The four best TV shows you’re not watching

For true TV junkies such as me, fall pilot season is bigger than Christmas. Guessing which shows will sink, swim or barely stay afloat is a lot like athletic drafts.

The following four shows are my top picks on primetime network television. The first two shows are brand new, and the last two shows are returning for a second (and hopefully not a final) season.

In case your night class or job prevents you from tuning in, you can watch full episodes online – so you have no excuse to miss them. You’ll thank me later. Really.

CHUCK

Mondays, NBC, 8 p.m.

Move over, Jim Halpert, because Chuck Bartowski is my new TV boyfriend.

“Chuck” is what we get when a relationship writer dabbles into spy action. We get a lovable, unsuspecting geek as the lead character and two dangerous spies tossed in for good measure. Chuck Bartowski, a member of the Nerd Herd at Buy More (aka Best Buy), receives an e-mail from his old college roommate-turned-spy, laden with national secrets. Chuck then has to work with two government agents to help save the world – no easy task when one of the agents is played by Adam Baldwin (in his next major tough-guy role after “Firefly”).

It’s easy to see the purpose the supporting characters serve, especially after watching modern dramatic spy shows like “Alias” or “24.” Chuck’s sister Ellie is his emotional support, his friend Morgan is his wacky sidekick, and Sarah is the frighteningly skilled woman who just might be Chuck’s dream girl. But because “Chuck” is a comedy, it’s easier to look past these caricatures. You don’t have to believe them.

The show reportedly has received an order for three more additional scripts, which might lead to a full-season order. Score one for Team Bartowski!

PUSHING DAISIES

Wednesdays, ABC, 8 p.m.

Everything you’ve heard about this show is true: It’s whimsical, quirky, and the two leads are downright adorable. Yes, it’s reminiscent
of Tim Burton and certain French films. But there’s something else you should know about this show: Quite a few guys confess to liking it.

The show is about Ned, a pie-maker who can bring the dead back to life for one minute to find out who killed them – any more than one minute, and someone else will die. Ned decides to keep his dead childhood sweetheart, Charlotte “Chuck” Charles, alive, but he can’t touch her or she will die for good. This twist in Ned and Chuck’s relationship is what gives the show a lot of mileage. The show’s quirky humor gives Wednesday nights the lift you never knew you needed.

When Ned explains his dilemma to Chuck in the pilot episode, she doesn’t seem worried that she’ll die if he ever touches her again. In fact, she’s actually upset that she can’t hug him. “A hug can turn your day around,” she points out. “It’s like an emotional Heimlich.”

That moment was probably when my guy friends got on board with the show. Yes, it would suck not to be able to touch someone you loved. But it would really suck if “Pushing Daisies” got cancelled.-

30 ROCK

Thursdays, NBC, 8:30 p.m.

When “30 Rock” won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series last month, I screamed so loudly it was almost like I’d won the award. My friend jokingly congratulated me, but hey, it’s good being on the winning team.

“30 Rock” trumped all the NBC Thursday comedies as my favorite last year. It was funny and irreverent, with guest stars that weren’t extra bodies, but who actually added to the show’s dynamic. (See the episode “Black Tie,” featuring Paul Reubens and Isabella Rossellini, who is much better here than she ever was on “Friends.”)

The show is Tina Fey’s return to NBC comedy after leaving “Saturday Night Live” and is an exaggeration of what might have happened behind the scenes at “SNL.” Fey is an excellent comedic writer and proves she’s still an excellent performer. All her scenes with Tracy Morgan (basically playing himself) and Alec Baldwin (the scene-stealing network executive, Jack Donaghy) demonstrate this.

The season premiere, guest-starring Jerry Seinfeld, had a couple of good touches (the wedding dress gag), but it didn’t wow me the way last year’s pilot did. However, the second episode put “30 Rock” back on point where it needs to be. As long as the show doesn’t go overboard with recurring characters and guest stars, it’ll stay funny.

Oh, and if you’re still not sure what “30 Rock” stands for, it stands for 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the headquarters of NBC’s New York City studios.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

Fridays, NBC, 9 p.m.

This is probably the most realistic out of all the shows I’ve picked. “Friday Night Lights” is about more than football. It’s about strength, community pride, family and Kyle Chandler’s quest for an Emmy.

Well, maybe not so much that last bit. But he deserves it for making coach Eric Taylor the heart of Texas high school football. A weekly TV show gives coach Taylor the depth that the 2004 “Friday Night Lights” movie didn’t give coach Gaines, played by Billy Bob Thornton.

“FNL” boasts a strong ensemble and supporting cast that excels at portraying life in a small town. The actors are so pitch-perfect in their roles that the audience can recognize the characters, from the shy, reluctant new quarterback to the all-star running back and even the community booster.

The first season show successfully tackled issues, such as race, sex, drugs and alcoholism – issues we all have seen before, only this time against the backdrop of high school football, which makes them all the more relatable. You don’t have to like football or sports – a couple of characters don’t – to like this show.