American TV Is Interesting Again
It is for me at least.
This is the first season since the hey day of the X-files that I've given a damn about a television season. At this point, I'll ask those Americans who might read this to skim ahead while I explain a quick bit about our TV seasons to Bill, Neil and others not familiar with it. Here in the States, we traditionally have had one main television season for broadcast Television. It began in the fall with weekly or nightly programming continuing until a winter break. At that time, reruns of the programming would begin until the spring when new episodes would begin running again. Our cable networks (non-broadcast tv) tend to roll-out new programming counter to the broadcast season, showing new programs of their own while broadcast shows are in reruns. As a kid, with only the big three broadcast channels to watch (no cable for me), you can imagine how exciting the "new season" of tv was.
As I've gotten older, acquired cable, and become less enamored with sitcoms, my viewing has shifted heavily to cable channels. Anyone having read my earlier posts will know I've an affinity for BBC America. Aside from that, I love the variety of things available to me on cable. Documentaries on arcane subject matter, travel shows featuring places I'll never see, movies, or even music videos in a language I don't speak.
So, after years of only Law & Order (the original, SVU & CI) and CSI as fairly regular favorites on broadcast, I'm suddenly faced with so many good new shows I'm struggling to fit them all in my viewing schedule. Viva la DVR. My Digital Video Recorder has become an obsession for me. That handy little box lets me schedule every program, every episode and all without worrying if the scheduled time is going to change suddenly. Can I watch them all? Yes, I am determined to watch every episode of every good new show. Because I know, good shows rarely last. The programming famine will come again. So for now, I'm gorging myself and enjoying the feast.
This is the first season since the hey day of the X-files that I've given a damn about a television season. At this point, I'll ask those Americans who might read this to skim ahead while I explain a quick bit about our TV seasons to Bill, Neil and others not familiar with it. Here in the States, we traditionally have had one main television season for broadcast Television. It began in the fall with weekly or nightly programming continuing until a winter break. At that time, reruns of the programming would begin until the spring when new episodes would begin running again. Our cable networks (non-broadcast tv) tend to roll-out new programming counter to the broadcast season, showing new programs of their own while broadcast shows are in reruns. As a kid, with only the big three broadcast channels to watch (no cable for me), you can imagine how exciting the "new season" of tv was.
As I've gotten older, acquired cable, and become less enamored with sitcoms, my viewing has shifted heavily to cable channels. Anyone having read my earlier posts will know I've an affinity for BBC America. Aside from that, I love the variety of things available to me on cable. Documentaries on arcane subject matter, travel shows featuring places I'll never see, movies, or even music videos in a language I don't speak.
So, after years of only Law & Order (the original, SVU & CI) and CSI as fairly regular favorites on broadcast, I'm suddenly faced with so many good new shows I'm struggling to fit them all in my viewing schedule. Viva la DVR. My Digital Video Recorder has become an obsession for me. That handy little box lets me schedule every program, every episode and all without worrying if the scheduled time is going to change suddenly. Can I watch them all? Yes, I am determined to watch every episode of every good new show. Because I know, good shows rarely last. The programming famine will come again. So for now, I'm gorging myself and enjoying the feast.
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