11-06-2009, 07:36 AM
Some very interesting shows are made for TV these days, on the cable networks, although even the major networks have some good offerings. I would never have imagined when Fox became the 4th major, that they'd come up with a show as great as HOUSE. A&E, FX, USA, TNT are offering programs that I think are worth watching. Mad Men is a fantastic show. HBO and Showtime have been forging the way for some time. None of these shows can be picked up with an antenna.
However, for the CBS shows, and many network shows now, the networks are putting them online. I don't care to watch TV on my computer monitor, but if your computer has a video port, and your TV is equipped, you can watch the online shows on your TV screen. You can also download via torrent if you don't have an ethical problem with it, and again, watch it on your TV.
That said, it's real nice to have Time Warner if you can, but expensive, and not all of us can. I don't like the way Dish runs their business and contracts, but if it's the only game in town, there it is.
btw, for those of you who have never tried Netflix, you can get all the best TV on DVD up to the last season, and watch it all in order. Say you don't have Showtime and you want to see Dexter or Weeds, or you want to see Lost from the beginning, or see the Sopranos again. It's not that expensive. Recently I discovered Monk, which I had never watched, wasn't even cognizant of the USA network. I am working my way through seven seasons that are on DVD via Netflix.
Often times I only discover there's a quality show out there by watching the Emmy's, seeing someone get an Emmy and beat my favorites for some show I've never watched ... then I rent the show and see what all the fuss is about. Both Mad Men and Entourage I started watching to see why they were winning Emmy's. The Great Wasteland that Zappa mocked has come a long way. It used to be the great talent went into filmmaking, but honestly, the movies these days are 99% dreck, whereas the cable TV shows have the intelligent writing and character development, IMHO.
However, for the CBS shows, and many network shows now, the networks are putting them online. I don't care to watch TV on my computer monitor, but if your computer has a video port, and your TV is equipped, you can watch the online shows on your TV screen. You can also download via torrent if you don't have an ethical problem with it, and again, watch it on your TV.
That said, it's real nice to have Time Warner if you can, but expensive, and not all of us can. I don't like the way Dish runs their business and contracts, but if it's the only game in town, there it is.
btw, for those of you who have never tried Netflix, you can get all the best TV on DVD up to the last season, and watch it all in order. Say you don't have Showtime and you want to see Dexter or Weeds, or you want to see Lost from the beginning, or see the Sopranos again. It's not that expensive. Recently I discovered Monk, which I had never watched, wasn't even cognizant of the USA network. I am working my way through seven seasons that are on DVD via Netflix.
Often times I only discover there's a quality show out there by watching the Emmy's, seeing someone get an Emmy and beat my favorites for some show I've never watched ... then I rent the show and see what all the fuss is about. Both Mad Men and Entourage I started watching to see why they were winning Emmy's. The Great Wasteland that Zappa mocked has come a long way. It used to be the great talent went into filmmaking, but honestly, the movies these days are 99% dreck, whereas the cable TV shows have the intelligent writing and character development, IMHO.