Smile and Nod: American Idol is the Best Show On

It's pretty much the end of everything. Dogs and cats living together, brimstone falling from the sky ... televisions turned off. While the smart people are keeping their eyes on the shrinking polar ice caps, falling water levels in the reservoirs and the rising price of oil, I'm watching the television - or, rather, not. And I can assure you the end is a lot nearer than you think.

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I feel for you man, There isnt anything on anymore. Fortunetly for me I have my Anime and Wrestling to keep me busy. Unfortunetly other than those, there's nothing to watch and thats sad. Sadly American Idol is the "best" thing on television right now and thats not good(though I would admit I do find a bit of enjoyment watching people come make fools of themselves on television, still doesnt make good television). I wish there were more shows like Death Note on television. *sigh*

I've found solace in the Netflix catalog of old TV shows that I never watched the first time around. They might not be worth talking about around the water cooler, but a few episodes of "Jeeves and Wooster" or "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" is an acceptable substitute for new episodes of "House", in my opinion :)

You have seriously exhausted the holiday deluge of new video games? How is that possible?

I wish there were more shows like Death Note on television

Agreed, though is Death Note actually on TV? I've only found it on the internet. I'm on the minus 300 range of the channels size though.

oneplus999:
I've found solace in the Netflix catalog of old TV shows that I never watched the first time around. They might not be worth talking about around the water cooler, but a few episodes of "Jeeves and Wooster" or "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" is an acceptable substitute for new episodes of "House", in my opinion :)

You have seriously exhausted the holiday deluge of new video games? How is that possible?

I wish there were more shows like Death Note on television

Agreed, though is Death Note actually on TV? I've only found it on the internet. I'm on the minus 300 range of the channels size though.

Yeah on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim on Saturdays. They are on like episode 12 now

Okay Mr. Pitts, why are you such a good writer? I mean, every article of yours I read I am more and more amazed by your style and I just want to read more and more.
Superb, superb, superb, and more.

I have not watched a single minute of TV since my Great Northern Move (North Carolina to upstate New York) five months ago. The only, ONLY thing I've missed watching was Late Night With Conan O'Brien. Everything else was pretty much disposable, in my opinion.

Reality TV needs to die in a trash fire, and American Idol can be second in line, right behind Survivor.

The most I've ever seen of American Idol was some 15 seconds worth while in a hospital waiting room. Take it I've not missed anything?

Oh well, won't be too long before Jericho comes back.

oneplus999:

I wish there were more shows like Death Note on television

Agreed, though is Death Note actually on TV? I've only found it on the internet. I'm on the minus 300 range of the channels size though.

Out of curiosity, is Death Note worth more of my time? I've watched 1 episode, and all I came away with is that the main character is an angsty idiot. In particular, the episode was the one where the inspector/opponent was brought in and the convicted felon died. Mostly, I was just annoyed by the guy with the notebook. Is there something more there?

There is one show on right now that is routinely and criminally overlooked - The Wire. It is in its final season, and while I wouldn't say this is its strongest season so far, it is nonetheless the most compelling and important TV show on right now.

So you now have something to watch on Sundays, if only for 6 more weeks. In the meantime, I suggest renting seasons 1-4 and seeing why this show is, I believe, one of television's few masterpieces.

I try to time my movie going when possible to avoid crowds, and people, in general.

Going for the first or second showing (so long as the second showing is before 3pm) on a weekday several weeks after a movie is released generally works best for me. The only problem being that a free weekday afternoon isn't all that common, and going on a recognized holiday would defeat the point, since that guarantees goblins to be at the theatre. It can be rough to find the time, but being totally alone, or being in a movie with just a handful of other people is so nice and quiet, I really don't think the movie experience is worth it's exaggerated prices when it's with a crowd, all the lights, noise, gizmos and children.

