1. America’s Next Top Model (CW) – Sept. 19

Call it a guilty pleasure, I don’t care. “America’s Next Top Model” is consistently one of the most entertaining shows on television. (Notice how I did not say it was the BEST show on television)? Who doesn’t have fun watching Tyra Banks’ ever-inflating ego, the inane comments of the judging panel and the antics of waif-thin wannabe models? ANTM manages to hook me every season – which is why I get nothing accomplished on weekends when VH1 hosts an ANTM marathon.

2. The Simpsons (Fox) – Sept. 23

Like many of you out there, I’m sure, I had given up on “The Simpsons.” Nineteen seasons is a long time to run, and I felt like everyone’s favorite dyfunctional family had lost its edge. The market is now saturated with adult-animated fare, with obvious “Simpsons” influences – some of which have becomeeven funnier and wittier than the “Simpsons.” And then I saw “The Simpsons Movie.” It was like looking through a scrapbook and remembering a best friend from middle school. Feeling very nostalgic, I decided to watch an episode from the most recent season of “The Simpsons” last week. And it wasn’t as bad as I remember it. The plotlines have gotten tighter, and the characters are still as sympathetic and hilarious as I remember. Like Marge Simpson, I’m ready to give Homer another chance.

3. Heroes (NBC) – Sept. 24

Despite its anticlimatic season finale in May, “Heroes” was my favorite new show last year. It’s wealth of interesting characters and compelling story arcs made it a must-watch for me. For those not in the know, “Heroes” is basically a more humanized version of “X-Men,” as it follows ordinary people who have extraordinary abilities. From the endearing time-traveler Hiro to the villainous power-stealing Sylar, the characters are all well-developed and fun to watch. In any case, it can make for a good substitution for those of you with nothing to watch until “Lost” returns to ABC mid-season.

4. Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – Sept. 26 and Sept. 27

I know of few women on this campus who aren’t waiting with bated breath to find out what will become of doctors Meredith Grey, Derek Shepherd, Cristina Yang, Izzie Stevens, George O’Malley and the rest of the gang. (Let’s be honest: I know a few guys who are pretty stoked about the show, too.)

What will be most interesting about this season is seeing how the show operates (pardon the surgical pun) without Isaiah Washington, who played Dr. Preston Burke, and Kate Walsh, who played Dr. Addison Montgomery. Washington was informed early this summer that his contract with “Grey’s” was not renewed. This came as no surprise to anyone following the public controversy over on-set altercations between Washington, Patrick Dempsey (Dr. Shepherd) and T.R. Knight (Dr. O’Malley). Kate Walsh, meanwhile, is headlining her very own “Grey’s” spinoff, “Private Practice,” which viewers were given a glimpse of in an episode of “Grey’s” last season.

5. The Office (NBC) – Sept. 27

I have over 30 episodes of “The Office” on my iPod. The first thing I did when I got out of class on Tuesday was rush out to buy season three of “The Office” on DVD. Needless to say, I’m pretty excited about this season. Will Jim and Pam succeed as a couple? Will Dwight and Andy form an alliance? How will Michael react to Ryan being promoted above him?

If you’ve never watched an episode of “The Office” before, it’s not too late to tune in. Unlike serialized shows like “Lost” or “Heroes,” the show doesn’t really build upon itself. Although once you start, you’ll want to get your hands on the previous seasons as soon as humanly possible. The show is one of the sharpest and funniest on television.

6. The Sarah Silverman Program (Comedy Central) – Oct. 3

I’ll be the first to admit that most female comedians usually aren’t very funny. But I’ll also be the first to add that Sarah Silverman can upstage any male comedian around. Her ability to mock stereotypes by appearing to embrace them is comic genius. Silverman uses irony like she invented it – and delivers it with a smile. “The Sarah Silverman Program” is more of what you can see in her one-woman-show feature film “Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic.”

On the show, Silverman plays a fictionalized version of herself, only more self-centered and irresponsible. She is joined by Laura Silverman, Brian Posehn, Steve Agee and Jay Johnston. The cast is pitch perfect and the situations will leave you in stitches.

7. 30 Rock (NBC)- Oct. 4

I only recently rediscovered “30 Rock.” I had watched an episode early in the season and dismissed it, deciding to instead watch the ill-fated Sorkin-penned “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” starring Matthew Perry and Amanda Peet. Apparently, I can only handle one show revolving around a sketch-comedy show at a time. After I mourned “Studio 60,” a friend suggested I give “30 Rock” another try. Obviously, I’m glad I did. Tina Fey is intelligent and hilarious, giving the rest of us geeky girls a role model. Tracy Morgan, Jack McBrayer and Alec Baldwin all bring something unique and usually uproarious to the show. “30 Rock” is a welcome departure from the usual live-action sitcom.

8. Futurama (Comedy Central) – Nov. 27

Yes, you’re reading that correctly. “Futurama,” the animated series set 1,000 years in the future from the creators of “The Simpsons” is coming back to television. While this might seem unusual, I should remind you that “Family Guy” has already accomplished this feat when, after being cancelled by Fox, sky-high DVD sales prompted the network to resurrect the series. On Nov. 27, Fry, Bender and Leela return in a direct-to-DVD movie entitled “Futurama: Bender’s Big Score.” The film will be followed by three additional movies: “The Beast with a Billion Backs,” “Bender’s Game” and “The Wild Green Yonder.” After its release, each film will be divided into four episodes and air on Comedy Central. “Futurama” fans can thank solid ratings on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim lineup for this awesome twist of fate. As Professor Farnsworth would say, “Good news, everyone!”