Recently, I've focused on the social repercussions of what's on television; as viewers, we have a responsibility to maintain our personal integrity. That's not to say that we should judge a show purely on its production quality or even by its intelligence, but when we are shown something that we perceive as wrong, we should recognize it. After an abysmal couple of weeks, it seems like there may not be anything worth watching. It seems like it's about time that we start talking about some of the good stuff that's on right now. If I had to pick one night of television to watch, I would definitely choose Wednesday night. Boasting a balanced set of great shows, there are programs both new and old, comedy and drama (And "dramedys," if you want everything all at once). No matter what you like, there's something for you to watch.

While there are some great returning shows, Wednesday is also filled with a cadre of fresh, exciting new stories. For fans of Tim Burton, fairy tales and sappy romances, Pushing Daisies (ABC, 8 p.m.) might legitimately be this season's best new show. Daisies is a well-constructed show that is honestly heart-warming, a rare experience in television today. Guided by a fairy tale narrator, the story recounts the life of a man named Ned (Lee Pace) who, as a child, learned that he has the supernatural ability to bring dead people back to life just by touching them. Ned helps private detective Emerson Cod (Chi McBride) solve murders by bringing the murdered back to life and asking them how they died so Cod can catch the killers and get the handsome reward. The show is shot so viewers feel close to the characters. While it may seem superficial, using the camera to make silly little visual jokes for the viewers' entertainment gives the show a playful quality that is rare in this medium. Also, the show has a great supporting cast. In addition to the grumpy, yet cuddly Chi McBride, Anna Friel and Kristen Chenoweth both give great performances, transposing vibrant personas in just two episodes.

Meanwhile, people with insatiable appetites for crime dramas should check out Life (NBC, 10 p.m.). The show follows a detective who has been released from prison after serving 12 years for a murder he didn't commit. As part of the terms of his lawsuit, Detective Crews (Damian Lewis) rejoins the police force to start rebuilding his life while trying to solve the case that got him put in jail. Life is the perfect example of a show whose value lies in its overall concept, rather than the literal plot. Though the individual stories don't cover any ground that Law and Order hasn't already, the show pulls free from the rest of the police-drama pack by focusing on how a single event completely changes the way you perceive the world and the way you're perceived. Life is extraordinary because every scene, every conversation is filtered through Crews' experience. There is something clearly wrong with Crews, and tension builds in even the most casual situations because you can never tell when he's going to snap.

In spite of all the good stuff, there are also a bunch of duds. Kid Nation (CBS, 8 p.m.), which I've discussed before, is a waste of airtime. There is also the infamous Private Practice (ABC, 9 p.m.), the Grey's Anatomy spin-off. Being a man and a Grey's Anatomy fan is a very conflicting experience, but I know, and hopefully others do as well, that the show's quality comes not from the medical or the personal drama, but from the way the two worlds become entangled, making the medical stuff more personal and the personal stuff seem more important. Based on this, Private Practice has done an unbelievable job of stripping away everything that makes Grey's good, leaving a sappy pile of garbage in its place. Avoid the pitfalls, and your Wednesday night will be that much more enjoyable.