Q: With so many shows on television, which are your favorites? — Clair, Concord, Mass.

A: Ah, there are times when I long for the days with only four networks to cover. I watch some shows and think, "They could not pay me to watch this." And then I realize, "Oh, they do."

There are no vampire or horror shows on my list. Not that there aren't some good ones. I just do not understand that genre. In no particular order, here is a list of shows that I love so much I actually watch them as they air.

"America's Got Talent." I love this show — a lot of it has to do with the judges. They are not cruel to the talent. They offer solid advice. I was worried when Howard Stern joined the show. I feared he would be nasty. He has been anything but. He is honest. He does not gush over every act. When he does, it means something. A lot of his advice should be paid attention to. The interactions between the judges are great. Sadly, Stern is exiting after this season. No word on whom will take his spot, although some rumors suggest Simon Cowell or the return of Piers Morgan. Another major plus for the show is the host, Nick Cannon. He really is kind to the talent. He will partake in some silly stunts. I think of all the hosts on any show he is the best. Next week is the final showdown.

"Ray Donovan." This Showtime series is amazing. I usually do not go for shows where the "hero" has questionable motives. Ray can be a sleazebag, but he also has heart, even when he cheats on his wife Abby, who is the best wife in the world. But I cannot stay mad at him. The acting is phenomenal, from Liev Schreiber (Ray) to Jon Voight (Ray's creepy-but-you've-got-to-love-him old man).

"Night Shift." I loved the first season of this new NBC show. Every character is flawed. Every character is fabulous. The hijinks in the ER are realistic. I used to date an ER doc (notice how it is always "I used to date"? But I digress). I asked him to watch the show. He said it is not always spot-on in the medical aspects, but it is perfect in the way it presents folks who work ER.

"Amazing Race." It still seems fresh, which says something about a show that has been on for a decade and a half. Unlike shows such as "Survivor" and "Big Brother," they do not do the "I hate this guy" scenario.

The show I wanted to love was "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." For me it has been patchy so far. But having hosted several talk shows myself, I know there is always a lot of tweaking in the first week or two. His guests for next week are impressive: Donald Trump; U.S. Secretary of Energy Dr. Ernest Moniz; Hugh Jackman; Elizabeth Warren; Pearl Jam and Archbishop Thomas Wenski. That is a great mixture. Colbert is a savvy interviewer. Perhaps I will add that show to my favorites list soon enough.

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.