This fall has been a disappointment, TV-wise.

I found only one new show that really caught my eye on a thin offering of new programs. On the debit side of the ledger, we had two new "enigma" programs where our heroes, in the fashion of "The X-Files", plum the depths of the unknown. The problem with both shows is that they're really kind of hokey, mixing characters intended to be brilliant, yet "charming" and "eccentric", but are mostly dim bulbs with bad exposition scenes.

"Fringe", on Fox, is truly awful, filled with bad pseudo-science that's not fun enough to pass the basic standards of science fiction, nor close enough to the truth to allow us to perceive the wacky plots as possible. "Eleventh Hour" is CBS' similar effort, showing a brilliant, yet eccentric scientist helping the FBI crack oddball science cases. Thanks to Rufus Sewell's sensational screen presence, this is almost worth watching. Sadly, even the presence of the gorgeous Marley Shelton wasn't enough for me to keep watching.

CW brought us both "Privileged" and "Valentine" and they're both disappointments. While "Privileged" is just a bunch of pretty, pretty people and a vacuous plot about a poor tutor and her wealthy charges (spoiled of course), "Valentine" featured a cast that wasn't even good-looking for the most part--and is positively amateurish in production.

The only bright spot this fall is "The Mentalist" from CBS. Simon Baker's performance as a former con-man (a TV psychic, he was) is oddly balanced and off-kilter, but enhances this sort-of Sherlock Holmes character. It doesn't always work, but the mix of caper humor and police procedural is novel.

Maybe the mid-season appointments will be better!