I think Samantha Who is going to be one of those fun, guilty pleasure half-hour comedies. It's not a fantastic show, it's not even that funny, and Christina Applegate is way over the top, but it's strangely addicting and has strong supporting characters. And speaking of addicting, I love any TV show that puts "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" in your head.

That's how this show begins: "The Pina Colada Song" plays as Sam (Christina Applegate) wakes from a seven day coma - the result of a car accident. Her mother (Jean Smart, I love you!) hovers with a video camera, capturing all this for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Why they'd be interested in a coma victim, I don't know, but it's still funny. Her dad (Kevin Dunn) is there too, as is her friend Dena (Melissa McCarthy - Sookie from Gilmore Girls, destined to always be the nice best friend). But Sam has retrograde amnesia, so she's retained general knowledge, but not memories. These people are strangers to her - not that they understand that. No, they take it somewhat personally - especially her mom.

Thank God Dexter Season 2 is underway. Our loveable Hawaiian shirt-clad serial killer is back, and I'll be the first to say I missed him. With the way Season 1 ended, (Recap: Ice Truck Killer is Dexter's brother/Deborah's fiancé and Dexter was forced to kill him) I could not wait to see what was next for Dexter. Luckily the powers that be did not disappoint, and after only three episodes in, poor Dex has already been through a lot. Just in case you missed it, let me catch you up:

This season starts off with Dexter being unable to kill. Between Sergeant Doakes' constant tail and Dexter trying to keep up appearances, our dark avenger just cannot seem to find time to make his move. And when he does finally attempt to serve his brand of justice, things are a little rusty. Dexter just ain't what he used to be.

Serena and Blaire's friendship is tested; Chuck and Nate plan a party weekend

Things are starting to heat up on the Upper East Side...this episode finally revealed the inner workings of most of our characters, giving them a depth not seen before. The unfortunate exception is Blake Lively as Serena. I really want to like her, but she's proving to be a huge disappointment, and I'm going to have to admit something: She can't act. Sorry, it's the truth.

The fabulous Margaret Colin joins the series as Blaire's mom, fashion designer Eleanor Waldorf. She's got a new clothing line coming out and her advisors think they should find a model who truly fits Waldorf for Bendels (or whatever this line is called). Who else but... Blaire Waldorf?! Fab! Terrific! We know this can only lead to no good!

As is typical with pilots, in last week's pilot episode of Pushing Daisies, we got a ton of information: backstory on Ned's power and Chuck's life with her aunts, plus the mystery of who killed Chuck. It was a lot to take in - and I enjoyed doing so - but I was curious as to what format each future episode would take. It seemed as though all Ned and Emerson had to do was wake up the victim and ask him or her a few questions and their job would be done, which could get a little repetitive. But it turns out the victims don't always know the whole story, or don't always get the chance to tell it.

Right off the bat, this show is triumphant in its self-awareness. It's kooky, it's weird, it's cute, and as Ned puts it, it's "eccentric in a quaint way, like dessert spoons." All the little details in the first few scenes were great. Up until she was in her teens, Chuck thought a refrigerator was called a cheesebox. Olive spies on Ned with an elaborately rigged mirror. Emerson knits in his free time. The City Morgue is painted to look like a candy cane for no reason at all. And we accept these things because the details are what matter in the Pushing Daisies world.

Remember all those times you were flipping through the channels, looking for that perfect combination of crime procedural, love story, and quirky dramedy with a sci-fi twist? Your prayers have been answered. I am pleased to introduce Pushing Daisies, a show that really and truly is like nothing else on TV. Either that or it's like everything else on TV, all mushed together into one sweet, funny, Technicolor package.

First of all, this episode was titled "Pie-lette." Get it? Pi-lette? Pilot! They've reeled me in already.

Blaire and Serena make up; Dan learns high society types aren't all bad

I'm becoming addicted to this show, and I wonder if I should be ashamed of that since I'm not exactly its target demo, which is probably tweens, teens and early 20-somethings. Gulp. But it's so entertaining.

It's Ivy League week and the kids are vying for usher spots at the Ivy League Mixer. At first, I had no idea what they were talking about, having never been Ivy League material myself. But apparently an usher hangs out with the school's rep at the party, introducing, making small talk, and getting drinks. Sounds awful, but its clearly prestigious. So, Dan wants to go to Dartmouth, and he wants that usher spot. Nate doesn't want to go to Dartmouth, but his dad insists that he does, so guess who gets the usher spot? That's right, the legacy. Dan is pissed and he takes it out on Serena.

For a TV fanatic like myself the coming of the fall season chock full of its new premieres and returning juggernauts brings me the kind of joy I should not readily admit to having. Of course this most wonderful time of the year has its dark side too.

