TV Mad Man

Happy New Year! Here are some notable returns and premieres for tonight….

Castle – 10/9c on ABC

Nikki Heat time! In the first installment of the New Year, Castle and Beckett are greeted by Laura Prepon who plays the women portraying Det. Heat in the film based on Castle’s Heat Wave. Needless to say, she is not Castle’s first choice and her relationship to Beckett distracts and upsets Richard.

Hawaii 5-0 – 10/9c on CBS

Supposed regular Taryn Manning takes front seat as McGarrett’s sister when she is taken, and he must race to save her with or without the help of the Governor (Jean Smart). I for one am excited to see how newly introduced Wo Fat (the chairman on Iron Chef!) plays into this.

Pretty Little Liars – 8/7c on ABC Family

My #1 guilty pleasure is back and there is no reason you should feel guilty about it. Pretty Little Liars launches its second half of the first season tonight and picks up just after Hanna’s run in with a car. The show is finding its own world and embracing it from the parents to the mystery of A, and I cannot get enough. The premiere is largely their to set-up the second half, placing the characters in certain positions to go from and I am excited to see where they go.

Over the course of this week, I will rundown the shows that I am still watching after chipping away at the shows after premiere week mayhem. But I want to know what you are still watching, and if they line up with mine. Comment!

Mondays are packed, the number two night after the craziness that is Thursday TV and it is bound to get crazier in the spring.

At 8/7c, House and Chuck still are the staples, which the former, moving nicely with new addition Amber Tambyln, although, I do wish Olivia Wilde’s Thirteen would return faster. I am also enjoying Sam Carr (Cynthia Watros) who is a nice companion to Wilson. The latter was on a tipping point for me but after the last episode, Bond brought me back, or should I say Timothy Dalton. Crazy ending, huh, lets hope they can ride it to success. Also in the first hour, How I Met Your Mother is slowing growing for the terribleness it was last year, and after a few seasons off, I added 90210 to my schedule which I have surprisingly, been enjoying. I can’t figure out why though. (more…)

With the new fall season starting, new TV is bring us the good, the bad, and the mediocre, but how do you sort out the good and the bad? Here is what to watch this fall, so you can see the best new friendships, new loves, new action, and new heart. Now, the one returning show with the all the momentum is back, will it continue to grow on ABC….

What ABC Says:

When the new season of “Castle” begins, Beckett hasn’t heard from Castle since he left for the Hamptons months ago to finish writing his second Nikki Heat novel, “Naked Heat” (on sale September 28). The most Beckett, Ryan and Esposito have seen of Castle is a bookstore standee of him advertising an upcoming book signing. So when Beckett and her team burst into a shadowy apartment on the trail of a murderer, the last thing they expect to see is the real-life Castle standing over a dead woman’s body holding a gun! As Castle protests his innocence, Beckett has no choice but to arrest him on suspicion of murder, on the Season Three premiere of “Castle,” MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABCTelevision Network.

“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones asMedical ExaminerLanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan.

Tune In or Out: When we left Castle and Beckett in May, then were not in good terms. Castle was leaving for the summer to finish his new book, Naked Heat, and Beckett was torn between her feelings for her new beau and Castle. Now, back in September, they are about to be reunited in the most unusual place. The season premiere does what Castle does best, giving us a common case in the most light-hearted fare possible. It certainly is not the best episode and it took me awhile to adjust to the new look by Stana Katic, but in the end it shows why this show is no one of ABC most popular hours.

Watch, Record Skip: If you are a returning viewer, continue to love and watch, but if you are new, then its a great time to jump on the Nathan Fillion train because it is certainly accepting more passengers. Castle premieres Monday at 10/9c on ABC.

Finale time and it really kicks of with some powerful and funny stuff tonight:

House – “Help Me” 8/7c on FOX

The House finale in one word is……monumental. It is so monumental that the director Paul Attanasio had to use a new high-tech camera for the open frames of the episode. In it is unusual in the fact that House and Cuddy are out of the hospital for the majority of the episode, dealing with the night’s big crises a crane collapse. Dr. House is putting in to some compromising situations and of course annoys his team back at Princeton. The DVD I watched did not actually include the final scene but the last scenes for sure back a punch. It leaves into question and member of the team’s status and might change House’s life for a long time. Must watch.

Castle – “A Deadly Game” 10/9c on ABC

On the other end of the spectrum but somehow similar, the finale of Castle, does what they do best…make a seemingly terrible crime and turn it on its head and make it funny. The finale is pretty note-worthy for Rick as his daughter is moving on to bigger things for the summer and maybe he should as well. Good stuff, and the final minutes really entice next season’s premiere.

Some great TV on in this start of the late winter week….

Chuck – 8/7c on NBC So who was Sarah’s red test? Will Casey come back in the fold? When is Shaw going to leave? Those are some of my questions going into Chuck vs. the American Hero. Chuck for me is really getting in a grove during this middle half of the season. Tonight, Chuck gets to pick who he takes on this mission, and his friends want him back.

Kell on Earth – 10/9c on Bravo How will Bravo exist without Kelly Cutrone now? Kell on Earth has now quickly become a Bravo staple for me, and the whole People’s Revolution crew is awesome. Skinner, Grace, Andrew, Robyn, and more, who couldn’t love this dysfunctional crew. Tonight is the finale as Kelly gets some sad news. Good news though, look for a lot more Kelly with Whitney and Roxy on MTV’s The City, next month.

Castle – 10/9c on ABC “Boom!” time. The second part of the Dana Delany two-parter airs after DWTS tonight and we will get the answer to the awesome cliffhanger that was Beckett’s building blowing up. Of course, she survives I do believe, but how and what will happen next? I’m excited!

Damages – 10/9c on FX  Is anybody watching Damages? From the ratings, it does not look like it. Tonight’s episode however really tests the story as Patty almost loses the Tobin’s case unless she gets some information as Ellen gets in hot water at the DA’s office. The episode end however is absolutely fantastic, and also look for more information on Winstone’s back story.