Brian Damage
11-06-2007, 09:59 AM
• "Pushing Daisies" (8 p.m. Wednesday, ABC). The playful, visually enchanting romantic fairy tale of pie maker Ned (Lee Pace) and soul mate Chuck (Anna Friel) has wonderfully sustained its loving, loopy spirit. It's the fall's best and most charming newcomer.
• "Back to You" (8 p.m. Wednesday, Fox). Old-school comic cool. Kelsey Grammer, plus Patricia Heaton, plus sharp, sassy writing from talented veteran "Frasier" producers equals a sly, dependably funny TV newsroom sitcom traditionally filmed before a studio audience. Bonus points to Fred Willard's slaphappy sportscaster.
• "Dirty Sexy Money" (10 p.m. Wednesday, ABC). Bless this lavishly nutty soap opera about an ultra-dysfunctional rich family that doesn't take itself too seriously. The cast, headed by Peter Krause and Donald Sutherland, is terrific. A guilty pleasure with a brain is good to find.
• "Reaper" (9 p.m. Tuesday, CW). It's the three supernatural stooges. Slacker Sam (Bret Harrison) and wisenheimer pal Sock (Tyler Labine) are bounty hunters for one nutty Satan (Ray Wise, "Twin Peaks"), tracking down evil, escaped souls from Lucifer's smokin' hot subterranean lair. Happy result: A consistently witty, imaginative mash-up of "Ghostbusters" and "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure."
• "Aliens in America" (8:30 p.m. Monday, CW). This post-9/11 culture clash comedy, featuring the small-town high school outsider stories of gawky Justin (Dan Byrd) and Pakistani Muslim exchange student Raja (the excellent Adhir Kalyan), has been a merry prankster delight, infused with sharp-edged wit and a refreshingly sweet nature.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071105/ENT03/711050317
• "Back to You" (8 p.m. Wednesday, Fox). Old-school comic cool. Kelsey Grammer, plus Patricia Heaton, plus sharp, sassy writing from talented veteran "Frasier" producers equals a sly, dependably funny TV newsroom sitcom traditionally filmed before a studio audience. Bonus points to Fred Willard's slaphappy sportscaster.
• "Dirty Sexy Money" (10 p.m. Wednesday, ABC). Bless this lavishly nutty soap opera about an ultra-dysfunctional rich family that doesn't take itself too seriously. The cast, headed by Peter Krause and Donald Sutherland, is terrific. A guilty pleasure with a brain is good to find.
• "Reaper" (9 p.m. Tuesday, CW). It's the three supernatural stooges. Slacker Sam (Bret Harrison) and wisenheimer pal Sock (Tyler Labine) are bounty hunters for one nutty Satan (Ray Wise, "Twin Peaks"), tracking down evil, escaped souls from Lucifer's smokin' hot subterranean lair. Happy result: A consistently witty, imaginative mash-up of "Ghostbusters" and "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure."
• "Aliens in America" (8:30 p.m. Monday, CW). This post-9/11 culture clash comedy, featuring the small-town high school outsider stories of gawky Justin (Dan Byrd) and Pakistani Muslim exchange student Raja (the excellent Adhir Kalyan), has been a merry prankster delight, infused with sharp-edged wit and a refreshingly sweet nature.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071105/ENT03/711050317