Even though only a few shows are back this week, don’t rest on your laurels — these are all heavy-hitters. Monday’s lineup proves especially potent as TV’s favorite curmudgeon with a cane joins “24” on Mondays. J.J. Abrams is king this week, with two shows returning. Perhaps we’ll finally get a grip on this “pattern” the FBI agents in “Fringe” have been talking about, and maybe the castaways on “Lost” will inch closer to getting off the island.
Household name
“House”
Moves to Mondays, 8 p.m., FOX
Returns: Tonight
What you need to know: The start of the season was marked by House and Wilson’s bromance on life support. Wilson, devastated by Amber’s death, resigns from the hospital. He tells House it’s not his fault Amber died — but that they can no longer be friends because his friendship with house enables House’s destructive behavior. Of course, House can’t ignore this and hires a private detective to follow Wilson and tap his phones. Despite declaring they are no longer friends, Wilson kidnaps House to force him to attend House’s abusive father’s funeral, which House would have gladly skipped. During the road trip, Wilson is arrested on an outstanding warrant stemming from the first time they met. When they get home, Wilson concludes that their road trip was the most fun he had had since Amber’s death, and admits he distanced himself from House because he was afraid of losing his friend. If House and Wilson’s reunion weren’t enough to make you do jumping jacks, what about House and Cuddy, finally acknowledging that giant elephant of tension in the room? After four seasons of teasing viewers, they finally kiss, in a moment of sadness and vulnerability as Cuddy, losing an opportunity to adopt a child, takes solace in House, who cannot explain to himself what he feels for Cuddy. Thirteen, after revealing she has Huntington’s Disease last season, relapses into self-destructive behavior. Foreman convinces her to undergo clinical trials for experimental medication, and while she is reluctant, she accepts the spot and she and Foreman kiss in the last episode.
Why you should watch: You’re out there, dedicated medical drama viewer. You’ve stuck by “ER” all these years. You’ve sampled other shows, and even tried “Grey’s Anatomy” and its sugary spinoff “Private Practice,” but what you’re really craving is “House.” “House” is not just a medical drama; it really resonates with viewers because of House’s journey through physical and emotional pain, friendship and love. The very best episodes of “House” transform viewers, and the emotion of the brilliant writing and directing gives viewers something to take hold of, and something to care about. The best dramas do this, and for the best examples, just look at the episode “Wilson’s Heart,” which strikes the perfect balance of heartwrenching emotion, and “Birthmarks,” which combines just enough melancholy with humor.
Whom to watch for: Hugh Laurie’s Dr. Gregory House, in all his sarcastic glory, has never been better. Laurie continues to stun with his portrayal of the Vicodin-addicted doctor, and each episode is a showcase of his comedic and dramatic acting chops. He’ll move you to tears in one scene, and make you double over in laughter in the next. Even though House has a hard outer shell, Laurie allows the character to show vulnerability at just the right moments.
A pattern emerges
“Fringe”
Tuesdays, 9 p.m., FOX
Returns: Tuesday
What you need to know: “Fringe” begins with Flight 627, landing on autopilot in Boston’s Logan Airport, everyone on board dead from a biological attack. During the investigation, FBI Agent Olivia Dunham and her partner (and secret boyfriend) John Scott chase after a suspect, and Scott is infected with the same mysterious toxin from the plane. Desperate for any help curing the condition, Olivia tracks down Peter Bishop, son and guardian of Dr. Walter Bishop, a former government researcher who has been in a mental institution for 17 years following an unfortunate lab incident. Walter can save John, but he needs to know more information about the toxin. Olivia undergoes a risky procedure which links her brainwaves to John’s, allowing for her to discern the idenity of the suspect they were chasing, and gives her the information Walter needs to cure John. After apprehending the suspect, Olivia discovers that John was involved in planning the attack. John, now cured, attempts to escape, and is killed in a car chase. Agent Phillip Broyles invites Olivia to join his new team, which is tasked to investigate strange phenomenon related to something called “the pattern.” John’s body is transported to the headquarters of Massive Dynamic, where a woman named Nina Sharp orders a posthumous interrogation — a procedure Walter previously confirmed was possible. Massive Dynamic seems to be involved in pattern-related events, which include a baby that ages 80 years in several hours and a man who hears voices discussing pattern-related events. When a pale, bald man called The Observer begin to make his presence known, showing up wherever there is pattern-related behavior, Peter becomes a believer in the pattern, and realizes the pattern may have affected his life in more ways than previously suspected. Olivia begins to hallucinate, seeing John and begins receiving e-mails from him. Soon she begins to mistake John’s memories with her own. Nina’s attempts at retrieving John’s memories hit a roadblock when she realizes many of them have embedded themselves in Olivia’s mind. A colleague of Broyles, Agent Loeb, proves to be a double-agent working for arch-villain David Robert Jones, who breaks out of prison. As Olivia is tracking Jones and Loeb, the men kidnap her.
Why you should watch: Despite getting off to a slow start, “Fringe” has captured audiences with a tone reminiscent of “The X-Files,” but with more of the loony-bin attitude the show’s name conveys. “Fringe” has good pacing, and takes the mystery seriously. There’s no resting on your laurels, something big is amiss, and these agents mean business. Like a certain other J.J. Abrams productions, “Fringe” is riddled with inside clues and puzzles (the icons which appear before each commercial break are clues), which makes the experience of watching the show much more enjoyable. Keep on the lookout for phone numbers and Web sites that pop up in the show.
