TVgasm Prime Time Roundup 2006 – Monday

I was talking with a friend of mine this morning and we were trying to figure out when our favorite shows started or if there was any new ones that we should be aware of. Last year TVgasm had a Fall Preview Spectacular. We will be doing that once again (look for the full list next week), but because so many of our favorite shows have moved and we don’t want to miss any premieres, we thought we would take this week to highlight each network’s prime time schedule, starting with today and continuing through the weekend. Continue after the jump for a small preview of what’s in store Mondays this fall. Don’t forget, you can discuss it all in the forums as well.

ABC

8 PM : Wife Swap (Premieres 9/18) – “Have you ever wondered whether the grass is greener on the other side of the fence? Two wives discover that it often isn’t when they hand over the keys to their homes and literally switch families — but not bedrooms — for two weeks”. In the season premiere, a former pageant queen who insists on perfection in her home and in her daughters swaps places with a low-maintenance, trash-picking mom who hates to clean. I’ve never seen this show, but it makes me want to get married and swap with Les Moonves – pronto.

9 PM : The Bachelor Rome (Premieres 10/2) – “Prince Lorenzo Borghese, a handsome 34-year-old cosmetics entrepreneur, has been selected to star in the ninth edition of The Bachelor, and will try to find his own Grace Kelly when he romances 25 beautiful American women in the enchanting city of Rome when ABC’s popular romance reality series returns to the network this fall.” Although I’d rather be chasing down Audrey Hepburn if I was on a Roman Holiday, this guy seems better than the other schmucks they have trotted out lately. Make sure to check TVgasm for all of copygodd’s recaps as well.

10 PM : What About Brian (Premieres 10/9) – “From the producers of Lost and Alias and the screenwriter of City of Angels and For Love of the Game comes a contemporary, heartwarming ensemble show about a group of supportive friends in various stages of romantic relationships and friendships living in Los Angeles. “

CBS

8 PM : The Class (Premieres 9/18) = “The Class is a comedy about a group of 20-somethings inextricably bound together by having been in the same third grade class. Two decades later, their lives intersect once again, giving them the uncommon opportunity to learn how everyone turned out and to rebuild old friendships.” Eh. I didn’t really like the original version of Friends.

8:30 PM : How I Met Your Mother (Premieres 9/18) – “How I Met Your Mother is a comedy about Ted (Josh Radnor) and how he fell in love. It all started when Ted’s best friend, Marshall (Jason Segel), dropped the bombshell that he was going to propose to his long-time girlfriend, Lily (Alyson Hannigan), a kindergarten teacher. At that moment, Ted realized that he had better get a move on if he also hopes to find true love. Helping him in his quest is Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), a friend with endless, sometimes outrageous opinions, a penchant for suits and foolproof ways to pick up women. When Ted meets Robin (Cobie Smulders), he is sure it is love at first sight, but destiny may have something else in store. The series is narrated through flashbacks from the future.”

9 PM : Two And A Half Men (Premieres 9/18) – “Two And A Half Men is a comedy about men, women, sex, dating, divorce, mothers, single parenthood, sibling relations, surrogate families, money and most importantly, love. In other words, it is a comedy about life–more specifically, the life of two brothers, a son/nephew and the many women who surround them all.” The description of this show made me so sick, I almost decided to start writing my own instead of just copying them from the network websites. Luckily, laziness got the better of me.

9:30 PM : The New Adventures of Old Christine (Premieres 9/18) – “The New Adventures of Old Christine is a comedy about a single mother and owner of a “30-minute workout gym” who is the portrait of the new American mom, albeit with some unflinchingly candid points of view. For her, every day is an adventure, but life is made easier due to the fantastic relationship she shares with her ex-husband. However, everything changes when her ex’s new, younger girlfriend enters the picture, instantly complicating her life.”

10 PM : CSI: Miami (Premieres 9/18) – Are there people out there that really don’t know what CSI is and needs this explained to them? I visited Miami this summer and loved the city, but it still doesn’t make me want to watch David Caruso.

The CW

8 PM : 7th Heaven (Premieres 9/25) – “A minister, his wife and their seven children share love, life and laughter in this contemporary family drama.” We think this is going to be the last season. Maybe.

9 PM : Runaway (Premieres 9/25) – “The Raders look like a normal middle-class American family, with a dad, Paul Rader, his lovely wife Lily, teenagers Henry and Hannah and 8 year-old Tommy. Those are their real names, but as they struggle to blend into a new life in Bridgewater, Iowa, They are all using secret identities. The family is on the run, hiding from a legal system that unjustly convicted Paul Rader of a terrible and violent crime. adding to the danger, the real killer is now threatening their lives.” If Donnie Wahlberg and Teri Bauer (Leslie Hope) can’t convince you, how about the prospect for a great Janet Jackson theme song?

FOX

8 PM : Prison Break (Premiered 8/21) – “Convinced that his wayward brother Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) was wrongly convicted of the sensational murder of the Vice President’s brother, which landed him on Fox River State Penitentiary’s death row, a desperate Michael Schofield (Wentworth Miller) attempted a daring bank robbery in order to get himself incarcerated in Fox River with Lincoln. Michael, an engineer with access to the prison’s structural design, then masterminded an elaborate plan to free Lincoln by pulling off the ultimate PRISON BREAK. Outside the prison walls, the escape truly begins as the convicts race for their lives – and the hidden cash –while trying to avoid capture by the authorities. The pursuers are led by vengeful prison guard Captain Brad Bellick (Wade Williams), who, driven by a personal vendetta, will stop at nothing until the escapees are captured or killed.” OK, so some of these FOX premieres will seem outdated. Umnata and Amanda will be bringing you the recaps for the second season.

9 PM : Vanished (Premiered 8/21) – “Sara Collins, the beautiful young wife of prominent Georgia Senator Jeffrey Collins, has inexplicably vanished. As the search for Sara unravels one of the nation’s most prominent families, it also exposes evidence that could rock the foundations of American society. In VANISHED, nothing is as it seems. Everyone is a suspect. Everyone has a secret. And no one is safe.” Good enough for Ming Na, good enough for me.

NBC

8 PM : Deal Or No Deal (Premieres 9/18) – “Hosted by Howie Mandel, “Deal or No Deal” is an exhilarating hit game show where contestants play and deal for a top prize of $1 million in a high-energy contest of nerves, instincts and raw intuition. Each night, the game of odds and chance unfolds when a contestant is confronted with 26 sealed briefcases full of varying amounts of cash – ranging from a measly penny to $1 million. Without knowing the amount in each briefcase, the contestant picks one — his to keep, if he chooses – until its unsealing at game’s end.” This will die eventually, but still has it’s great moments.

9 PM : Heroes (Premieres 9/25) – “Some people are born to be extraordinary. They thought they were like everone else…until they woke with incredible abilities. In Japan, a lowly office worker can teleport at will. In New York, a struggling artist can paint the future. In Los Angeles, a discontented beat cop can hear the thoughts of others. Elsewhere, a high school cheerleader discovers she is unbreakable and a single mom realizes she has a powerful alter ego. Heroes chronicles the lives of these people and the lives of other slike them – whose destiny just might be saving humankind.” This sounds good enough that I’ll be recapping it this fall.

10 PM : Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip (Premieres 9/18) – “Emmy Award-winning executive producer-writer Aaron Sorkin lays bare the backstage politics, romances, and delicate balance between creative talent, on-air personalities and network executives on a popular, late-night comedy sketch show.” Shouldn’t this have been named “30 Rock”?