Appointment Television

I don't believe in it.
I don't have "my shows."
I used to think there were things I couldn't live without. For years I watched the Simpsons religiously. Now I can't remember the last time I watched a new Simpson's episode.
I used to make it a point to watch the Colbert Report and the Daily Show whenever I could. But now that I don't have extended basic cable any more, that sense of "I need to watch this" quickly evaporated (like an addiction) and I realize that I never really needed Stephen Colbert anymore than I needed Mexican soap operas.

Also, I'm less willing to put up with advertisements these days. Plus the long waits between episodes. It all adds up to the fact that I'd rather watch the occasional television series as a Netflix rental, than ever waste time actually nursing at "the glass tit." (Editor's note: election results and sports events are excluded from the rant above, since there's nothing like seeing them unfold live on TV.)


England's new Prime Minister
So then along comes The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard. This is a BBC drama being broadcast on PBS on Sunday nights at 9pm. No commercials. Smart script. It's a West Wing type political drama set in England. Relevant, fast-paced, and funny. Check it out, and see if it isn't refreshing to see a quality hour-long programme without commercial breaks. And the timing is perfect for someone working a Mon-Fri gig. It's that last little bit of entertainment to round out your weekend. Plus it's nice to see an engaging political drama with a largely female cast. Maybe it's conditioning us to better support a Hillary administration next year?

So maybe one hour in front of the boobtube each week isn't such a bad thing.