? This show came close to not making the list as the novelty had all but worn off, but once Randy became a prison guard...well, I was hooked again.

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9. Journeyman

This show was a surprise. I find it both engaging and interesting, and am glad the producers didn't ruin the story with bad or overwhelming special effects. Though each episode is essentially self-contained, the writers do a good job of keeping those other storylines moving along each week.

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8. Gossip Girl

Ok, ok, so this show is meant for teenagers...TLM loves it and got me hooked. It's my guilty pleasure; I just can't wait to see what drama will unfold each week as the fantastically rich kids mingle with the rich-enough-to-attend-the-same-private-school kids. Too unrealistic? The suspension of disbelief occurs right away as each episode is narrated by "Gossip Girl", who seems to have spies and hidden cameras everywhere, not to mention lots of free time.

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7. Chuck

This is my winner for the "way better than I expected it to be" show. The basic plot is fun, the characters aren't shallow, and the cast includes Adam Baldwin, the Baldwin who isn't a Baldwin brother! Even the other nerds in the "Nerd Herd" (loosely based on the "Geek Squad", perhaps?) have depth, oh, and I think one of the geekier-looking actors went to my high school. I see this series continuing several more seasons before becoming stale....of course now that I wrote that it won't make it past episode 10.

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Looking at the list, it seems that NBC is heavily represented in this half. Check in tomorrow to see who made the top six.