Pushing Daisies: The Best Comes Tonight

The best of the new fall TV season finally arrives tonight: "Pushing Daisies" (8 p.m., Channels 9, 22). It's unlike any other show I've ever seen on TV. A mild-mannered baker (Lee Pace, "The Good Shepherd) discovers that he can bring people/things back to life with the touch of his finger. Here's the catch: He has to touch the person within a minute, to kill them permanently, or somebody else nearby will die.

The fun, inventive drama comes from from Barry Sonnenfeld ("Men In Black") and Bryan Fuller ("Heroes"). The "Desperate Housewives"-style narration is provided by Jim Dale, who reads the "Harry Potter" audio book series.

In the premiere, Ned makes two pivotal decision which set up the series: He teams up with a private detective (Chi McBride, "Boston Public"), so he can help solve murders. (He touches someone in the morgue, asks what happened, then touches them again and they die.) He also brings his old childhood crush back to life, a girl named Chuck (Anna Friel, "Rogue Trader"). He can't touch her again -- so no kissing, no hand-holding -- or she'll be dead forever. Talk about romantic tension. As she puts it: "I'd kiss you, but it would kill me."

Very clever. It's worth your time.

With the premiere of the much anticipated "Pushing Daisies" I thought it was time to ask: What news fall shows have you watched? What do you like -- and will watch again? What shows didn't you like? I'm enjoying "Chuck," "The Reaper," Kelsey Grammer's "Back to You" and "K-Ville." I didn't like "Cavemen" last night, though it was better than the pilot screener ABC sent out last summer (which will never air). I don't like "Kid Nation," its too contrived. I didn't like "Bionic Woman" or "Journeyman" or "Carpoolers."

What new fall shows are you watching? What do you like?