The Wake

I firmly believe that MTV officially killed God when they green-lit their new “reality” TV program A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila. For those unaware, allow me to synopsize this train wreck: 16 straight men and 16 lesbian women are all trying to find true love with bisexual model and fourth-tier celebrity, Tila Tequila. I wish that this show was one of a kind, but unfortunately it is just one of many of the terrible love-laden reality programs flooding the airwaves this fall. For example, I Love New York will be returning on VH1 this fall and embarrassing an entire race of people for another season. The trend of reality TV seems to be sticking around, as do formulaic dramas and poorly-conceived sitcoms. There are flickers of hope, however. Because for every five or six The Next Great American Band, there is one blood diamond in the rough just waiting to be picked up and embraced by you, the viewing public. Here is a brief and incomplete rundown of some of the new shows and a few old “favorites” coming back for another go-around, along with reasons why you should or should not watch them.

Back To You (Wednesdays at 7 p.m. on FOX) - Kelsey Grammar has had a relatively prolific career on television, being the star of Frasier and helping it garner more Emmy’s than any show in history. His latest endeavor is Back To You, FOX’s newest sitcom about a news anchor (Grammar) and his relationships with the newsroom and his fellow anchor, played by Patricia Heaton (the mom from Everybody Loves Raymond).

Why you should watch it – Back To You has some incredibly clever dialogue, and the chemistry between Grammar and Heaton is great. The supporting cast, namely Fred Willard, helps beef up the show’s comedy prowess. In a sea of terrible sitcoms this show definitely stands out. Why you shouldn’t watch it – Despite its high points, the show still follows the same formula as most sitcoms: multiple cameras, a live audience telling you when to laugh and the same tired plot played out again and again. Also, the pilot episode hinted at an all-too-predictable emotional depth and sincerity to the main character that will end up threatening the show’s funniness. Overall: 6/10

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (Thursdays at 9 p.m. on FX) - In 2004 when Rescue Me and Nip/Tuck premiered, FX became a station committed to putting bizarre, risqué and creative shows on the air. In 2005 the station took a shot on three guys from Philadelphia who made a pilot for a TV series using just a digital camera and $100. The result was It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, a sitcom about Mac (Rob McElhenny), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Charlie (Charlie Finn) and Dee (Kaitlin Olson), four lowlifes who run “Paddy’s Pub,” an Irish bar in Philadelphia. The comedy of the series relies on each one of the characters being endlessly self-absorbed and insensitive in the face of emotionally trying issues. The show, which is starting its third season, has dealt with issues ranging from coping with cancer to steroid abuse to abortion.

Why you should watch it – Along with The Office and Weeds (which are both in season right now as well), It’s Always Sunny is hands-down one of the funniest shows on TV these days. It doesn’t rely on a laugh-track or a live audience. You know when to laugh, and you do, a lot.
Why you shouldn’t watch it – There is no reason you shouldn’t, unless you are easily offended.
Overall: 9/10

Cane (Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on CBS)
CBS’s new drama series Cane is centered on a Cuban-American family in charge of a juggernaut of a rum and sugar cane business in South Florida. The show stars Emmy sweetheart Jimmy Smits (from NYPD Blue, L.A. Law and The West Wing) as Alex Vega, the adopted and newly-crowned patriarch of the family upon the death of his father in the pilot episode. The plot revolves around rivalries within the not-so-sweet business of sugar cane and the internal power struggles of the family.

Why you should watch it – Every woman on this show is attractive.
Why you shouldn’t watch it – The characters are flat, the plot is predictable; overall, it’s just another family drama about unsympathetic family members.
Overall: 3.5/10

Dexter (Sundays at 8 p.m. on Showtime)
With a tag line like, “America’s favorite serial killer is back,” how can you go wrong? Dexter Morgan (played by Michael C. Hall from Six Feet Under) is a forensics analyst with the Miami Police Department who specializes in blood splatter analysis – and he’s exceptionally good at his job. Because, on his off time, Dexter brutally murders people he believes have escaped justice in one way or another; you know, guilty people. He kills to satisfy a hunger within him that he can’t shake, and doesn’t want to. During the day, Dex is an affable, upstanding employee, boyfriend and father-figure, all of which is an act to conceal the fact that he has no true emotions in his heart. The show is currently in its second season.

Why you should watch it – Dexter is an inventive, spellbinding series with few flaws. The writing is intense and compelling, Hall is an incredible actor, the show’s direction is wonderful and it’s on a station that allows it to take chances and explore new frontiers of television. Why you shouldn’t watch it – Like It’s Always Sunny, Dexter has pretty much everything going for it. You shouldn’t watch it if murder makes you squeamish (even though there is surprisingly little violence on the show). Also, Dexter’s sister Deb (played by Jennifer Carpenter) isn’t the best actor and can be hard to watch at times. Overall: 9.5/10

Reaper (Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on CW) - The CW, which is usually know for, well, nothing, has found something special with Reaper. The show is about Sam Oliver (played by Bret Harrison), a loser with nothing really going for him in life. He dropped out of school, works a dead-end job at “Work Bench” (like Home Depot) and spends his off-time drinking and hanging out with his best friend and co-worker Bert “Sock” Wysocki (played by Tyler Labine). On his 21st birthday, however, he learns some interesting news: before he was born his parents sold his soul to the devil. So, for the rest of his life he is indentured to work for Satan possessing the souls of people who have escaped from Hell.

Why you should watch it – Labine’s character is one of the funniest characters on TV today. Just about every line he says is gold. The show is unique because it fuses elements of comedy, drama and the supernatural to create something different from everything else on television at the moment. Why you shouldn’t watch it – Unfortunately, I feel that the show is going to explore the lovesick side of Harrison’s character and drama in general ad nauseam to the point where the comedy will be put on the backburner. Overall: 7/10