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Television is my favourite medium because it only requires a 30 to 60 minute investment per sitting.  This format allows me to watch a complete episode of a show while eating, and then frees me to go and do something more productive.  During school terms, I’d say that I eat 1-2 meals each day this way.  I get entertainment, nourishment, and a bit of relaxation before doing whatever else needs to be done.

It’s nearly impossible to do this with movies since they require 2+ hour time commitments.  Sure, movies are able to tell stories better (with the so-called “plot arc” and all), but who really has the time?  I guess I can elaborate on this by saying how society these days requires fulfillment in smaller time frames due to ever decreasing attention spans (case-in-point: YouTube’s popularity), but that’s a topic for another post so I digress.

So that was my introduction to say that I watch more than my share of TV and am starting a new running series of posts where I review or give my thoughts on a bunch of different TV shows.  I guess I could’ve just said that, but then it would sound like I just sit and watch TV all day, when I only really do it while eating.

The Wire

• A very ambitious show in both size (dozens of plot lines features 100+ characters) and scope (deals with poverty, corruption in politics, failures of the school system, death of blue-collar America, police indifference, etc).  It’s the best show you’re not watching; if you are watching, it’s the best show ever.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

• I’m a huge West Wing fan and have loved everything that Aaron Sorkin has done so I was expecting great things.  Instead, I get crap presented to me in a very well shot package (kudos to Tommy Schlamme).  This show doesn’t make me feel, doesn’t make me care, and it doesn’t even make me laugh… which is why I’m having trouble believing that Sorkin has anything to do with it.  I’m not giving up hope, but at the same time, I’m not really expecting too much.

Friday Night Lights

• Best new show this fall.  I was expecting something along the lines of the movie, but I’m really liking how they took the show in another direction.  Instead of being a story about football, it’s a story about people who have their lives centered around football.  It’s a shame that it’s getting such low ratings and will probably be cancelled at the end of this season.