Random words about the new-ish TV season.

Just a few thoughts now that the Fall season is underway.

How I Met Your Mother – ready to Jump the Shark.  The jokes are stale and the situations are lame.  Having Barney put another notch in his headboard every week is over - and let’s get on with Ted’s search for Mrs. Right.  Enough already.

Hawaii Five-O, not bad as a stand-alone, but it's a gross exaggeration to compare this to the original.  Scott Cahn is no James MacArthur.  And the other kid is not Jack Lord.

Castle – Excellent.  Nathan Fillion and Stana Katick are terrific in this show that rocks great-looking people, New York City and pretty good dialogue. But it, too, has to move it along.

NCIS - I can see why people continue to watch this Navy version of the CSI formula (consistently second in the weekly ratings.)  It’s fun and the characters are endearing.  It stands out in a crowded field.

Good Wife – This is an excellent show for its adult (not that kind of adult, just mature, as opposed to childish) subject matter and evolved characters.  But the writers used a cheap, soap opera-ish plot device at the beginning of the season that nearly ruined the show for me.  They had Alan Cumming’s character delete a cell phone message from Will to Alicia, a move that killed their fledgling relationship.  How low!

Hell’s Kitchen – You gotta love this train wreck.  Where do they find these low-life chefs?  They are the craziest, dirtiest, most filthy-mouthed food preparers anyone could ever find.  I guess no one normal could work under the tutelage of the equally low Gordon Ramsey.  But, I wouldn’t want to eat the food they’ve smoked and sweated over.  GROSS.

Modern Family & Cougar Town – Love them.  Great-looking (Cougar Town), fun characters with witty dialogue.  Silly situations, but who cares?  They’re not claiming it’s Shakespeare.

The Office & 30 Rock – Still fun, but not up to previously set standards of comedy and wit.  I’ll give both more time because they’ve been great television programs and, as friends have said, they rise and fall from week to week.

Outsourced – I stumbled onto this one, thinking it was silly, but so glad I did.  Its beauty lies in its lack of political correctness.  A breath of fresh air.

Blue Bloods – A good, solid cop/family show with wonderful actors and Tom Selleck leading the way.  You have a cast of semi-stars here – Donnie Walberg, Bridget Moynahan, Len Cariou, Nicholas Turturro and Jennifer Esposito.  I do have a bone to pick, naturally.  Like NYPD Blue, the director is stereotyping cops and their speech patterns/dialogue.  Not all cops say “dese, dem and dose.”  And, not all cops are as gung-ho as this crew.  Most I’ve known are pretty cynical.  A little more reality would be nice.

Brothers and Sisters – Still somewhat fun, but verging on the too maudlin to watch on a Sunday night when work looms.  C’mon guys, entertain us; stop making everyone the victim of unspeakable tragedy.   

Okay, now I’m exaggerating.