Fall TV

I wouldn't say that I watch a LOT of television (ok, well, football Sundays, yes), but I do have a handful of shows that I watch as regularly as possible. I'm actually thinking about asking for some of these on DVD for Christmas gifts. Here's a little rundown of what I'm watching right now:

The Mentalist (CBS, Tuesday) - This is the only new show that I'm watching. I had considered trying to watch Fringe, but I opted for this instead and I absolutely love it so far. The main character is a bit of an ass, which I often adore in my characters (and in real life, too). He used to be a fake psychic who fooled people simply by using his keen observation skills. Now, he assists the California Bureau of Investigation by talking to suspects, walking crime scenes, etc. Interesting.

Without a Trace (CBS, Tuesday) - I love Anthony LaPaglia. And it cracks me up that he's Australian, because he acts like an East Coast Italian. One thing I've always liked about this show is that the episodes don't always end with finding a dead body or even a real crime. Sometimes there is simply a disappearance that they must investigate and I like a good happy ending every now and then.

Law & Order: SVU (NBC, Tuesday) - While I wouldn't consider myself to be a celebrity freak, I would really like to meet and spend time talking to Mariska Hargitay. I think her Joyful Heart Foundation does tremendous good and she seems like a strong, intelligent woman. And I love Chris Meloni. Actually, I think this show has one of the best all-around casts, so I enjoy watching all of the reruns as much as I await the new episodes. I admit that I am also one of those fans who would love to see Elliot and Olivia hook up, though I understand the potential "jumping the shark" issues that would arise. How about a dream sequence of wild, passionate sex?

Criminal Minds (CBS, Wednesday) - Originally, this cast was led by Mandy "hello, my name is Inigo Montoya" Patinkin, but he left the series and was replaced. I was really worried that it would ruin the show, but it has stayed strong and I'm incredibly relieved. This show centers around my dream career of working in the Behavioral Sciences Unit of the FBI as a profiler, so I love getting lost in my own fantasy about that. Oh, and Jersey and I would like Shemar Moore to be our baby daddy.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS, Thursday) - As much as I love Anthony LaPaglia, Jersey loves William Peterson. His leaving the show this season will be tough on her, but I'm interested to see how everything else changes after he's gone. While I've watched this show sporadically over the years, I've come back to it solidly and I still love trying to figure things out before the CSIs do.

Cold Case (CBS, Sunday) - Ok, obviously I love detective/crime shows, so it's not surprising that I would like this one as well. I do enjoy the flashbacks to different eras each week, plus the music used in each episode is well-chosen. I don't have a solid favorite in this cast, so I really appreciate the ensemble. Of my list of shows, it's the one I'm least upset to miss, but I do try to catch it regularly.

***The one show that is not on this list is one of my all-time favorites, but it won't be back until after the new year. Yep, Lost. Love this shows and all of its twists and turns. My mom hasn't seen a single episode and I've suggested that she avoid as much of the talk about it as possible so that she can wait another couple of years and watch the entire thing on DVD. I am eagerly awaiting the new episodes and will be sad (albeit fulfilled) when the series finally ends.

Any favorite shows of yours that I'm missing?