Watching Sitcoms

As this season is drawing to a close once again (didn’t this just happen a few weeks ago? No, wait, that was a strike) and most of the shows I watch are going into hibernation for the summer, I did a little sleuthing to see what was what. So here’s a really, really, really (and I mean, really) comprehensive list of all the shows on TV right now, what’s coming soon, and what’s never coming back, from the Futon Critic. I’m amazed at this list. It must have taken forever to put that together and I’m glad all I have to do it link to it.

Anyway, I’m pretty disappointed about a couple of things. First of all Moonlight. They promised me it would be back. Well, maybe not promised, maybe I just assumed it would be back. But it was cancelled. Also, Fox kept Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and cancelled New Amsterdam. It’s like no one even listens to me when I talk.

As for sitcoms, Back To You was cancelled, which is no surprise to me. It had been going downhill ever since it came back after the strike. Also cancelled, and no surprise, were Miss/Guided, Welcome to the Captain, Cavemen, Carpoolers, The Return of Jezebel James and Unhitched. I kinda liked Miss/Guided.

Of all those new sitcoms that came out way back last Fall, we did get to keep my fave, The Big Bang Theory. The last few weeks have seen me laughing out loud, not something I do often, and I’m looking forward to the show coming back even funnier next Fall.

So you’ll want to to check out the list to see if your fave shows are returning or if they are going the way of Moonlight. *sigh*

I watched the series premiere of Unhitched, which aired Sunday at 9:30 pm ET on Fox. The premise of the show is four recently divorced friends who are trying to make their way in the world of dating.

I’m sorry, but its just not for me. The entire point of the show seems to be about people (and animals) having sex. I’m no prude, really, but I have an issue with comedies that can’t find anything to be funny about other than sex. I really don’t think that people, normal non-Hollywood people, think about sex that much. OK, maybe 17-year old boys do, but the rest of us really don’t. Do we?? I’m fairly certain that in the past five years, I haven’t thought about sex as much as they did in that 20 minutes.

Maybe I’m old fashioned, but back when I was single - in the Paleozoic era - people who weren’t married didn’t just have sex with anyone they met. Our entire and sole purpose in life was not just to meet someone with whom to have sex. Don’t people ever just want to meet people for companionship, friendship, love?

There are many silly, crazy and funny things that happen to all of us, each and every day, that have absolutely nothing to do with sex. Why can’t they make a comedy without continuously referring to sex and sexual issues. If you didn’t see Unhitched, certainly, you should check it out for yourself. You can see the entire ep on Fox (you may have to install their new player first). Or just wait and catch the second ep this Sunday. I hear it’s better than the pilot, but I doubt I’ll bother to watch. I only have so much time in my life and I don’t want to waste it all on garbage TV.

But if you do watch it, if you are like me, you’ll probably be asking yourself why am I watching this? And also asking all those who are responsible for making sitcoms, why can’t you find us something else to laugh about?

It looks like lots of good stuff is coming our way for Spring, now that the strike is over, both new and returning. I’m still sifting through them trying to decide which, if any, of the new shows I want to add to my increasingly full TV schedule. And which of the returning shows I want to continue to watch.

Sitcom-wise, here’s what to expect and when to expect it:

Sunday, March 2
Unhitched on Fox - 9:30 pm

Friday, March 14
The Return of Jezebel James on Fox - 8:00 pm

Monday, March 17
The Big Bang Theory on CBS - 8:00 pm
How I Met Your Mother on CBS - 8:30 pm
Two and a Half Men on CBS - 9:00 pm

Monday, March 18
Miss Guided on ABC- 10:30 pm; regular time Thurs, 3/21 at 8:00 pm

Monday, April 2
Samantha Who? on ABC - 9:30 pm

Thursday, April 3
My Name is Earl on NBC - 8:00 pm

Thursday, April 10
30 Rock on NBC - 8:30 pm
The Office on NBC - 9:00 pm
Scrubs on NBC - 9:30 pm

Monday, April 14
The Rules of Engagement on CBS - 9:30 pm

Other shows, new and returning, starting tonight, Sunday March 2:
Oprah’s Big Give on ABC at 9:00 pm
Canterbury’s Law on Fox at 9:30 pm
Here Come the Newlyweds on ABC at 10:00 pm
Dirt on FX at 10:00 pm; Second season premiere

So have fun watching something new and, hopefully, interesting for a change!

Back To You is back tonight. It starts off a couple of new eps at 9:30 pm ET on Fox, immediately following American Idol. The same exact scenario repeats tomorrow night. I’m happy about this, because even though it wasn’t my fav new sitcom of last season, at least its new.

Another sitcom coming back tonight with a new ep is Carpoolers. It’s on ABC and will air opposite the new ep of Back To You, which poses a slight problem anyone who wants to watch both. Thankfully, the world has DVRs. There’s another new ep of Carpoolers next Tuesday as well.

I see that the premiere of the mid-season sitcom, Unhitched is going to be this Sunday, March 2, at 9:30 pm ET on Fox, as well. So even more newness.

Somehow I missed the fact that Welcome to the Captain, which airs on CBS on Monday nights at 8:30 pm ET has been on the air since February 4. I blame my husband. I mostly I just forgot cause I’ve been forcing myself to watch Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. But I’ll catch it online here.

Although it’s not a sitcom, I have been looking forward to the premiere of New Amsterdam, and now I don’t have long to wait. It airs next Tuesday, March 4 at 9 pm ET on Fox also following American Idol, so apparently The Powers That Be at Fox want it to do well as much as I want it to be good. I guess we’ll both see.

At least we’re being saved from all the repeats and reality shows.