ABC

CHICAGO – What has happened to Sunday nights? Perhaps the most bizarre modern trend in television is the desire for a good cry at the end of the weekend. People watch hard-working men and women finally get their due on “Undercover Boss” or shed a tear at the reshaped lives of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The latest entry in this manipulative sub-genre is ABC’s “Secret Millionaire,” a program that certainly highlights deserving people but does so in a way that doesn’t quite work.

CHICAGO – ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” announced their new line-up for the upcoming season and, once again, the unusual choices should raise an eyebrow or two and make some wonder what exactly makes someone a “Star”? In all seriousness, the producers of this mega-hit have put together another engaging line-up of semi-celebrities including Kirstie Alley, Kendra Wilkinson, Chris Jericho, and Ralph Macchio.

CHICAGO – Playing the same beloved character for a full decade tends to make an actor typecast for life, regardless of one’s range or ability. That’s the challenge facing all six stars of David Crane and Marta Kauffman’s lovable and addictive sitcom, “Friends.” Each cast member has had varying degrees of success when attempting to break out of their familiar onscreen personas.

CHICAGO – Regardless of its exotic locales, “Off the Map” may benefit from a few more diversions. Everything about this fresh-faced ABC drama feels instantly familiar.

CHICAGO – Fans of ABC’s often-struggling “Cougar Town” had to wait until the eleventh hour last year to find out that their favorite show would be given a second chance with a sophomore season. Not so this year. In a surprising move, “Cougar Town” got the nod for an early pick-up for the 2011-12 season. Less surprising were the also-announced renewals of “Castle,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Middle,” “Modern Family,” and “Private Practice.”

CHICAGO – Here’s the sort of self-important primetime drama that tries so hard to be a bona fide event that it quickly grows irrelevant.

CHICAGO – “Modern Family” is the funniest comedy on television. The winner of the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series (over highly-acclaimed programs including “Glee,” “30 Rock,” “The Office,” and more) and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Eric Stonestreet) is now available on Blu-ray and DVD and not only is it a program that everyone should see at least once but, like the greatest sitcoms, it holds up remarkably well to repeat viewing.

CHICAGO – ABC’s “No Ordinary Family” features two of the better TV actors of the last decade in the great Michael Chiklis (“The Shield”) and Julie Benz (“Angel,” “Dexter”) and their remarkable charm carries a show that could be must-see viewing if it doesn’t fall into the same traps as similar high-concept shows like “Heroes” and “FlashForward.”

CHICAGO – ABC’s “Castle” has become one of the more reliable mystery shows on television; a wonderful piece of comfort food after a hard Monday at the office. With the amazing chemistry and perfect timing of stars Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic to drive it, the show went from barely-renewed to a program that feels like it will be on for years to come. Check out the second season, now on DVD, to see how a mystery series becomes a hit.

CHICAGO – With most TV on DVD releases now scheduled for August and September, how does one buyer work through all of the options? We’ve covered a number of the choices in recent weeks (and have a few more planned next week) along reviews of every new series, but it’s easy for some titles to fall through the cracks, especially for shows that might not have the cultural cachet they once did.