Television Favorites: To Bail or Not to Bail?

In the past month, I've grown tired of many of the shows that I've started watching regularly over the past couple of years.  I hate using the term "jumped the shark," because many of these shows are relatively new.  Can a show be any good and still "jump the shark" in the span of just one or two seasons?  I think so.  But it could be that the novelty of a new premise masked weak writing and acting.  For example:

-"Eleventh Hour" started quietly as a darker, more serious alternative to "Fringe."  Rufus Sewell is an odd, but appealing choice for the role of Dr. Jacob Hood in this CBS rehash of the British original.  And Marley Shelton (aka Wendy Peffercorn in "The Sandlot), is multiple levels of hotness above Anna Norv on "Fringe."  But the serious tone of the show is killing it now that the writers have had to stretch the boundaries of plausible science to come up with new dilemmas for Hood and Rachel.  Sewell's patronizing scientific explanations and Shelton's delivery of obvious questions to set up those explanations are repetitive and painful.  The addition of Omar Benson Lee as Felix was a welcome change, but it came too late.  I removed "Eleventh Hour" from my DVR recording list this week.  

So far, Eleventh Hour is only the first victim of permanent banishment from the DVR.  But there are a number of other shows that are on the chopping block.  In no particular order, they are:

-"Chuck."  Here's a show going nowhere fast.  I was turned on to "Chuck" by a co-worker after the first season.  I caught up on iTunes and was really looking forward to season 2.  But so far, season 2 has been all about preserving the status quo.  Will Chuck and Sarah hook up?  Will Chuck man up and find a real job/apartment/grown-up friend?  Is Chuck doomed to be the Intersect forever?  The Fulcrum plot seems unimportant compared to the character development the audience really wants.  I'm giving "Chuck" a few more episodes to get the story moving, or else.

-"Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles."  Only weeks away from being forever jettisoned from the DVR, T:TSCC scored HUGE points Friday night when Jesse did fans a favor and blew away Riley after a wicked catfight.  And fanboys everywhere said "thank you."  How long was the audience really supposed to believe that the future leader of mankind would settle for someone so aesthetically challenged when the family's pet cyborg is closer to a 10?  

The show also seems to have moved on from the "check out how crazy Sarah is" plot line, which is a big plus.  My only concern is that the Weaver/Ellison/John Henry (formerly Cromartie) story will take over future episodes.  T:TSCC is at its best when it focuses on John's evolution and his relationships with Sarah and Cameron.  The producers need to tone down the happenings at ZeiraCorp to keep viewers interested.

-"Lie to Me."  The premise was interesting.  Tim Roth on TV was cool.  The first episode was a lot of fun.  Man did that get old fast.  The focus on the practice of lie detection that made the first episode fun to watch has been eschewed in favor of a standard police procedural.  Next.

-"Heroes."  Many fans have already fled, but I'm hanging in there.  For now.  Sylar's daddy issues and the prospect of learning more about the real HRG have kept me coming back in recent weeks.  But the show needs to shake things up and I humbly submit the two following suggestions: 1.)Whack Nathan Petrelli.  The Senator has flip-flopped and double-crossed SO many times that his character has become devoid of any real meaning.  This guy needs his wings clipped.  2.) Give Hiro his damn powers back.  Hiro is obnoxious enough when he can teleport and freeze time.  Take away the powers and he's even worse.  Remember badass Hiro on the subway in season 1?  I know a lot of folks have said that the timeline has altered and that cool, future Hiro is gone.  But can't we move in that direction anyway?   

-"The Office."  I know, sacrilege.  But it's gotten to the point that I tend to fast forward through any extended scene involving Michael.  It's not funny any more.  It's painful.  The goings-on at Dunder Mifflin have become increasingly implausible and one of the show's biggest strengths is that it allows cubicle drones across the country to relate.  Time to get back to reality and refocus.