So the new shows for 2006 have started, and I’ve watched enough eps to form a few opinions… here they be in no particular order.

The IT Crowd
New brit-com from the creator of Father Ted. Cory seems to love the hell out of this show. For me, its a tad too mainstream; but maybe I’m just used to edgier fare, like Ideal. Rather than being truely geeky, it seems to rely on standard sit-com tropes, like chyk loves shoes, but can’t afford them, etc.. with just a flavour of geek sprinkled on top; a la RTFM tshirts. To their credit though, they’re chucking the eps up on ‘net previous to screening them – sure, you can only view them if you’re in the UK, and they’re full of DRM, but its a start.
Rating – 2/5

Life on Mars
Warren talked this one up in one of his Bad Signals, so I had to check it out. British crime dramas don’t usually do it for me, but this ones a bit different. Take a present day cop and throw him into 1973.. that’s Life on Mars – can’t pull your CSI type DNA-stuff when people eat sandwiches over the evidence.. The first ep is very good, and makes use of the time travel sitch… the killer he’s tracking in 2006 is up to the same tricks in 1973. But the rest of the episodes so far have been kinda ordinary.. its seems like they’ve put more thought into the overall concept, and floundered on the details. Still, the production quality, soundtrack etc make it a good watch. Oh, and it has these Shining‘esque moments, with this girl and her doll coming out of the tv’s test pattern.
Rating – 3/5

Hyperdrive
The new Red Dwarf? Not quite. But its still damn funny. Starring Nick Frost, aka the fat guy in Spaced and Shaun of the Dead, as the commander of the Camden Locke, representing Britain throughout the galaxy. Laugh along as they try to trade with aliens that want to rub their groins on them. Watch Teal try win over the commander. Its sci-fi-com as good as it gets really. In a british way. Best enjoyed with a cup of tea.
Rating – 4/5

24
JACK! blah blah, bad technobable, blah, blah, impossible techno-tricks (yes, I’ll just enhance that camphone image to 10000%) etc. Taken for what it is, 24 is great, and this new season is no let down. Jack’s back from the dead to save the day, what more can you ask for? OK, yes they’re threatening to bring back Kim, and Almeida’s still in a coma or something, and no they’re not gonna resurrect Nina. But this is my favourite vicarious television – what’s more fun than screaming at Jack to watch out for snipers, and then sure enough snipers strike. Plus, David Fury’s on board this season, and his ep (5) was the best so far.
Rating 4.5/5

Beauty and the Geek 2
This season has more extreme nerds, and more vacuous “babes”, including the world-champion at solving the Rubbix Cube. ’nuff said really..
Rating 3/5

Survivor
Only one in ep so far, but this looks as good as ever. 4 tribes! Men vs Woman. Old vs Young. A pale whiteass astronaut. Some idiot yoga “dude”. Survivors ready? GO!
Rating 5/5

OK.. I’ll also give honourable mention to shows continuing (not starting) in 2006. Latest eps of Lost and Veronica Mars continue to kick ass! (Yes, I’d almost written Lost off after that shite finale, but season2’s back with the goods..) There’s a new sherriff in town….. swoon!