But for TV, I gave up on that one a long time ago. I've found network television very dry and boring, really the only show I watch is the occasional Law and Order to kill an hour. My criticism of most Tv is just how dumbed down it feels. This isn't the fault of the writers from my understanding, but the wand of networks to provide so called Dishwashing Tv. Tv you can watch and follow while not actually really paying attention to it, which sure appeals to our societies love of doing many things at once, but if you sit down and expect a good deep program you're usually faced with something that feels like it's made for you to be watching from your rear view mirror.

I tend to stick to the information/educational channels for most of my Tv watching. The History Channel was an old favorite but has been sinking lately with lots of gimmicky shows about pseudo-sciences (UFOs, Monsters) or shows about the "history" of things that really don't have much to begin with (Monster Trucks, Star Trek). Discovery Channel is similar, sadly. But History International, National Geographic Channel and the Science Channel are all still pretty good, although the availability in many areas is limited.

Anime and movies are on the side. Movies from rentals or movie channels, anime from the Internet or Cartoon Network.

The anime on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim has gotten better in more recent years, they used to do a lot more editing for violence and language, but they seem to have loosened up quite a bit. The two shows their currently premiering though don't really interest me, Death Note and Blood+, they both feature some pretty good animation, but lack characters that interest me and the shows often leave me bored. But they run Fooly Cooly on Mondays and still own the rights to some good shows, so they certainly aren't all bad.

At least we all have our video games and books.

Haha FLCL! Aren't there only, like 6 episodes of that? Or was another run produced?

As for 300 channels, here in Melbourne we have 4(i don't count channels 31 or 9) free to air networks, and I've pretty much given up on TV entirely except for my 1/2 hour of the Simpsons every day and occasionally the news.
Then there's Pay-TV. To be honest, the very concept makes me feel ill. It started well- Pay X amount per month for TV with no ads... great! Why the fuck are they still taking the money now there are commercials every 2 minutes on their channels?!?!

Thankfully, I'd stopped watching broadcast with any semblance of regularity long before it sank into gnashing fits of madness. Though the loss of Scrubs mid-final-season hit me pretty hard.

Nowadays I have books of H.P. Lovecraft short stories, my weekly comic book regiment and The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. on DVD to keep me company.

I haven't had TV since i moved a few weeks ago and I must say that I haven't missed it at all. Well, except for Hollyoaks...

But it's given me a chance to play some old games I haven't touched for a while and also to watch some films that had escaped me. It's been a blessing!

May I suggest the Fallout or Baldur's Gate collections? Being European imports you won't find them in US retail, but that's why we have the internets. This is how I've been spending my evenings recently. Well, this and Rock Band.

There were only six episodes of FLCL produced, and last I heard no plans to continue it. Which I don't really mind, the series was a short, wonderfully animated and wonderfully confusing series, and it can be left at that. I've heard that the OVA Diebuster, produced by Gainax as well has some striking similarities to FLCL though.

I forgot to mention Ghost in the Shell, which is also a good series (both seasons) that Cartoon Network runs. Personally I prefer the series to the movies, but that's a matter of opinion.

I also forgot about Scrubs. I used to watch that one all the time, reruns on Comedy Central, but I've seen basically none of the last two seasons. Good, smart show that can occasionally get pretty deep without feeling too cheezy, I've thought.

I remember when my TV died, and I got a huge, balky, SD TV to replace it, spent something like $80 to get the cable into my room, and basiclly never turn it on except for the occasunal GC/PS2 game.

About the only things I watched at all recently was some anime on Teletoon every Friday.

Uncensored, which was a nice touch.

I just don't watch much TV, besides law and order, CSI or something. But very rare so.

I usually got the escapist's articles for me. And tekken on the psp, which isn't going to bore me for some reason. Even though i played like 80+ hours on it.

And music, somebody forgot that, i reckon.

Yes, how dare those insensitive writers demand to actually be paid for their work when the masses want to watch their precious TV shows. How unbelievably selfish and petty of them.