Different Heights of Brows

Sick Of Reality

I watch a lot of television. Now I know there are people who say that, but, I really watch a LOT of tv. However, one thing I could never really get into was the whole reality tv thing. Sure I watch the occasional episode of Trading Spaces, What Not To Wear and whatever is on at the moment on the Home & Garden TV network, but I'm not hooked on any of them. In fact, after a couple of consecutive weeks, I get totally bored and need a break from them. I'm just an old fashioned gal. I like good ol' serial television. Something with a theme or story that carries me through a traditional 8 month network season. None of this Swan crap.

Unfortunately, with the demise of situation comedies like Friends and Frasier and the impending demise of well-written dramas like ER, The West Wing (what were they thinking killing off Leo McGarity?!) and Law & Order (what are they on? Like, their 13th season or something insane like that?), this season's kick-off was quite a disappointment and non-event for me. You have to understand how obsessed I am with my television. It has been my tradition to buy the network fall line-up issues of Entertainment Weekly and TV Guide (which they do over 2 weeks. New Shows and Returning Shows.) in order to decide which shows I wanted to continue to watch, begin watching seriously and which one's I was going to give a one-time only chance to catch my interest. I also used the magazines to come up with a watching "live" vs. taping on my VCR schedule. Sadly this year, not only did I not by my magazine, but the only must-see-tv shows I was left with was the CSI franchise (NY sucks rocks by the way. The cast ensemble to not mesh nearly as well together as Miami or the original series) and The West Wing. And of those, I missed the premieres of all three CSIs! I didn't even know Speedle (eye candy on Miami) was dead until this week! As for sit-coms, I have never been a devote follower of Will & Grace or Scrubs but left with no other serious offerings this year (Joey? C'mon! How much more could that show stink up the airwaves?!) I have come to cling to these 2 series of a dying genre.

In order to fill the void, I have been searching the smaller networks for good television and I am happy to say I have found shows that are tape-worthy. On The WB, I have been keeping a closer eye on Gilmore Girls, Everwood and have begun watching the new and fantastic Jack & Bobby. I have friends who have e-mailed me to say they were glued to the tv during the US Presidential Elections and I say to them, and to all of you like them, if The West Wing is not your cup of tea but you want something with a political twist, please please please watch Jack & Bobby. No, this is not a history of the Kennedy boys, but rather it chronicles the adolescence of the future (2040-ish) and one of the most influential presidents of the United States. Furthermore, I will begin to watch The O.C. premiering tonight on Fox. Finally, Showtime's Dead Like Me is one of the best things on television today! Sadly the season is over, but I have no doubt that it will come back for a third! It just gets better and better!

See! Look how I've gone on and on (and trust me, I could go on and on some more!) about something as, admittedly, frivolous as tv shows. But I just can't help it! I was a latch-key kid with a 27" colour as a babysitter....

Good TV gives me a High! Reality TV brings me down way
Lowbrow

posted by highbrow @ 5:42 PM