Changing channels

Illustration by Ashley Ream/Caller-Times

Critics are giving NBC's 'Fear Factor' (from top) a thumbs down for its sensationalism; FOX's 'Undeclared' is a fun collegiate romp that should enjoy a good run; and ABC's 'According to Jim,' starring James Belushi, is a stereotype-driven bomb.

   Do you remember the episode of the ABC prime-time-toon "Clerks," where Dante and Randal got locked inside the walk-in cooler? What about the "Grosse Pointe" episode last year where Hunter auditioned for Oliver Stone's new film "Lewinsky" in that familiar blue dress?
   Chances are slim you've seen a single episode of either short-lived series, let alone those specific scenes. Even though both "Clerks" and "Grosse Pointe" were lauded overwhelmingly by TV critics everywhere, neither made it beyond its first season last year. In fact, "Clerks" never made it past its second episode.
   Critical buzz can translate into success for shows just as easily as it can signal failure, so who's to trust concerning this upcoming fall TV season? The critics, of course. Who else?
   In the midst of the summer press tour, the three-week July festival of interviews and hand-shaking with the shakers and makers of the new TV shows, we, the critics, were looking for the buzz.
   We found it, and here is a collection of picks and pans from the lot. See if the critics' picks match your own armchair analysis when the season begins in September.
   Must-see TV
   Starting with the buzz around current programming, HBO's Sunday night dynamo "Six Feet Under" (which just finished its first season Sunday with record ratings) is the official critics' darling of the tour. Alan Ball's ("American Beauty" screenwriter) telling drama about a family-run funeral parlor and his concept of starting each episode with an individual death won over most critics.

HBO Pictures

Nate (Peter Krause), left, and David (Michael C. Hall) face off in a scene of HBO's 'Six Feet Under,' which recently finished its first season to record ratings and high critical praise.

   One very well-respected critic dissed "Six Feet Under" as being too preachy and methodical, but he was alone for the most part.
   Negative buzz is definitely attached to NBC's "Fear Factor" and CBS's already troubled "Big Brother 2." Both resort to barefaced sensationalism trash to draw in the viewers, but not all the viewers are buying it. And neither are the critics.
   Concerning the impending TV season, predictions are varied. But judging from the tapes we'd seen - all of which will debut in the next few months - the buzz dictated: There's something foxy about FOX.
   FOX's new fall programs blow away the competitors, and when combined with stalwarts such as "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Titus," the network is poised to make a serious move forward. Last season there wasn't much agreement about which network would come out on top, but this year Fox is the definite critical favorite.
   The network has been holding onto some very hot commodities and is unleashing them in fall. In comedy is "The Tick;" in dramedy is "Undeclared."
   Titillating 'Tick'
   "The Tick" is a live-action version of the cult comic book series. Watch out for the comic bite of this tick, acted by Patrick Warburton. He's a wannabe superhero in a giant blue tick suit, and his dialogue is saturated with delicious satirical sap. Critics agree: It's absurdity at its network-TV smartest.
   "Undeclared" is the new program from Judd Apatow, who is best known for creating the short-lived-but-much-loved "Freaks and Geeks." "Freaks" was Apatow's take on high school; "Undeclared" is Apatow's attack on college and all of the customs and traditions that go along with it. To note, "Undeclared" is freakier and less geeky than "Freaks."
   Fox is also boasting "24," a new show featuring Kiefer Sutherland that's heavy on dramatic storytelling and dynamic presentation.
   And "Pasadena," a probable profit for Fox, is based inside a wealthy, corrupt Californian dysfunctional family.
   The good
   Aside from Fox's behemoth of a schedule, other favorites among the critics are:
   NBC's "Scrubs": Like we need another show set in a hospital? Actually, yes, if that show is "Scrubs." This comic gem features "Ed"-like characters and sharp dialogue that demand your attention.
   ABC's "The Wayne Brady Show": The improvmeister who almost always steals the show from his costars on "Whose Line is it Anyway?" has his own variety show, and Brady's wide-spanning talents make for great TV.
   The bad
   There are also plenty of shows that aren't likely to fare well in critics' fall previews.
   Anything with a dad as the protagonist, such as ABC's "According to Jim" and The WB's "Raising Dad," is a likely miss.
   "According to Jim" features James Belushi as a living stereotype - the lying, couch-hogging, macho, remote-control-hiding father figure.
   "Raising Dad" leaves me wondering, "Where's Candace Cameron?" It's basically "Full House" without Uncle Jesse but with the still-not-funny Bob Saget.
   The Ugly
   Did I mention Bob Saget has a new sitcom?
  
  

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