Highly aware of skipping NBC fall shows

Being among the 211 million people who soaked up a good deal of the Olympics coverage on NBC, we were just as incredulous as the rest of you probably were with those horrifying "Kath & Kim" promos.

Doesn't Selma Blair know not to go full retard?

After enduring one too many "My Own Worst Enemy" clips (what on earth is this show even about, anyway?), we can say with relative certainty that we are 59% more aware that we will not watch that crapfest.

There are two versions of the Olympics-promo-as-sales-vehicle story today, one in THR and another, far less charitable, in Variety.

NBC is trying to paint the picture that having the most-watched TV event in history will be the tide that lifts some truly mediocre looking new series. (Didn't seem to help "American's Toughest Jobs" last night).

Awareness for the fall launches is at 59%, insists the network's marketing chief.

If you ask us, that's because "America's Got Talent" used an adorable little lisping kid to sell the next round of the modern day Gong Show, everybody knows but doesn't necessarily love "Knight Rider" from back in the day, and the creators of the previously Emmy-nominated "Heroes" prostrated themselves before Comic-Con's Nerd Nation a few weeks ago, swearing on their mother's lives that this season will be better than last. Word gets around in the face of such pandering.

Alls we can say is, bring on "The Shield." And for a sneak into the final season of the Golden Globe- and Peabody-winning show -- at least the first eight episodes -- go here for a thoughtful review from our brother blog Live Feed and join us in the countdown to Sept. 2.