The new fall season is almost here. Starting next week, the cable and broadcast networks will be begin rolling out new episodes of all the shows that survived the writers-strike-afflicted 2007-2008 season, giving us the chance to get acquainted with some old friends -- and reacquaint ourselves with more than a few characters who we met only fleetingly last fall. Here, then, are the top ten returning shows that were most looking forward to seeing.
Of all the shows to have their runs shortened by last year's writers strike, Pushing Daisies was the one we missed the most. We'd just started to settle in to its screwball rhythms and its sweet, tragicomic approach to mortality when it went off the air, and even though we knew that Ned, Chuck, and the rest of the cast of characters would be returning in the fall -- Pushing Daisies was the first show to get renewed last season -- we were still bummed that we'd have to wait a few months longer to get some of our burning questions answered. Will Chuck be able to keep the secret of her re-animation from her aunts? What really happened back when Ned accidentally killed Chuck's dad? A nd when are we gonna get to see that plastic wrap trick Ned and Chuck were talking about? Apparently, we're gonna get a few of those questions answered this year. To which we say: please please please let it be the plastic wrap one.
Pushing Daisies (Wednesdays at 8PM EST) premieres Wednesday, October 1 at 8PM EST on ABC.
TOP TEN RETURNING SHOWS FALL 2008
#1. "30 Rock" & "Terminator"
#2. "Dexter"
#3. "Gossip Girl"
#4. "Pushing Daisies"
#5. "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"
#6. "Heroes"
#7. "Dirty Sexy Money"
#8. "House"
#9. "Entourage" / "Californication"
#10. "The Shield"