Have to say that you're missing out, with regards to Frasier and NYPD Blue. However I too have never seen an episode of AI unless of course you count the parody they did on the Simpsons. ;)

"Joey" was a "hit program"?

I'd add that Friends was also quite good.

Yeah, I've missed most of those too, except for one season of 'Frazier'.

Amazing Race is the only reality program I watch, its actually halfway sane, and the humanity of the host really comes through which is something I like.

...still trying to get Mitch to catch "Ghost in the Shell", about an SF-based Japanese special forces outfit that's hard as steel - but they still pull in a lot of literary references.

Kareoke. Masses. Idiots. TV. Waste of time. Let them eat cake.... wait a second, Cake's a band.

I've never seen an "Idol" show all the way through. I glance at it when it is in the background at the watering hole that I frequent.

The only thought that I've had about it (outside of dissing it as lemming food), is this:

I'd like to sneak Martin Sexton in as a contestant, and then have REAL music critics make fun of those three clowns (see, I don't even know their names) when they vote him out.

Reality TV rots your brain. It also puts professionals (As in "don't do this at home, folks", we actually write the songs, play the instruments and sing.)out of work.

It is TV doing things the Clearchannel, Fox, lowest common denominator, corporate raider, costcutting, Walmorts, on the cheap way.

Really don't need a plot, screenwriter, etc.... now do ya?

It also allows folks to feel superior (i.e.: "Cops, "Springer") in a "boy, we sure are better off than them thar stereotypes" way.

No one who wastes their life, let alone the precious time with their offspring watching "reality" TV has any business feeling anything but ashamed.

Of course, you could say that I am being "superior" by pointing this out....

Or just realistic.

Now, if I could just figure out how to end another sentence in "way".

Oh.

I'll add that "Friends don't let friends watch Friends."

Am I guilty of watching one of these (excepting sitcoms, which are NEVER on our TV) if it's on and I'm reading a book in the same room? I like the background noise.

"I don't watch (show X)" is the new "I don't even have a TV." The Onion needs to get on that.

Oh, that was YOUR car with the BLOW UP YOUR TV! bumper sticker on it!

When I was a kid the nights of the week were known by the shows that were on. My family watched just about everything (choosing between our four channels) back then. Now the last tv series my wife and kids and I saved time for was Star Trek: The Next Generation. We did get totally hooked on "Lost" but only after it came out on DVD from Netflix. Now I can't stand the constant commercial interruptions, and our lifestyle doesn't lend itself to being at a certain place a certain time just to watch tv.

"Ghost in the Shell" is awesome. I was blown away by the story and the animation style. I've also watched GITS 2 and the animation is even more stunning, but I didn't think the story was as good as the first.

I've heard GITS is good. Have no idea where to find it - DVD?

Cartoon Network's been showing it Saturday and Wednesday nights, the Saturday is the first run and the Wednesday is 2 or 3 weeks back, I guess so people can catch up with what they've missed.

Season 1 is a much better plot, Season 2 is rather dark and rehashes old themes, being a direction that still works but isn't as stellar as Season 1 was. The intro totally rocks though.

There's a season 1 import set on eBay for a $13.99 "Buy it now" price with English/Japanese dubbing sold by animetoyshop; my experience with their DVDs is they're pretty much the same quality as TV and the Amazon sets but you won't get any extras. If you get it on Amazon they split it up into 7 DVDs which runs the price up quite a lot.

Not a big Anime guy myself but there's maybe half a dozen series that really stand out - they make a lot of stuff for grownups over there, and the best - which are really director's personal statements what with the level of creative freedom they are given - really pump up the story elements, characterization, and whatever western genre reference the producer has gone totally nutzo about (Salinger and Heuristics for GiTS, Jazz and American individualism for Cowboy Bebop, Existentialism & the psychology of depression for Neon Genesis Evangelion, Witchcraft and Catholicism for Witch Hunter Robin).

For the most part anime is a total gagfest as far as I'm concerned, what with big eyed purple haired Lolitas, quazi-shinto militarism, group mentality and the robot toy of the week - but there's been some good stuff on Cartoon Network's adult swim on weekend nights which transcends Japanese cultural constraints and becomes truly universal.

The Ghost in the Shell I'm thinking of is the original film (and its sequel), available from Netflix or from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002RQ2T4/qid=1146700244/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-8846741-4730565?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=130). I didn't know it was a series as well; I'll have to check that out.

The first movie pops up frequently on the Action Channel (Dish Network), usually on the Friday night "Ani-midnight" feature. Even though I've seen it several times now it usually freezes my surfing when I come across it. I almost always pick up something new each time I see it.