Prepare the Tivo! Premiere Week is Upon Us.

I've been doing really well keeping up the charade that it's still the middle of summer... and the hot weather has given me no reason to think otherwise. That's why the recent cover of Entertainment Weekly gave me quite a start... it's already Fall TV Preview time?!? Crap!

I have to get out of denial, because The Office is starting on Thursday. I literally cannot believe it is already that time again. While I am of course looking forward to the first four episodes being double their usual length, as well as finding out what has transpired between Pam and Jim (my bet= not too much), it's kind of bittersweet because I absolutely hate the wintertime. And it will be upon us before we know it now that these shows are back on. It's going to go from 83 degrees to -10 degrees in approximately two days, and I'm going to cry. Better start stocking up on the hot chocolate...

Since Lost and 24 are still not going to be on for many more months, I've decided that I will try out two new shows this coming week. The winners are Dirty Sexy Money and Big Shots. Why those two? As I lamented in this post, I simply cannot deny that the over-the-top marketing campaign for DSM has gotten to me. I cry uncle! They've won! I NEED to see this crazy Darling family with my own two eyes. It doesn't hurt that I like Peter Krause, who seems to be the main character. I watched the preview clip they have on ABC, and it actually looked decent. When I was growing up my family really loved Dallas, and I think DSM will be kind of like that, so I think it's worth giving it a try. Plus, it's in Lost's old time slot on Wednesdays, so I have a soft spot for it already!

As for Big Shots... well... this is where I reveal to you, my most precious readers, that I am fairly shallow. Oh, wait, you had already figured that out? Fine, then this should not come as a surprise... I'm watching Big Shots for one reason and one reason only - because Dylan McDermott is in it. While there will never be another Bobby Donnell (shout-out to The Practice fans!), there can be another character on TV who looks just like him. Dylan McDermott is like my Clive Owen before I knew about Clive Owen, if that makes any sense. Maybe Eugene will make a guest appearance?

As a side note, Alias fans will probably be just as happy about Michael Vartan's presence on this show as I am about Dylan McDermott's.

But I digress... so, here's the bad news. The show doesn't look that great. I watched the preview clip for this one, too, and the dialogue seems really forced. We should all be very wary of any show pitching itself as "a Sex & The City for guys." Because you know what? That show already exists, and it's called Entourage, and they've got that niche covered. I read that Big Shots is bringing in the Veronica Mars creator as a consultant for the show, so it may get better. Therefore, for both DSM and Big Shots, I will be watching at least 4 episodes before making my final judgment.

If you would like to see the new fall TV line-up, you can click through the days on Entertainment Weekly's interactive calendar - all times are EST. The calendar lists the normal time slots and doesn't account for things like the four hour-long episodes of The Office.

Off to program my new Season Passes...

- e