Whom to watch for: There’s no denying that John Noble steals every scene he’s in, and his Dr. Walter Bishop is just so wacky that the line between sanity and insanity is blurred every time he speaks. His quirks, such as his inability to remember the name of Olivia’s assistant, calling her names such as “Asteroid” and “Astro,” and frequent and open discussions about his drug use, are endearing, rather than annoying. All of this allows Joshua Jackson, who plays his brilliant and street-smart son Peter, much more room to work with as the longsuffering caretaker to a man who he calls “Walter” rather than “Dad.” Jackson does especially well when it comes to storylines that involve him directly, especially ones relating to past troubles with the law and hints to the possibility that Walter may have experimented on his son as a child.
Island living
“Lost”
Wednesdays, 8 p.m., ABC
Returns: Wednesday
What you need to know: Checking in with the stranded passengers of Oceanic Air 815, we find that Locke has killed Naomi, and Desmond returns to the group with Charlie’s dying message that Penny, who has been searching for Desmond for years, did not send the freighter Kahana. At the end of season three, we learn that Kate and Jack are part of the Oceanic Six, a group who survived the island. We learn in the beginning of season four that Hurley is also one of the six. We meet other members of the Kahana crew, comprised of anthropologist Charlotte, spiritual medium Miles Straume and Frank Lapidus, a pilot. Locke, havingalready kidnapped the leader of the Others, Ben, abducts Charlotte. Sayid negotiates Charlotte’s release by convincing Locke to take Miles instead, and we discover that Sayid is also one of the Oceanic Six, and in the future, works with Ben and is an assassin. We see in a flashforward that Kate faced many charges over her crimes before the crash, but has been given leniency. She is raising Claire’s son as her own. In Locke’s barracks, Ben tells Locke that Penny’s father, Charles, was the one who sent the freighter, and Charles intends to take Ben off the island. An episode focused on Sun and Jin reveals that Sun is also one of the Oceanic Six, and gave birth to Jin’s child after leaving the island. Michael, who had already left the island, is miserable and estranged from his son. After several unsuccessful suicide attempts, he returns to the island under an alias. It is revealed that Michael was acting as Ben’s spy onboard the Kahana. We also see that Jack and Kate are engaged, but are unhappy as Jack develops an addiction to painkillers. We also find out that Sawyer chose to remain on the island, a revelation proven at the end of the season in which the castaways must move the island in order to escape it. Ben leaves Locke as the new leader of the Others. Desmond and Penny are reunited, and Michael is killed in an explosion onboard the freighter, and Jin’s fate is unknown. It is also shown that Locke does leave the island at some point, but is dead years after leaving.
Why you should watch: The characters of “Lost,” alas, cannot be lost forever. Season five marks an important time in the show’s progression, as the Oceanic Six finally get off the island. The creative team’s decision to continue the show through two different storylines taking place in two different time periods was ingenious, as it allows for the show to progress in a way that is clear-cut, but allows for writers to slowly pull back the curtain on what eventually happens to these characters. The story is coming to a close soon — Lost will end its run after the sixth season, and it’s important to get started watching those old episodes before “Lost” fades into the annals of television history, and you don’t have anything to talk about at the watercooler the next day.
Whom to watch for: Critics and fans alike have praised Ken Leung for his portrayal of the sarcastic and spiritual Miles Straume, who brings intensity to his role, which was written specifically with him in mind as the only actor who could bring Miles to life.
New show alert
“Lie to Me”
Wednesdays, 9 p.m., FOX
Premieres: Wednesday
What you need to know: Maybe FOX can arrange for Dr. Gregory House to meet Dr. Cal Lightman, who can confirm whether House’s mantra of “everybody lies” is true. As an expert in deception detection. Lightman is leader of the Lightman Group, a team of specialists who can disguise their emotions and behaviors as well as they can expose yours. The group consults with the FBI, CIA and all the other alphabet agencies, as well as police and military when investigators hit a
roadblock.
Why you should watch: “Lie to Me” is roughly based on the work of Dr. Paul Ekman, a psychologist who leads his own group of specialists in the field of behavioral analysis. The concept is fascinating, and while viewers may see a parallel to CBS’ “The Mentalist,” “Lie to Me” has a personality all its own. Cal Lightman knows when he’s being played, so when people do try to lie, it’s usually with hilarious results as Lightman uses it to his advantage. In a quirk the writers will no doubt use to great comedic effect, group researcher Eli Loker dislikes lying so much, he takes it upon himself to always say what he thinks. What makes this funny, rather than aggravating is that the character possesses an inherently likable charm.
Whom to watch for: “Lie to Me” marks Tim Roth’s first foray into leading man status on television. Viewers may recognize him from the summer blockbuster “The Hulk,” and in “Lie to Me,” his Lightman is well-crafted and is a team player to the others, who can be as formidable as he is when it comes to detecting lies. What really helps sell the character is the fact that Roth keeps his English accent, and clear understanding of his field. There is no muddling here — like his character, Roth knows what he’s doing.
