By Mary McNamara, Television critic

The problem with being a television critic is that you have to watch so much television you don't have time to watch television.

So when people ask, as they often do, what's good, I have a tendency to reel off the last few debuts or premieres that left an impression on me. But recently a friend asked, "Well, what would you watch if you weren't getting paid to do it?" A good question, and one easily answered, as it turns out, by a brief glance at my DVR list.

I was rather surprised to note that four of the 16 shows are brand-new. Conventional wisdom has it that network television is dead, and we've all grown accustomed to that sinking feeling when the hoopla surrounding a new season begins -- oh, the bitter disappointment when the shows finally air. This season, however, everyone's gaze was firmly pinned on the new Jay Leno show (which you will notice is not on this list). The rest of the fall entered on little cat's feet and delivered a slew of pretty terrific shows -- comedies, dramas and even a musical -- that might actually stick around.

So here are the shows I try to watch regularly, the shows I watch for fun, not out of duty.