what to watch in december

As our regular shows start packing it in for the holiday hiatus, we're left with many reruns. But alas, December is not the television wasteland it once was. Here are few things to watch:

December 1:
The new season of Scrubs premieres on ABC. It's a goodbye JD and hello to a new class of student doctors under the watchful eye of Turk and Cox. It's hard to believe they're keeping this show around, but great for the fans I suppose.

December 2:
You know you've been waiting for it. Dog the Bounty Hunter season six premieres on A&E. It's just comforting to know he's out there, right? Also, Launch My Line is starting on Bravo. I think this one was originally supposed to air in the fall. It will feature 10 established designers paired with 10 industry professionals - stylists, music producers, CEOs, etc., who have always dreamed of having their own clothing line. The teams will work together through challenges to bring their vision to life and create a fashion line. In the end, one team's line will be launched. Acclaimed designers, twin brothers Dean and Dan Caten of DSQUARED2 will host.

December 3:
Reality show Jersey Shore premieres on MTV. Yup, it's exactly what you think. Also, Men of a Certain Age premieres on TNT. Pretty intrigued by this one, which I already wrote about here.

December 8:
Better Off Ted returns for a second season on ABC. If you haven't seen it, I strongly suggest catching up on season one, which is currently streaming on Hulu. You won't regret it. This show is the unsung hero in ABC's comedic resurgence. Also, ABC is airing a new Disney half-hour animated holiday special about an elite group of elves called Prep & Landing.

December 9:
The G4 network is premiering a new show called Campus PD about (you guessed it) campus police departments in college towns. Admit it, you're a little curious.

** This is also the sad day of Glee's midseason finale.

December 11:
TLC has a new wedding show called Four Weddings where four brides attend each others weddings and determine which one is the best. This can only be good. I'm sure there will be no caddiness whatsoever.

December 13:
A tale of two families, with a six-part series called The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty airing on A&E and season four of Keeping Up With The Kardashians premiering on E!. How wrong is it to group the two?

December 14:
NBC's The Sing-Off starts a 4-night competition between eight different a capella groups competing for a record contract.

December 30:
The Real World begins its 23rd season in my great city of Washington, DC. 23rd season?? I'm old.

If you're looking to take advantage of the hiatus to get acquainted with a new show or two, I would suggest getting started with: Modern Family (ABC), Glee (FOX), and White Collar (USA), then take another look at Fringe (FOX) and Parks & Recreation (NBC), which are both having stellar second seasons.

If you're poised for some holiday movie marathons, visit CliqueClack TV's 2009 Guide to Holiday TV Programming for a complete list of what's airing and when on every channel. It's quite useful!

Finally, if you have time to dive into some serious DVD action, my favorite old standbys are The West Wing, Freaks & Geeks, Dexter, and X-Files. My favorite new discovery is Veronica Mars, which I'm just starting. And you will be held accountable if Mad Men is not on your list.

Happy hiatus!