Bubbles Burst On Some Shows

The fates of a few shows were decided over the weekend, as Fox announced it won't be bringing back "New Amsterdam" or "Back To You," while The CW is dropping the sublime "Aliens In America." Meanwhile, ABC has inexplicably picked up "Boston Legal" for a fifth season.

I'm not sure which is more painful, seeing "Boston Legal" back for another year or "Aliens In America" go away. The former is a ridiculous show that vacillates between comedy and drama (not in a good way) and ends up stealing Emmy votes from more worthy competitors. During its long hiatus this year, no one seemed to miss it.

The latter was the best new sitcom on TV, albeit one of the most ratings-challenged. It's style and sharp writing was reminiscent of "Malcolm In The Middle" at its height, and the show had a lot of charm to go with it. And its central theme of a Muslim student transplanted to Midwestern America offered sharp insight without ever becoming preachy.

As for the Fox shows, "New Amsterdam" never seemed to find any momentum after getting retooled from its original pilot and airing during the strike. There was enough of interest there where I would have liked to have seen a few more episodes, but I won't be losing any sleep over its departure, either.

"Back To You," which included a stellar cast of Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton, Fred Willard and others, and a stellar crew, didn't live up to the hype. It's premise of a TV news crew seemed tired when compared to the TV classics "Mary Tyler Moore" and "Murphy Brown." With all of the talent attached to this project, maybe my expectations were too high, but the laughs just weren't there.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: She's back! Tabloid diva Britney Spears reprises her role as a dim receptionist on "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS, 8:30 p.m.), along with the sublime Sarah Chalke as Ted's (Josh Radnor) love interest. Spears was perfectly adequate last time, but did bring in much-needed ratings with her appearance, so let's hope it's more of the same. It's part of an all-new lineup that includes "Big Bang Theory," "2 1/2 Men" and "Rules of Engagement," all followed by a new "CSI: Miami" at 10 p.m.

"Bones" (Fox, 8 p.m.) gives a shameless plug for "American Idol" tonight, while "House" (Fox, 9 p.m.) begins a two-part season finale.

"The Bachelor" (ABC, 10 p.m.) makes his final choice tonight. I'm sure the relationship will be long-lasting and produce lots of grandchildren in the future.

"American Gladiators" (NBC, 8 p.m.) returns to the air tonight with a two-hour premiere. Let's hope they cut down on the boring interviews and up the action this time around. It's followed by a new "Medium" at 10 p.m.

Finally, "Gossip Girl" (CW, 8 p.m.) and "One Tree Hill" (CW, 9 p.m.) present new installments.

Oprah's Big Give

The latest in reality fare hits the small tube Sunday with "Oprah's Big Give" (ABC, 8 p.m.) The queen of all media gives a group of people money to do good works. At the end of the run, the one who does the most good wins a prize of his or her own.

Anything with Oprah's name attached is a sure-fire ratings grabber, so expect this one to be a mainstay for a while.

SCRUBS UPDATE: OK, maybe not so much an update. TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello is reporting that ABC is in serious talks to air an 18-episode season next year when NBC gives up the rights to the show. It's a rumor already denied by NBC, which has five episodes left in the can and has been negotiating with show creator Bill Lawrence about a four-episode deal to wrap up the series.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Absolutely nothing tonight that isn't reality or a rerun, so enjoy your Friday night out on the town.

Saturday brings a new episode of "Torchwood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.)

On Sunday, my favorite new sitcom this season, "Aliens In America" (CW, 8:30 p.m.) returns, following a new episode of "Everybody Hates Chris."

CW - The Network To Watch?

The CW tends to be the forgotten stepchild when it comes to network TV, but it's new fall roster, combined with some returning favorites, may shake that label if enough people start watching.

Yes, the CW killed off "Veronica Mars," but it returns shows like "Smallville," "Supernatural" and "Beauty and the Geek," all of which have developed their own followings.

Now, the CW has a chance to improve that roster. One of the shows that has gotten the most praise by critics for any network has been "Reaper," and having seen the pilot this weekend, let me tell you, most of the hype is justified.

"Reaper" tells the story of a slacker (Bret Harrison) who is forced to become the Devil's bounty hunter. If this show succeeds, Ray Wise, portraying Satan as almost a smarmy game show host, may be an early front-runner for the 2008 Emmys. The show has drawn comparisons with "Buffy," and it will appeal to that crowd, but "Reaper" is a lot more tongue-in-cheek.

I expected to merely pass over "Aliens In America," especially when all the press kits kept describing it as "sweet." Then I watched the pilot, about an unpopular high school kid who gets an Islamic Pakistani exchange student as a roommate, and laughed a ton. "Aliens" is reminiscent of "Malcolm in the Middle." And it has lots of charm, not sweetness, to go along with the humor.

Finally, as the critic of the people, I endured the pilot of "Gossip Girl." I found the pilot to be uneven and confusing, with too many characters and too much backstory crammed in. Based on a series of popular teen books, however, this show may find its own niche audience, especially since it was created by Josh Schwartz ("The O.C.") And it does have Kristen Bell as the show's titular narrator.

This might be the season the CW finds its footing. Hey, I'd be happy if two-thirds of the other networks' offerings were as good.

TASTE OF 'HEROES': No show on TV does a better viral marketing campaign than "Heroes," which returns with new episodes on Monday. But to get a taste of the upcoming season, click here: http://yamagatofellowship.org/ for a look into Hiro's storyline for the upcoming season.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: After two Fox premieres on Monday, the networks take a night off once more. But you still have new episodes of "Eureka" (Sci-Fi, 9 p.m.) and "Damages" (FX, 10 p.m.) on cable.