If last year taught me anything it was that if I fall hard for a show it will most likely be canceled without even getting a shot to finish out a full season. Remember when I proclaimed my doomed love for NBC's The Black Donnelly's? That worked out really well for the boys in Hell's Kitchen. And then there was The Nine.

Serena and Blaire argue; Jenny gets closer to the inner circle

It's the morning after Blaire's big party, and where is everyone? Well anyone who's anyone is preparing for Chuck's dad's fundraiser brunch...

That doesn't include Dan and Jenny who are dissecting the night before, and Dan's disastrous choice to wave to Serena instead of walk her to her door. You idiot! Maybe he should go over and see her. Meanwhile, Serena is chatting with her brother about Dan. "He's smart and funny!" - but she's more worried about Blaire. She'll go over and talk to her. Nate and Chuck wake up hung over, and cursing Dan Humphrey for entering their exclusive world.

In the world of the sitcom, it's a rare animal that favors intelligent humor over slapstick stupidity. However, it is an even more odd duck that can balance the two to make a happy combination of silly and smart. Though not perfectly, The Big Bang Theory approximates this equilibrium and comes up with a cute and totally laughable new TV series.

The premiere episode opens up with an overtly lowbrow humor setup - two awkward and overly intellectualized nerds at a high IQ sperm bank. Though the dialogue between Leonard and Sheldon does not exactly take the high road, they still manage to simultaneously slip in jokes about differentials and integrals. As I chuckled at the same crack that my calculus professor might have made in my 9 AM class the day before, I also realized that you didn't need to know what the boys were talking about to find their back and forth amusing.

Aside from my Hills addiction the other summer reality show that I can't get enough of is Rock of Love with Bret Michaels. Especially after the atrocity that was the MTV Video Music Awards last week I'm going to take a time-out from praising MTV's programming (quick sidebar - Screw you, Justin. Just because you want to see yourself on MTV more doesn't mean I do. Don't go on a rant about MTV's reality shows when you are receiving an award from the hands of MTV's biggest reality stars) to give the powers that be at VH1 their proper props.

Bad girl gone good, or is it a part of the act?

Now this is a show I can get behind. Money, intrigue, beautiful people (although what is up with the guys' eyebrows?) - set on Manhattan's Upper East Side. A world I know nothing about but am more than happy to visit once a week. So without further ado, let's join the world of Gossip Girl...

Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) has returned home from a year at boarding school. But was she really at boarding school? And why did she take off so fast anyway? She was queen bee of her school - seemingly had everything. What's going on? A driver picks her up at Grand Central, where she is spotted by Dan Humphrey (the sexy Penn Badgley) who's returned home with his sister Jenny (Taylor Momson) from a brief trip to see their mother. They're picked up by their father, Rufus (Matthew Settle- looking hot hot hot) who's clearly bitter that his wife left him. When Dan spots Serena, we know there will be a story there...

An all new episode of Damages airs tonight at 10 p.m. on FX.

Damages was good. Really good. The story line was captivating, the character profiles were intriguing, the show concept seems unique. I don't think I can say enough to advocate how well put together Damages appears. Unfortunately, I can never watch it again.

The show's story is told in split time, half moving forward at present time, the other half moving forward from six months previous. Ellen Parsons, the main character, is introduced at present time, as she wanders through the streets of New York City half clothed, and covered in blood. Without any identification, the police officers accompanying her in the interrogation room are at a loss. Her only possession is a business card, with a signature on the back under an ominous message.

This business card pulls us into a flashback, as Ellen turns down a job with a ridiculously large salary. Apparently, this hesitation is because she has been contacted by Patty Hewes, immediately imbuing the name and the persona with enough significance to cause a new and very young lawyer to walk away from a hefty salary. Ellen goes out with her boyfriend that night to celebrate her risk, and runs into the very man whose job she had turned down. Not shockingly, this run-in is no accident. He very seriously warns her about the danger of Patty Hewes' high-stakes litigation, has her sign his business card, and then prints in big, block letters, "I was warned." Which doesn't exactly bode well for Ellen's future.

Maybe it's summer television's curse. Maybe it's mine whenever I take to a new show. But for some reason, second episodes seem to be flopping even hard than the pilots could possibly predict. This past week, State of Mind inexplicably transformed into not just a Lifetime Movie, but an After School Special, leaving me cold on the show. Though I went in with hopes of a Grey's Anatomy-esque loyalty and love, I turned off the TV this week with the grim notion that I couldn't watch anymore.

Side Order of Life was still truly awful. For some reason, Lifetime has lumped two shows about female protagonists with ridiculous visions together on Sunday night, leading each to a much more ludicrous start. After watching Side Order of Life with a half an ear, mostly so as to keep my brain and dignity in tact - Pretty Girl will have Quirky Best Friend's Baby to save her from cancer! - I got ready for the next hallucination show, and unfortunately, was highly disappointed.