A fall TV guide (with help from Carly Googles)

Hey, it's almost time for TV shows to get back on the air! :O It seems like just yesterday that they all ended in May. Where DOES the time go?

However, I'm psyched, since in just a few short weeks I will be able to devote massive amounts of my time (and this blog!) to new television. Some of these posts will take the place of The Baggage Game, which will disappoint some of you, but no doubt please Danielle and others who dislike it.

My friend Carly - and I can call her my friend, of course, because we're friends on Facebook - at Carly Googles already covered some of this ground. You can check out her awesome entry here. I'm going to focus on the shows I actually watch though, cribbing from her list and the Internet, like...

Archer - TBA 2011. The cartoon from Matt Reed, the guy who did Sealab 2021 and Frisky Dingo, was probably my favorite show from start to finish last year. The only bad thing was its short season length. I'm hoping they do a full 20-episode run this time, but since it is an FX show, I'm guessing that won't happen.

Community - Sept. 23 (Thurs.) Like the other NBC Thursday shows, we have another week to go for new episodes. SIGH. Given how the season ended, there are definitely a lot of different ways they can go with the start. It's definitely the tensest comedy from a character standpoint, given the minefield that awaits this year.

Family Guy - Sept. 26 (Sun.) I feel like each year, less and less of my friends watch. However, if you can accept that it's generally the same sort of formula for each episode, it's still pretty solid. Hey, it's only 22 minutes of your life, once you take away the commercials. There isn't enough funny in that short time to keep your interest? As "Funny" Dave Dameshek would say, SHAME!

Glee - Sept. 21 (Tues.) Sigh - It seems like so far away! Just one more week...

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Sept. 16 (Thurs.) This freakin' week! SCORE. I'm super excited.

Modern Family - Sept. 22 (Wed.) A week after Always Sunny, which seems appropriate to me. It's the best network sitcom going right now, even if I thought its last episode sucked. It really deserved all of the Emmys it won, though.

The Office - Sept. 23 (Thurs.) Much like Heroes last year, this is a make-or-break season of the show to me. If the first couple episodes are bad, I'm probably tapping out quickly. Even Dwight couldn't save some episodes last year, and he's normally the one go-to guy in terms of laughs.

Saturday Night Live - TBA (but if I had to guess, I'd say Sept. 25 or Oct. 2) This could be an interesting season, since they're (allegedly) replacing four or more cast members. Last season was pretty much sucky except for Betty White, which was surprising to me, because the previous year was pretty solid toward the end.

Shit My Dad Says - Sept. 23 (Thurs.) I really doubt that this show has any staying power. However, I'll at least give it a chance for a couple episodes. Shatner + Funny = Interest.

South Park - Oct. 6. Technically, this is a continuation of the season that began in March. I hate how South Park splits up their seasons into seven episode chunks, ugh. Just as you're getting into the show, it goes off the air for five months. It is still consistently 1) funny 2) socially relevant or 3) both.

The Venture Bros. - TONIGHT! My favorite cartoon on Adult Swim! I just wish they managed to produce more than an episode a month, seemingly. It is animated in an old school style that apparently takes effing forever. The wait is usually worth it, though.

-----
I'm positive I forgot some shows, but this is what's on my radar for now.