Premiere week casts Chase into land of TV imagination (cont'd)

Kyle is no longer the man to watch, and like My Name is Earl, his character is just network filler before a better show comes on at 10 p.m. -- ER.

Speaking of life support ...

... Ah, Tony Stewart. Even though he is in a slump I still watch him. He has two championships but zero wins in 2008, a drought that encompasses 43 races in all. And although he's a master in the draft, he's never won at Talladega.

The Emmys

and Jimmie's

Jimmie Johnson is chasing NASCAR's version of his third Emmy.

He's losing my attention but I'm keeping an open mind. The same holds true for ER, one of my personal favorites.

Unfortunately, Dr. Pratt is killed off in an ambulance explosion and it is the show's last season after 15 years. I see similar plot lines looming for our beloved Hoosier leaving Joe Gibbs Racing after a decade.

Anyway, ER will have new life before its final death when Dr. Carter (played by Noah Wiley) pays a return visit, but Dr. Pratt's TV time is over and so is Tony's; the driver sitting 11th in the championship standings, 255 points out of the lead. Tony is busy writing scripts for the 2009 season premiere with his new co-star, crew chief Darian Grubb.

Turning the channel ...

... I wonder if Jimmie Johnson ever watched Frasier? That show still holds the record for the most Emmys (37). Johnson is well on his way to winning more of his own Emmys and is proving to viewers why he always finds his way to his network's prime-time slot.

But what is more entertaining, for myself at least, is the ongoing bro-mance between Jimmie and his crew chief Chad Knaus. It's a man-ship that can only rival the friendship between Wilson and House. I'm talking about the medical drama House on FOX.

Jimmie is Wilson and Chad is House. House is crazy, but Wilson accepts him for who he is: a crazy, temperamental, color-outside-the-lines mad scientist that is brilliant at what he does. Together they save lives. Together, Chad and Jimmie win championships. The chemistry, trust and bond between these competitors are fierce. Together they are like fire and ice, balancing one another out creating a recipe for success. And no, I don't know if Wilson forgave House for Amber's death -- I watched the premiere but was cooking dinner, as well. All I know is if you're hurting for money, medical trials are not the answer.

Jimmie will continue to hold tight to the top time slot in the Chase; House, on the other hand, is going to suffer. Viewers, 8 p.m. is too early for a show of that caliber.

However, it's never too early to drop a few ...

... If you're interested in the weight-loss reality programs, Biggest Loser on NBC is great but ABC's Half Their Size is more relatable. These people lost huge amounts of weight on their own accords through diet and exercise. They didn't have private fat camp getaways or Jane Fonda-type motivators pushing them along.

So I wonder what motivated Denny Hamlin? Oh, don't tell me you haven't noticed! He lost the equivalent of an Olsen twin during the offseason. What used to be a baby face now is a more chiseled mug with a visible jaw line.

I do believe he hired a personal trainer but seemingly was left to his own devices and determination. But it's unclear whether his new waste line will impact or improve his bottom line. He is out-performing his Gibbs teammates but not by much.

The problem with these weight-loss shows, and drivers not making much noise in the Chase, is we already know the ending. We've seen it before.

I need to pause for a commercial break ...

... Brought to you by Dale Earnhardt Jr.: "The only show I religiously watch is The Office. I don't have much time to really put down. I don't have the kind of schedule to where I can cut out those kind of half-hours or hours in the evening. I have to TiVo it. I never miss a show. Fortunately, NBC runs them online and they're free to watch there, too, so I can go watch the episode there if I missed it on Thursday, because we travel on Thursday nights, sometimes. A lot of times we're in the air when that show's going."

OK, I'm back ...

... And need to go watch more television to finish out my reviews and analysis. And the Vice Presidential Debate is on and "dog-gone it" I need to be an informed voter, sort of ... Say it ain't so Joe!

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.