TV update

Rescue Me (FX, Wednesdays, 10 pm)
I've been back and forth on this one all season, but I thought it went out on a high note. It's not easy to create a show in which most, if not all, of the characters are total unrepentant assholes, and there have definitely been moments where I thought, "I hate all these people. Why am I watching?" I'm still not sure I like any of them, but I find myself strangely sad that the season is over and I have to wait probably almost a year for another one. Denis Leary, despite playing the same role in everything he's ever been in, has turned into a pretty darn good actor. There are still tons of flaws, including the fact that it's probably the most misogynistic show on TV, but for now I'm looking forward to the second season.

Veronica Mars (UPN, Tuesdays, 9 pm)
I really want to like this show. It's so the kind of show I usually love - sassy teenage heroine, snappy banter, intriguing mysteries. And I do like it, although not as much as some critics and not as much as I feel like I should. I plugged it twice in my TV column in the Weekly, and deservedly so I think, but I just haven't found my groove with it yet. Of course, it's getting lower ratings for UPN than The Mullets did in the same time slot last year, so it probably won't be around long enough for me to get to really love it.

LAX (NBC, Mondays, 10 pm)
Another show I've plugged a couple of times in my column, although not with as effusive praise as Veronica Mars. I unreservedly love Heather Locklear, and the pilot for this show was a lot of fun, but I have this week's episode on tape and I can't quite motivate myself to watch it. Again, the ratings are bad and, unlike Veronica Mars, this show does not have the critical acclaim, so it'll probably be gone before I have time to make up my mind on it.

Survivor (CBS, Thursdays, 8 pm)
It's been said elsewhere, but I'll add my voice to the chorus: The most boring season in a long time. It really makes me wonder if they've run out of steam on the concept. All the little twists that they throw in to try and keep things fresh never amount to much, and sometimes it just seems like people going through the motions, fulfilling character types the show has developed and behaving the way they've seen past contestants behave. I'm still watching, as it's one of the few reality shows I actually enjoy, but I'm not eagerly anticipating each new episode like I have in the past.

Two shows I am not conflicted about: Lost (ABC, Wednesdays, 8 pm) and Desperate Housewives (ABC, Sundays, 9 pm). If you are not watching these two, what's wrong with you?