So I'm listening to NPR again...

While out on a grocery run this afternoon, and that damned Keillor guy is on again. His hilarious weekend show is rolling along, and he's reflecting on his youth again, and there's a tie-in to my previous post here...

"...We liked science fiction because... well, Earth didn't have alot going for us at the time." (Roughly quoted, as it's now hours later)

I just got a kick out of it, following all the science fiction shows I'm currently hooked on.

So let's talk TV...

I'm a TVaholic.

Sounds a bit like an AA introduction, don't it?

Funny thing is these days I rarely get to watch any on the plasma at home, and when I do get to sit in my own living room and catch a program real-time from the comfort of my own sofa it's undoubtedly a kids program that's on. I've become quite the PBS Kids aficionado, and I know who Word Girl is, but I don't have a clue who's on Big Brother or what's the latest fad in home remodeling on HGTV.

Our house is currently subscribed to the lowest cable package that the local provider offers. We pay less than $10 a month, and receive only about 10 channels of broadcast entertainment. There's a couple home shopping channels, and of course C-Span, but I can't really call those entertainment, so they don't count. On top of that, we don't have a digital cable receiver, so there's zero HD content from that source anyways. The big screen is not even connected to the cable, and I like it that way. We get a pretty nice selection of programming over the air via the HD antenna I built myself using spare junk I had laying around the garage. Want to get a more accurate depiction of just how old your local news personalities are? Get yourself a good antenna and see 'em in 1080i OTA broadcast. I can see how they were reluctant to change. Flaws in facial features, and even the over abundance of makeup that were covered by the lower resolution of the analog TV transmissions are readily apparent now. You can literally see the sweat on their brow.

Along with the much higher quality local network affiliates, there's also a number of additional content sources now available with a decent antenna that weren't available before. From a couple local subchannels that offer up to the minute weather info 24 hrs a day, there's also a few independent channels that cable doesn't even offer. I was delighted to find the Qubo children's channel OTA, and Theodore Tugboat's a personal favorite.

This doesn't mean I don't miss cable altogether. A couple channels I dearly wish I had are ones like Dicovery, History, and SyFy. The latter has been tough because I really wish I had been watching the new series of Battlestar Gallactica. I avoided watching it on Hulu because I still think I can eventually save up enough to purchase this much lauded science fiction remake in its entirety on Blu-Ray and enjoy it in 5.1 surround sound with a HD resolution.

Thanks to EZTV.it and now EZRSS.it, I'm back in business with MIRO player and have been able to enjoy quite a bit of network programming at my leisure. Here's a list of the shows I've become really hooked on:

• Warehouse13 from SyFy. It's not great science fiction, but it is a truly fun show, and the ratings are reflecting it. I found it pretty neat that this show's developed a big following among women, as that's a demographic that doesn't normally go in for science fiction.
• Eureka, also on SyFy. This one's kind of like a personal treat, with some truly geeky references, but like Warehouse13, it's not unapproachable for the non-science fiction fan. Between this show and Warehouse13, SyFy's got a couple real winners in their original programming and they're really staking out there own territory on the TV spectrum. I really hope they keep it up!
• Dollhouse on FOX, Joss Whedon's latest creation. I found Firefly much too late, but was fortunate to catch up with it online, and it's early demise was truly regrettable. Dollhouse really entertains me, and I was glad to see it got picked up for another season. This one's a bit more difficult for some to get into, but the show has me yearning for more. I was really excited to see that Summer Glau's now a castmember of this program, and we'll see how Whedon works in this actress that he's used successfully before.
  
• Fringe, also on FOX. What can I say? Miss X-Files? Here's your fix, and then some. Great show, with a good sized fan base that's well deserved. This one's got the conspiracy stuff, the cop angle, the violence, and the well matched cast to almost make one forget about Mulder and Scully.
• The Big Bang Theory. This show's hilarious. Jim Parsons as Sheldon is the far and away stand out star on this one, even though I imagined he was originally written as a supporting role. His character's idiosyncrasies are so over the top, but played to a tee that I'd almost watch a show just about him.
• The Philanthropist was kind of a surprise to me. If you were to tell me that I should watch a show about a rich guy who's guilty conscience drives him to go on harrowing personal missions around the globe, while still retaining a playboy appetite, I'd say no way. Neve Campbell's in this one, but not really a standout for me. This show's location settings and somewhat grittier casting surprised me, and I enjoyed it very much over the summer. I can say that I'd be happy to watch it if NBC brings it back for another run.
• I started watching Defying Gravity on Hulu, and while this show started really slow I stuck with it for a couple episodes and it's gotten better all along. The last episode found me really surprised with Ron Livingston, of Office Space fame, being able to pull off a dramatic role that is really starting to reveal some depth, and showcasing some of his ability to convey more emotion than previously seen in previous roles. A few of the other players here leave much to be desired, but I'm holding out hope that this show really develops into a great program. It's got potential.
• From across the pond in England I count myself among the millions of fans that Top Gear so readily deserves. Jeremy Clarkson's a pompous jerk, but so entertaining, and knowledgeable about a personal passion, motor vehicles, that I can't help but love him and the program. I don't need a U.S. version of this program, ever. It couldn't hold a candle to the original, period. While covering the same subject, and possibly more technically informative, Fifth Gear is on my must watch list, but definitely back seat to Top Gear.

With Primeval no more, I have a hole in my lineup. I hear rumor that SyFy might be picking this series up for a remake on U.S. soil, but I can't see them doing the first season any justice. I am holding out hope that the Brits can put together another series of The IT Crowd. That was truly sidesplittingly funny stuff, and not just for the computer types. I've even rekindled my affections for a show with such hilarity from the UK, Chef with Lenny Henry as the beastly chef Gordon Blackstock, while I've turned a few friends on to it. It may not rate quite as high as Fawlty Towers on the classic British comedy list, but it's right up there. If you've never seen Chef before you really have to find an episode or two, sit back and enjoy.