The TV Zone

"One Tree Hill," and 70 others, back fresh or new this month.

Welcome back, gang, and a happy and hopefully prosperous New Year to you all.

Consider this an orientation post, as we trudge back to our metaphoric classrooms, facing off our metaphoric teachers, in this new (metaphoric) school year.

Enough already with the metaphors: This is going to be an insanely busy TV January. Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it, at least in terms of new product, show premieres and re-launches. I count a total of seventy-one - will repeat for emphasis, 71! - newbies over the next four weeks, counting the launch of "Game Show in My Head" on Saturday and "Superstars of Dance" last night.

71: This figure, of course, includes new show premieres for all the tried-and-trues, like "One Tree Hill" tonight, or "Nip/Tuck," back after nearly a year's hiatus tomorrow. December was essentially dead in front of the tube, as it is every year, and so a lot of new product is hitting the screen this month. In fact a lot more than usual, and I suspect one reason is that television has finally cleared away the wreckage of the Writers' strike. What you're about to see, starting immediately, is a fully cocked-and-loaded network TV industry that is absolutely desperate, desperate, to get viewers back.

I've tried to think of ways to orient 'Zone readers to the tsunami-of-shows upon them, and one simple way? Simply tell you about them, each and every day.

So, let's start.

Tonight: - "The Bachelor" is back (8).

- "Secret Life of the American Teenager" (also 8), ABC Family, which shocked pretty much everyone by becoming a bone fide hit for AF its first go around.

- "Gossip Girl:" Chuck kissed Blair, or vice versa, don't recall, and Chuck's dad passed.

- "One Tree Hill," Brooke's looking for Sam...

- "True Beauty," ABC. 10. That new ABC reality show. More on this a little later today.

And...please go here, here, here for the complete list. TV Guide did the honors. The list is a beaut.