I like "New TV Show" season.
Me, too. It's like a bunch of my friends went on summer vacation and now are back to hang out with me.
I also did the CBS comedy thing on delay via DVR. I was pretty concerned by the first 15 minutes or so of HIMYM, as if all the good writers had left, but the final 45 minutes had some pretty good moments. I'd give it a B-, whereas their typical episodes are solid B, B+ or A- even.
Two and a Half Men handled a funeral about as well as a comedy can, I guess. But, yeah, I agree, it was nowhere near the usual level of humor. I chalk it up to "Pilot Syndrome", since they were essentially having to reboot the show, and we all know that pilot episodes are typically pretty lame compared to shows in their prime. Give 'em a chance to get back on their feet. I'll bet you're laughing heartily again in a few weeks.
Didn't DVR the new show about the waitresses, so can't comment.
I am really looking forward to the return of Big Bang Theory in a couple of days. I hope they haven't messed up the formula too much by having Raj and Penny hook up. That was a weird season finale last spring - made me think that the writers had been reading fan fiction off of the dark corners of the internet.