I admit I haven’t seen many of the new shows that have taken over the tube this fall and the few I have seen have not been very impressive. As the networks fight for ratings with new content, as a viewer, I think your best bet would be to follow shows that have a proven track record. Below, I’ve listed my top five picks for fall.
5. “Desperate Housewives” Sundays, 9 p.m. on ABC
You don’t need to be middle-aged to enjoy this dramedy. Still going strong after seven seasons, the women on Wisteria Lane face new life challenges. Lynette has a new baby, Susan has money problems and moves away and Bree is newly single. There’s also a new housewife on the block. She’s none other than glamazon Vanessa Williams, fresh off of “Ugly Betty.” Taking her role from “Betty” as a cue, she is sure to become the neighborhood’s resident bitch.
4. “Sons of Anarchy” Tuesdays, 10 p.m. on FX
I know what you’re thinking. How can I put “Housewives” and a show about a motorcycle gang on the same list? The answer is simple: an engaging story line. Let me recap how last season ended. Revenge has wrought havoc on Charming, CA, the town where the “Sons of Anarchy” club charter is located. Gemma, the “Sons’” matriarch, is on the lamb after a crooked ATF agent sets her up. Unbeknownst to her, her grandson Abel, has been kidnapped by an Irish gangster seeking vindication for his son’s death. This season the “Sons” take to their Harleys, smashing heads and making deals for information on Abel’s location, all the while dealing with keeping the “club” afloat.
3. “House” Mondays, 8 p.m. on Fox
Gregory House is back and, yes, he’s still a cynical-sarcastic-selfish, yet brilliant, doctor. But this season, he’s shedding a bit of his hard exterior and, dare I say, is in love. House and his boss/frenemy Dr. Lisa Cuddy have hooked up and are making an attempt at having a real romantic relationship. Cuddy and House have always had a love/hate relationship, but how will they handle the trials and tribulations of dating while solving unbelievable medical mysteries? We’ll just have to see.
2. “Cougar Town” Wednesdays, 9:30 p.m. on ABC
“Cougar Town” proves Courtney Cox is funnier over 40. I was not a huge “Friends” fan, so I don’t think this comedy is a winner just because of the show’s star. Needy, self-conscious, quirky, yet adorable Jules (Cox) is now in a relationship, or as she calls it a “Graysonship,” with her neighbor Grayson. Her loser ex-husband still lingers as part of her clique, which includes her sarcastic next-door neighbor and ditzy employee. And with Jules’ son heading off to college, her freak flag is sure to fly very high this season.
1. “Modern Family” Wednesdays, 9 p.m. on ABC
They’re one big gay, straight, multi-cultural happy family. With season one’s runaway success, season two is sure to bring more of the same. Jay (Ed O’Neill) is still borderline uncomfortable with his gay son’s family, which includes his partner and adopted daughter, and is still getting used to his hot mama wife’s Latina customs. Meanwhile, over at the Dunphy’s (Jay’s daughter’s family), Papa Dunphy is still a big I-really-want-to-be-cool-so-I’ll-say-things-like-lol dork and Mom, Claire, is trying to hold the family together in her own neurotic way. “Modern Family” is driven by its characters, so the hilarious storyline possibilities are endless.