In addition to the 3 network channels and PBS (all of which I need to have cable to see without snow), I would take
Turner Classic Movies (no commercials)
Independent File Channell (no commercials)
History Channel
TCM
Comedy Central
Bravo
USA
Oxygen
FX
t-keela, you can consider all three channels pornographic. 
Food Network
TLC
Discovery Channel
SciFi, TLC, and Cartoon.
me luvs MacGyver, Evan Farmer and Brock!!
TBS, provided that they show more family guy and seinfeld
VH1 because MTV sure as hell aint gonna be playin MUSIC any time soon
History channel
Cartoon Network – what my TV is tuned to 99% of the time anyway
Food Network – for Iron Chef and Rachael Ray
and, unfortunately:
VH-1 – but ONLY for “Best Week Ever.” And I’d resent having to keep the whole channel for that one show.
SciFi
Comedy Central
History Channel
HBO. It’s not TV, it’s…
Comedy Central. Jon Stewart is Jesus. He’s even Jewish!
The Science Channel. It’s where the good documentaries went after TLC and Discovery decided to pursue the moron demographic.
I would have a wake for the independent movie channels: TCM, Sundance, IFC. But (with the rare exception of movies not otherwise available) that’s what Netflix is for. 
FoxNews
TLC
Discovery
I wish I could just pick 3 cable channels in general 
But nooooooo, they want me to pay for 100 or so channels that I’ll never watch.
Wow, that’d be 3 more than I have now!!
I pick…
Cartoon Network
The History Channel
CMT
[ul]
[li]Comedy Central for The Daily Show, South Park, Chappelle’s Show, Reno911, and any standup besides that godawful Shorties Watching Shorties.[/li][li]Cartoon Network for Adult Swim, Teen Titans, Justice League, Samurai Jack, and PowerPuff Girls.[/li][li]Spike for TNG, DS9, Joe Schmo, and … not much else.[/li][/ul]
UPN might’ve made it on my list for Enterprise, but my local UPN station doesn’t seem to carry it, or carries it at some weird time. ::Grumble::
Speed for F1, WRC, MotoGP, others
Comedy Central
whatever oddball channel is broadcasting USC Football this week
The Hitle, errr History Channel. Of the original trio of TLC, TDC, and THC, THC is the only one that does not consistantly suck, and indeed is interesting.
Sci-Fi. Farscape and Twilight Zone reruns.
Comedy Central. South Park, and occasionally UCB, Strangers with Candy, and Kids in the Hall.
Comedy Central
BBCA
Whatever channel Enterprise is on.
BBC America
Cartoon Nework
Comedy Central
This cable lineup would be heaven.
Cartoon Network, the Discovery Science channel (hopefully it still has Paleoworld on it), and… hm… I guess SciFi, for its deliciously cheesy made-for-TV movies.
[ul]
[li]IFC[/li][li]The Food Network[/li][li]Sci-Fi[/li][/ul]
But I could easily replace that last one with The Horror Channel, if we ever get it. Oh, and could I find some way to still get QE and That 70s Show reruns? Thank you. 
If I could only get 3 cable channels, I’d drop cable go back to broadcast. Locally I’d get 6 channels, and 5 of them have HD signals.