TV Surveillance

We all know that cable television is a little different than broadcast network television. Usually better written, more artistically free and slower-paced, cable television always gets labeled as “something more” like HBO’s “it’s not TV, it’s HBO” slogan.

Though recent years have been unkind to cable power HBO, its failures allowed for other cable outlets like USA, Showtime and AMC to develop amazing content. And with HBO on the up-and-up and those other cable networks chugging along, cable TV is in a great place right now.

What to watch

SHOW: “Mad Men”
EPISODE: “Souvenir”
WHEN: 10 p.m. Sunday on AMC

“Mad Men” won the Emmy for best drama series for a reason. Typically slow-moving, the beginning of season three was paced at even more of a crawl in the early going, frustrating some viewers and critics. But in the last three weeks, the pace has quickened immensely, with all of the characters facing some interesting realties. With Don now officially under contract but refusing to talk to Roger and Duck’s persistent professional (and now sexual) pursuit of Peggy, times might be a’changin’ for Sterling Cooper just like they are in the world outside of it in 1963.

SHOW: “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
EPISODE: “The Reunion”
WHEN: 9 p.m Sunday on HBO

This “Curb Your Enthusiasm” episode is one of the most anticipated half hours of the new fall season, because as the title suggests, Larry decides that he’s finally ready for a “Seinfeld” reunion. “Reunion” will be the first of a number of re-appearances for each of that program’s main cast – Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Julie Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards – and even if you are not a fan of “Curb,” this will hopefully be a cool thing to see.

What to DVR

SHOW: “Bored to Death”
EPISODE: “The Case of the Missing Screenplay”
WHEN: 9:30 p.m. Sunday on HBO

This dryly comedic, hard-boiled detective story is about what you would expect from the Wes Anderson-type of humor: It’s not overly funny and the characters are intensely neurotic, but it’s still pretty enjoyable. As good as Jason Schwartzman is in this role as a novelist-turned-Craigslist-detective, he’s really playing a role we’ve seen him do before. But awesome work from co-stars Zach Galifianakis and an on-fire Ten Danson really bring the show to life when it drones on a little with Schwartzman, his wispy hair and his problems.

SHOW: “Psych”
EPISODE: “Let’s Get Hairy”
10 p.m. Friday on USA

For whatever reason, “Psych” is consistently forgotten when people discuss television comedies, and that’s a major mistake. Like “How I Met Your Mother,” “Psych” is what it is – a pop culture reference-powered, sometimes-goofy procedural comedy – but no show does it better. The electric chemistry between James Roday’s Shawn and Dulé Hill’s Gus is so natural at this point and the cases – like this one where a guy thinks he’s a dangerous werewolf – are almost always entertaining. Any show that’s willing to constantly reference the other program that stole its concept and then became much more popular – in this case “The Mentalist” – is one that’s good by me.

Rant of the Week

Not to beat a dead horse here, but two weeks into the new season and I already have to lambast the CW. By continuing to push its “teenage girls only” agenda that led to the creation of three new shows – “The Vampire Diaries,” “Melrose Place” and “The Beautiful Life” – that were nearly identical to ones they already had and the banishing of “Smallville” to the Friday night deathslot, the CW brass solidified themselves as the dumbest execs in the industry.

Now, “The Beautiful Life” has been canceled after two episodes, “Melrose Place” is a critical and ratings disaster and even “Gossip Girl” is seemingly losing buzz.  “The Vampire Diaries” is the only ratings bright spot and two shows that don’t actually hit their target demographic but that the CW is unwilling to cancel because they are the net’s most popular – “Smallville” and “Supernatural” – are hemorrhaging viewers because they’re getting little to no promotion and not scheduled together for the first time in about four years. These CW jokers make NBC brass look intelligent.