The New Normal

If you love animals more than people around you, then, Animal Practice is the best TV show to watch in 2012 in your case. Why? Just because every character in Animal Practice prefers to deal with dogs, monkeys, birds, whatever, than with humans. However, they (characters) are not some homogeneous substance: some of them are "inappropriate ones", some "crazy ones", some "vulgar ones" and even some "nervous ones". This entire bestiary" is headed by Dr. George Coleman, who is, probably, most colorful representative of all these "kinds". He can easily make an analogy between a dog's behavior and values of average woman's life. Initially, it seems like he is wrong, but finally all of his predictions and analogies turn to be ultimately right. The animals in Animal Practice are "inappropriate" too: a monkey who rides a mini-ambulance all the season-long (this monkey earns 12,000USD for each episode, by the way), a suicidal cat, who tries to kill itself as his owner forces it to watch he Wendy Williams Show. And of course, Dr. Coleman has his own version of events and analogies with cat owner's intimate life, which he easily explains to her, sometimes playing it unsafe.

Former Daily Show with Jon Stewart correspondent Stephen Colbert is a political humorist and that means he has a license to poke fun at politicians and just about anybody else that gets in his creative path. It's a stretch but Stephen Colbert plays fictional anchorman Stephen Colbert, or in other words, he portrays himself in a spoof and political pundit filled show that has earned a slew of award nominations. If it's a serious news event you can bet it will show up on the Colbert Report, often with a unique twist. Some stories don't need to be embellished upon because they play out humorous no matter what and that's life. Some times the show has cultural influence as in the case of a bridge being named after Colbert by the Hungarian Ambassador, who presented Colbert with a declaration certificate when a vote declared him the winner. As it turned out Hungary does not name their bridges after living people so it never happened but he did win the vote. It just goes to prove how powerful having a television show with your own name on it can be in the U.S.

The Golden Girls was a popular American television show that aired from 1985 to 1992. The show revolved around four older women, Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia, who shared a house in Miami, Florida. Each episode depicted the women's hilarious and heartwarming antics as they navigated their way through life's ups and downs.

The TV show Greek (originally GRΣΣK) is all about belonging to a fraternity and yet it's even more a family program that caters to family relationships and closeness. College settings are fun and often depict the wildness that does occur while attending a college or university. Most everyone is full of youthful energy and are ready to test the boundaries of their young lives. The cast includes frat members, alumni, and a house mother Casey Cartwright (played by Spencer Grammer) who attempts to keep the house in order and not on the Dean's list. Other cast members include Clark Duke as Dale Kettlewell, Scott Michael Foster as the Captain John Paul "Cappie" Jones, and Paul James as Calvin Owens. Frat houses as we learn are somewhat specialized by their curriculum and several were depicted on the program including Zeta Beta Zeta which is a sorority that caters to those interested in athletics, philanthropy, and academics. Omega Chi Delta offers students that are specializing in networking, academics, and athletics a place to call home while they attend that facility of "higher learning".

"Mom" is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS in 2013 and aired for eight seasons until 2021. The show was created by Chuck Lorre, Eddie Gorodetsky, and Gemma Baker, and stars Anna Faris and Allison Janney as mother-daughter duo Christy and Bonnie Plunkett. The plot revolves around Christy, a single mother in recovery from alcoholism who moves to Napa, California with her two children to start a new life. There, she reconnects with her estranged mother Bonnie, who is also a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. Together, the two women navigate the challenges of their pasts and work to build a better future for themselves and their loved ones.

Lifetime television has found themselves a hit show with Drop Dead Diva. Brooke Elliott (Broadway musicals Wicked, The Pirate Queen) is Debbie Dobkins a shallow gal who was deemed to be a "zero" when she died in a car accident and then entered Heaven. Apparently she had done nothing worthwhile, either good or bad while on Earth. Hating her useless life she wants to return and do something of value. Pressing the key on a computer keyboard she is transported back to life but with what some may consider handicaps. She is now overweight Jane Bingum, a brilliant and hard working lawyer. Aghast with her appearance initially, Debbie learns to appreciate inner beauty and, through her inherited body, goes after the retribution she needs. Interesting twist on a semi-reality show where we find the heroine is scorned because of her appearance but learns more about how to treat people than she ever could in her previous life. Might be nice if we could each have a second chance in life. Margaret Cho (The Cho Show, Ghost Whisperer) is Teri Lee, Debbie's assistant and friend.