The Sunday Chasm

"I want you to know that what's going on here is not okay with me." — Quinn, "Homeland"

For a long time we, as TV consumers, have been conditioned to get excited about Sunday night. It's a prestige TV night, especially for cable outlets. It's the night that's been home to "The Sopranos," "Six Feet Under," "Dexter," "Mad Men," "Breaking Bad" and "The Wire," among others. We've come to expect quality offerings.

This season, through two full weeks, that just hasn't been the case. The Networks don't have much to offer on Sundays. CBS has "60 Minutes," "The Amazing Race," "The Good Wife," and "The Mentalist." Those aren't the draws they once were, and all are a little long in the tooth. ABC, similarly, has seen it's slate take a dive with viewers. "Once Upon A Time" feels a little less magical, "Revenge" has worn out its welcome, and "Betrayal" feels like an accident.

At least NBC wisely gave it's Sunday nights up to the NFL, which has been the most riveting programming on the night.

But, to be fare, it has never been the traditional networks that made Sunday nights exciting, that role fell to cable. And that's where the most disappointment has fallen this new season.

AMC is about to give its Sunday nights over to "The Walking Dead." While that might be one of the most popular shows on cable, it's hit or miss in terms of storytelling quality. While I thought season three was a step in the right direction, this is a show that can be really compelling or really confusing depending on the week. Being on its third showrunner in four seasons doesn't help, either.

Then there's HBO. Reliably HBO has been home to some of the best of Sunday night TV. Currently the Network is offering season four of "Boardwalk Empire." While the show feels like something that should be a home run, it just isn't. This fourth season has been almost insufferable in terms of pace and storytelling. It's like a fancy restaurant salad. It has quality ingredients and it's arranged in an attractive manner, you're just not excited about eating it, or in this case watching it.

Following "Boardwalk Empire" is the fourth season of "Eastbound and Down." That, in itself, is a shock. The show had it's final season last year, but since HBO had little going in the comedy department it brought the gang back for one more go-around. Following that is the new show "Hello Ladies," which just confirms why HBO needed "Eastbound and Down" back again. Hurry up and make a new season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," Larry David. HBO needs you!

Then there's Showtime, which arguably has the best of the Sunday shows in "Homeland" and the interesting freshman offering "Masters of Sex." The latter, which focuses on the research of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, is Showtime's hope for its next great drama. "Dexter" is gone, "The Borgias" is gone, and "Ray Donovan" fell flat. The show started with a promising pilot, but the second episode was dreadful. That show is, literally, a toss up. I could see it going either way, which isn't what Showtime wants to hear.

More troubling is "Homeland." During its first season, the show was incredible. It swept up the Emmy awards, brought in plenty of eyeballs, and was the best show on TV. While Claire Danes won, again, for the second season, the shine came off the apple during its sophomore season. It's fair to say that, after two episodes, this third season indicates something troubling. The show feels lost, and as a member of the audience it's hard not to wonder what the long-term prospects are here. The show could still get back on the rails, but so far this is one of the most disappointing misses of the new fall season.

Sunday nights used to be appointment TV viewing. Now it's a good time to catch up on your reading and check in on your Fantasy Football teams. Its hard to tell if that will end anytime before the end of the year.