So much TV, so little time. So far, the only new show that I've tried and abandoned this season is True Blood. My Own Worst Enemy and Life On Mars haven't premiered yet, so we'll see how those go. I'm still watching 90210, although it's getting harder and harder to justify why. I checked out The Ex List, and it's cute enough to warrant another viewing. Was bored last Sunday, and ended up watching Valentine, mostly for Autumn Reeser and Patrick Fabian (Taylor Townshend! and Professor Lasky!). Total brain candy, and I doubt that I'd bother to DVR it, but if I'm home, I'll probably watch. I also got totally sucked into Life, which is entirely the fault of monimala

So far this week, I've managed to watch The Big Bang Theory, Chuck, Heroes, Life, NCIS, Bones, Private Practice, and CSI: NY. HIMYM, GG, TSCC, 90210, Privileged, and two episodes of FNL (not to mention my continued backlog of House, entourage, Lost, and SPN) still await me. *sigh*

Here's the thing. I love HIMYM. I love Barney. I love Barney/Robin. It's a fantastic show that has become a part of my cultural lexicon. But minute for minute, I laugh longer and harder at The Big Bang Theory. This was a show I fully expected to loathe, that I started watching only as a time-filler. But dude, I love this show. My level of geekitude is moderate (increased by an engineering degree and an undying love of Star Wars, but tempered by a lack of any sort of videogame or roleplaying savvy), but this show totally speaks my language. Plus the characters are endearing, in large part because of--not in spite of--their flaws. And really, how often do you come across a show that makes visual jokes out of non-Newtonian fluids?

I continue to very much enjoy Chuck as well. It's a bit of a candy-coated show for me--nothing particularly deep or thought-provoking, but good, solid entertainment. Plus, Captain Awesome is still, well, awesome. ( Bartowski. Chuck Bartowski. )

Heroes continues to show flashes of greatness in between tidal waves of mediocrity. The nearly continual time-jumping has gotten old. ( The Once and Future Peter )

I am in Life overload, after marathoning S1 online and then NBC doing the two-episodes-per-week schedule. I'm still not quite sure how I feel about the changes made for S2. ( Really bad lipstick )

I still love me some NCIS, but I can't say that I found this week's episode overly engaging. ( Cupcake Caper )

Bones: Still not as good without Zack. Wasn't impressed with this week's NotZack. And yes, writers, we get it: Temperance isn't religious. Get a new idea already.

Private Practice still has lots of pretty people. That said...( Wow, incest really is the new black )

Due to the impending disconnect from my much beloved TiVo and switch to a (hopefully functional) TiFaux, I've been playing catch-up with several of my shows. (Some, like Supernatural, I'm so far behind on that I have been transferring them to DVD for later viewing). As such, I am mostly up-to-date with Chuck, CSI, Gossip Girl, and Friday Night Lights. A few thoughts on each...

Chuck: With every successive episode of this show, I love it a little bit more. Who would have guessed that the same person who played irritating plot device Madison on Everwood would be so awesome as Ellie? Sarah Lancaster is great in the role, even though I'm still not used to her as a brunette. ( Captain Awesome and the erstwhile Jayne Cobb )

CSI: For so long, this was my favorite show. Now it's not even my favorite incarnation of the franchise. Non-memorable cases, irritating insertions of personal issues (no, I really don't want to know about Sara's abusive past, or her relationship with Gil, or Catherine's daddy issues, or Warrick's absentee wife), and a completely unbalanced use of cast members (Eric Szmanda got more face time when Greggo was just a lab tech) have all caused my love to fade. I still enjoy the show, but if a couple episodes stack up on my TiVo, I'm not all that concerned. Even the Miniature Killer case, which was so damn cool, devolved into The Tale of Gil and Sara and Their Secret Love That Makes Me Want to Spork My Eyes Out. ( Meh )

Gossip Girl: I have to say, this is totally a guilty pleasure show for me. I'm not sure it's reached the great heights of, say, The O.C. season 1, or even Dawson's Creek season 3, but it's a heck of a lot of fun to watch. Pretty people wearing crazy clothes and having inappropriate sex--what's not to love? ( Not just trash TV )

Friday Night Lights: My God, how I love this show. Over-the-top Tyra/Landry plot? Yeah, I don't care. Coach Taylor off at TMU? Forgiven. Because no matter what, Eric, Tami, Matt, Tyra, Landry, Riggins, Street, even effing Buddy Garrity...they are fabulous. ( Deep in the heart of Texas )