Watching Sitcoms

I’m so excited cause Big Bang Theory will be back on Monday, September 22, 2008. Finally a sitcom I can watch and talk about instead of all these other shows I’ve been reviewing, cause, well, I have to talk about something, right?

Not only is Big Bang Theory back starting at 8:00 pm ET, but CBS is also following with the season premieres of How I Met Your Mother, Two and Half Men and the series premiere of Worst Week. I know where I’ll be Monday night.

This is actually a big week for the sitcom, as Wednesday night, September 24, marks the season premiere (also on CBS) of The New Adventures of Old Christine at 8:00 pm ET, and the series premiere of Gary Unmarried at 8:30 pm ET. They are joined on Wednesday nights by the already started Til Death at 9:00 pm and Do Not Disturb at 9:30 pm on FOX.

Then on Thursday, September 25, we have the season premiere of My Name is Earl on NBC at 8:00 pm ET, followed by another new episode of Earl at 8:30 pm ET, and then the hour-long season premiere of The Office at 9:00 pm ET.

I know people keep saying the sitcom is dead, and maybe that’s true of the good old fashioned family sitting in the living room with their TV dinners watching together kinda sitcom, but perhaps there’s a new form of situation comedy for now.

Another new show that’s premiering this week, which is not a sitcom, but I wanted to mention anyway, is The Mentalist, which airs on Tuesday, September 23 at 9:00 pm ET on CBS. Apparently, its the story of a former fake psychic who uses his heightened observation abilities to assist the police in solving crimes. Can you say Psych, anyone?

My research hit a little snag with NBC in that their website made it a little hard to find a page for each show that just had words I could read. Everything was a video, which might work great in some cases, but for me it doesn’t. I want things all written out, like what the show is about, who’s in it, and when it airs. Plus, I’m doing this while my husband watches TV next to me, so I often have to turn the sound off. Although, there was an interesting looking vid with Zach Levi of Chuck talking about all the new shows on NBC this year. I may go back and watch that when I get a chance.

Anyway, I did find out some stuff about new sitcoms on NBC and I can only find one. I did see references to several other new shows, however, and some new shows coming in 2009, but I’m not concerned with those right now.

So, the only new sitcom I saw this Fall for NBC was Kath and Kim which premieres on Thursday, October 9, 2008, at 8:30 pm ET. This is based on an Australian comedy of the same name. In our version, Kath (played by Molly Shannon) is sexy divorced mom to Kim (Selma Blair). Kim, also recently separated from her husband, returns home hoping to go back to being the spoiled princess she was growing up. Mom has no interest in that, as she is finally finding time for herself.

Maybe this will be funny, but I’m not a big fan of Molly Shannon. I might give it a chance. We’ll see.

As for returning sitcoms, there is 30 Rock (back on Thursday 10/30 at 9:30 pm ET), The Office (Thursday 9/25 at 9:00 pm ET) and My Name is Earl (Thursday 9/25 at 8:00 pm ET).