Idiot Boxing

I watch too much TV. I remember a game I played at a party a few years ago. It was a contest to see who could name different TV theme songs. After awhile, it was like "Name That Tune" with me being able to name the song within a couple of notes.

What do I watch nowadays and why? Before you ask, no, it's not reality TV. I don't rail against it because I just haven't seen any of it. The first and last reality show I saw was the first season of Survivor. I almost cried when Rudy lost. Since then, I just haven't been interested.

Law & Order - Remember that period a few months ago where there was an episode every other hour of the day? Most people don't realize it's been on more than a decade now. I love the spinoffs, particularly LO: Criminal Intent - Vincent D'Onofrio is definitely the new Columbo. But nothing tops the originial. The two things I love the most: Jerry Orbach's pre-title sequence wisecrack and Fred Dalton Thompson as the new DA. His character is like Dr. Phil without the compassion.

24 - I thought for sure this concept would get old after the first season. I wasn't too impressed with the first few episodes of this season, but now, I'm hooked.

The Dead Zone - I've said it before, he's no Christopher Walken, but Anthony Michael Hall is just as good. I can hardly imagine him in braces accidentally swallowing a birth control pill anymore.

REIGN: the Conqueror - It's interesting if sometimes overwrought. It takes itself a little too seriously in it's "retelling of the story of Alexander the Great." It's better than Aeon Flux, though.

Lupin the 3rd - Or Lupin III or Rupan Sansei or whatever anime purists choose to call it. And yes, I know what they show on Adult Swim is merely a watered down, newly translated version for Cartoon Network. I surrender - I'm a dork for liking it anyway. Maybe I'll be "graced" enough to one day see it in the original japanese with subtitles.

Those are the shows I make it a point to watch. The ones I'll actually tape. The following shows I catch when I can, despite whatever inference you might draw from the comments I make.

Enterprise - I like the theme song, sue me. There might be a lot of negative things to say, but it isn't consistently lame like Voyager was. Though, I question the wisdom of using time travel story lines with Scott Bakula. I saw all the episodes of Quantum Leap.

Farscape - I do watch it, though I'll go to my grave saying it's a Blake's 7 ripoff.

Stargate SG-1 - One word: MacGyver.

Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda - This show's going downhill faster than Earth: Final Conflict. What started out as interesting premises degenerate into dumbed down shades of what they were. I bet Gene's turning in his grave if I were convinced he were really dead. I swear with all these new shows, he's the Tupac Shakur of sci-fi TV.

Mutant X - Horrible, yet oddly compelling.

Angel - I needed a TV vampire fix since Forever Knight got cancelled.

Everwood - (Mostly) clean and wholesome, not too preachy. I like it.

That's what -- 13-14 hours a week, give or take the odd Law & Order reruns on TNT? Or, the odd WWE Wrestling show I catch now and again? I don't think that's enough to call me an addict, do you?