Returning to television as the star of ABC's "Mr. Sunshine," Matthew Perry faces two formidable challenges: First, he must out-grow, live-down, or crawl out of his intimate association with Chandler, his legendary "Friends" persona. Second, Perry and co-star Allison Janney must inspire their audience to forget "Mr. Sunshine" replaces Courtney Cox's hit "Cougar Town." Perry and Jenny benefit from writers' and producers' wonderfully quirky visions of their characters and unusual situation. Perry plays Ben, a character potentially as memorable as Chandler but with far greater depth and much richer melancholy mid-life undertones. Operations Manager of The Sunshine Center, a run-down San Diego arena, home of the circus and lingerie football, Ben learns on his fortieth birthday that his girlfriend is leaving him because he is so thoroughly self-involved he has no love left over for anyone else. Jenny plays Crystal, the arena's pill-popping owner who could become America's next favourite villain on the strength of her thinly veiled racism and despise of children, except that Jenny's consummate skill as an actress redeems her. One Los Angeles reviewer wisely concludes, "["Mr. Sunshine"] isn't perfect; and it won't change the landscape of comedic television right away, even though it's part of a game-changing three-hour comedy block for ABC. But it is taking all of the important steps in the right direction." If "Mr. Sunshine" seems a little wobbly at first, viewers should remember "Cougar Town's" first-episode identity crisis, allowing lots of latitude for Perry's and "Mr. Sunshine's" rapid evolution.

Does "Californication" have an audience outside Los Angeles? "X-Files" hero and heart-throb David Duchovny plays a novelist who's addicted to both sex and drugs but takes a shot at raising his teenage daughter on his own. For the real Hollywood housewives, this Showtime staple may seem at least as ripped-from-everyday-life as their own weekly melodrama, but how does it play Omaha and Schenectady? If blocked writers really were seductive, a million part-time bloggers would feel empowered to rewrite Lady Chatterley's Lover. Two salient features keep premier cable viewers tuning in for their weekly dose of SoCal self-pity: First, son of a playwright and alumnus of Princeton, Duchovny has enough empathy for his ostensibly tortured character that he can invest "Californication's" uninspired screenwriting with a little angst, a lot of sex appeal, and a soupcon of roguish charm. Second, whatever "Californication" lacks in substance and depth, it more than makes-up in graphic sex. Wasn't there supposed to be some sort of relevant family drama woven-in there somewhere?

Wilfred is a dog. Wilfred is a man in a dog suit. Either or both may be true but one thing for certain is the story idea and the concept just seems to work for this dark comedy. The Aussie actor Jason Gann (Rats and Cats, Kenny) is Wilfred the eponymous dog whose owner Sarah (played by Cindy Waddingham from I Love You Too and Lowdown) along with her boyfriend Adam (award winner Adam Zwar from Lowdown, The Wedding Party), who looks at Wilfred and sees him as a man who just happens to wear a dog suit. The idea came from an original and award winning short film written by Jason Gann and Adam Zwar. A very popular and AFI award winning television program in Australia which aired there in 2007 and again in 2010, Wilfred is now airing in the U.S. Editor Debbie Lee told them "Go as far as you want with it, the more bent the better" and so they did. This TV program based upon a short film has its silly moments but overall is funny and entertaining due to good acting and writing from its young stars.

Television snobs maintain the American version of "The Office" TV series pales by comparison with its British forerunner. Their sneers, however, have done nothing to diminish "The Office's" standing as America's premier sitcom. Audiences and critics wholeheartedly agree the Dunder Mufflin office follies restored NBC as network television's pre-eminent purveyor of great half-hour comedies. Filmed as a "mockumentary," the American "Office" TV show remains faithful to the British example of perfectly deadpan delivery, and the producers wisely add neither laugh-tracks nor musical cues. Of course, brilliant one-liners punctuate the show, but they are subtle and ironic rather than snappy. For example, in characteristically clueless style, Scranton office manager Michael Scott tells his staff, "As Abe Lincoln once said: If you are a racist, we will attack you from the North." Steve Carrell leads a well-chosen ensemble cast who portray a sales force the New York Times aptly characterized as "uniformly unattractive, wan and dull" characteristics which, of course, make them deliciously funny.

Sometimes sarcastic, sometimes touching, but every time funny, The New Normal is a Ryan Murphy's and Ali Adler's TV series filmed originally for NBC. The TV show revolves around successful gay couple, David Murray and Bryan Collins (played by Justin Bartha and Andrew Rannells).Their life is good, their careers are rocketing and everything is running smoothly in their relationship, besides the one thing they wish insanely, a baby. On this ground they meet Goldie Clemmons (Georgia King), a young single woman who agrees to become a surrogate mother for their planned child. Notwithstanding there is one obstacle on the way to make David's and Bryan's dream come true "“ the Goldie's conservative grandmother Jane Forrest (Ellen Barkin), and be sure she will do everything to prevent two fathers-to-be happiness. Meanwhile Goldie, David and Bryan discuss if two "fathers" wishes to be present at Goldie's insemination. The Bryan responds with categorical NO, just because female genitals look for him ""¦as Tarantula's face". Later we learn that all he wishes the baby should be "blonde, skinny, and doesn't cry" so may by Goldie's grandmother was right?

The serene suburb of Kansas City, Kansas called Overland Park is the setting for a Showtime hit called United States of Tara which follows the life of Tara Gregson. She is a wife and mother of two who doctors have diagnosed as having dissociative identity disorder. She has multiple personalities that she transitions into when severely stressed. She may become a flirty teen who calls herself "T" or Alice who is a housewife straight out of the 1950's. She may turn into a beer swilling, loud male she calls Vietnam Vet Buck when particularly pressured or even displaying a fourth personality who goes by the name of Gimme. Multiple personalities are uncontrollable and can't be chosen but just happen when she is in a weak moment or facing problems difficult to cope with. Tara does have the support of son and daughter as well as her husband, Max. Charmaine, her doubting sister, sometimes thinks Tara is faking it for sympathy reasons. This intriguing show follows her various personality changes and how they affect the family unit.