The Morning After: Fringe, Privileged

So what did you think of Fall 2008's most-hyped debut? Did it live up to expectations? Did the commercial breaks really seem shorter?

Last night also saw the premiere of The CW's Privileged. Though the opening section, with Debi Mazar, had some of the clumsiest exposition and premise-setting I've ever seen—they might as well just have had Megan carried to L.A. by a tornado—I liked JoAnna Garcia's spark and the show's willingness to (mostly) not take itself too seriously. Still, I have to laugh at the central idea of Megan discovering herself, and making the world a better place, by becoming the teacher and moral guide to two spoiled rich kids: "Those girls need you!"

Ah, yes, tutoring the extremely rich: it's the Peace Corps of the 21st century!