Fall Preview: What Do the Critics Say?

When I look at what critics have to say about the new TV shows, I turn to the big three—“USA Today,” “Entertainment Weekly,” and “TV Guide.”

But this year, “TV Guide” didn’t pick its favorites as it usually does. Instead they picked 10 shows for their “Hot List,” which I think meant shows that could produce pretty pictures.

Taking all three lists into consideration, there were only two shows that made all of them: FOX’s “Back to You” and CW’s “Reaper.”

I would also count CW’s “Aliens In America” in that list too, even though it did not make the “Hot List,” since later in the magazine they call it the “freshest, funniest half-hour pilot of the season.” I guess it didn’t make a pretty picture…

Here is the “TV Guide Hot List”:

1) “Pushing Daisies” (ABC)
2) “Back to You” (FOX)
3) “Dirty Sexy Money” (ABC)
4) “Chuck” (NBC)
5) “Private Practice” (ABC)
6) “K-Ville” (FOX)
7) “Gossip Girl” (CW)
8) “Reaper” (CW)
9) “Cane” (CBS)
10) “Bionic Woman” (NBC)

Robert Bianco of “USA Today” picked the top 10 best new shows:

1) “Pushing Daisies,” which Bianco calls the “best blooming show of the year,” which “may be the best pilot since ‘Lost’”
2) “Reaper”
3) “Chuck”
4) “Samantha Who?” (ABC)
5) “Aliens In America” (CW)
6) “Back to You”
7) “Private Practice,” which Bianco picked based more on the cast than the actual pilot
8) “Women’s Murder Club” (CBS)
9) “The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
10) “Gossip Girl”

“Entertainment Weekly” only picked five shows: “Aliens In America,” “Reaper,” “Dirty Sexy Money,” “Bionic Woman,” and “Back to You.” Its TV critics were divided on “Pushing Daisies,” so it did not get selected.

Later this week, I’ll tell you which shows I’m looking forward to seeing…