Fractionals

(aside from The Wire, which I am watching on DVD and is of course utter genius)

- The Office is one I sometimes find hard to watch, but I love love love Amy Ryan, and I adore the idea of Jim taking Michael under his wing. The weight loss competition episode they started with was awesome on a couple of different levels, and it actually feels like they're still switching things up a little bit.

- Speaking of switching things up, the big speech on the premiere (2 hours, for fuck's sake!) of Grey's Anatomy about how they've been getting sloppy and complacent was a bit obvious, and certainly the show is still frustrating (and, let's face it, is at best an unusually charming-at-times soap opera), but at this point I'm still tentatively in the game if only to see if they're going to keep up seeing how much they can pulverize all of the characters with their history and baggage. But mostly because at this point I could probably watch a show just about George and Lexi, especially if the latter continues to be able to emit near-palpable levels of please-just-kiss-me-already every second she's on screen with the former. But knowing this show, they'll fuck that up in a week or two, things will get even sloppier/sappier/convoluted than before, and I'll finally kick the habit. Although they could delay me a month or so if they'd switch up the fucking soundtrack (the Wedding Present would fit nicely at times, honestly).

- Fringe is hitting the same spot for me that The X-Files used to hit, and I'd watch Lance Reddick in just about anything, but it's way too early to tell whether the compelling weirdness/mystery of all this Pattern stuff is going to add up to anything. But Lost at least suggests that Abrams should have some clue of how to give us a couple of cool seasons before it all flames out.

- I miss 30 Rock and am eager for it to return.

- House actually feels different this season, thank christ. But jeeze, put the new people on the credits already. Chase and Cameron are barely in the show anymore, and that's fine, but their prominence in the credits makes me worry they're going to start backpedalling to the old old status quo. I hope the Wilson stuff sticks, honestly. And more Cuddy, please. But I like the new P.I. guy, and really, this is still a disease-of-the-week show, and it's still good at that. They could have gotten more than one good moment out of Felicia Day though, I'm pretty sure.

- NCIS continues to have good character bits, is competent, has shooting in it sometimes. It's comfort food. Look, I don't read Tom Clancy novels or anything, okay?

- I haven't watched Heroes yet. I'm not sure I want to, but I'll give the premiere a chance, I guess.

- The Ultimate Fighter is going to be a fucking trainwreck, isn't it? Good fights, though.

- Life looks interesting. What the hell, I've started taping it.

- I've only seen the first episode of Dexter, but they seem to be well on track in terms of keeping things interesting the way they did last year. I just can't tell if I still care as much. How long can they keep this going? How long can they? Less voiceover angsting as well, please. But still - thrillingly high quality for such a high concept show.

- I wouldn't watch half this crap if I didn't own a PVR, and I have the sneaking suspicion by the end of the season I won't be watching all of it. There's not enough hours in the day, and the break has made me realize how little I missed some of these. But they're right there! And when I get home from work, sometimes I'm tired and lazy! And I love serial entertainment! Base pleasures will be the death of us all.