On the Bubble?

Earlier I did a post about this being a lackluster year for movies (Inception and The Social Network being the exceptions). I’m having that same feeling about this year’s crop of television shows. My favorite newbie, Lone Star, was the first to leave the party. ABC’s My Generation quickly followed. So the big question is which show will be next?

If ratings are any indication, new shows that joined Lone Star and My Generation in the bottom of the ratings pool included: Running Wilde (FOX), The Whole Truth (ABC), and Outlaw (NBC). FOX gave The Good Guys a second shot on Fridays but it still hasn’t made much of an impression. As far as other returning shows, The Apprentice is down there too, along with NBC shows Community and Parenthood. Surprisingly, Fringe rounded out the bottom 10.

Having seen both Running Wilde and The Whole Truth, I can’t say I’m surprised. Running Wilde was painfully unfunny and the fact that it came after the much funnier Raising Hope made it that much worse. The Whole Truth was just average even though I liked the premise. I didn’t even bother to watch Outlaw because it just didn’t seem that interesting. I guess most of the viewing audience felt the same way.

If I had to encourage anyone to watch any of these shows, I would have enthusiastically have thrown my support behind Lone Star. Alas, it was canceled, so I’ll make a few other less passionate pleas.

The Good Guys: I like this show. Let me be more specific. I like Bradley Whitford as 80’s throwback detective Dan Stark. He, and he alone, make this show not just watchable but enjoyable.

The Apprentice: I like the fact that we don’t have a bunch of has-been celebrities in the board room every week. These are real people – real unemployed people. They aren’t just hungry, they are starved. To me, it makes for some real, reality TV (well, as real as reality TV gets anyway).

Parenthood: This is a good show. It is. Well-written, well-acted, well-done and well worth your time.

Fringe: This show should not be in the bottom at all … ever. If you are scared that you can’t pick up the twisty alternating universe plots, check out Entertainment Weekly’s primer that should catch you up to the beginning of this season. Then visit the FOX site and get caught up on the first few episodes of the season.

My Picks for Cancellation (in order): Running Wilde, The Whole Truth and then Outlaw.