# If you could only pick 5 cable stations **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 6, 2001, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043 "2001-09-06T15:04:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/1 "2001-09-06T15:04:53Z")
If you had a choice and could only pick 5 cable stations (per person in the house) what would they be? Mine: CNN CNN International Fox News Travel Channel PBS Husband: ESPN ESPN 2 Fox Sports Some other sports channel that I forgot Ditto on #4 Kids: Disney Nickelodeon Cartoon Network ---
**Author:** ![demanton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@demanton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/demanton)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/2 "2001-09-06T15:17:36Z")
In no particular order: HBO Discovery Wings American Movie Classics Food Network History Channel ---
**Author:** ![DaveX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/96bed5/32.png) [@DaveX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveX)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/3 "2001-09-06T15:20:48Z")
Discovery Channel ESPN2 (sue me, I’ve got to have my hockey) Local FOX affiliate (for the Simpsons in syndication) I could only come up with 3… don’t watch a ton of TV. ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/4 "2001-09-06T15:22:01Z")
History Channel ESPN ESPN2 Sci-Fi Channel CNN CNN Headline News would have made this list once, but their god-awful new format has recently caused me to stop watching ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/5 "2001-09-06T15:25:31Z")
Cartoon Network Comedy Central Sci-Fi Channel Nickelodeon Any available XXX porn channel ---
**Author:** ![Lucifer12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b38774/32.png) [@Lucifer12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucifer12)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/6 "2001-09-06T15:27:36Z")
Man, if only you _could_ just pick 5 stations! I just re-installed cable for the first time in 2 years and I’m still ticked that you have to pay, PAY(!) for home shopping networks and religious channels! I’m actually PAYING the cable company to peddle junk to me! Grrr! Ok, with that out of the way, I’d pick: Cartoon Network (I gots to watch Scooby Doo!) Discovery Channel Comedy Central FX AMC ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/7 "2001-09-06T15:36:20Z")
Fox (Have to be able to watch the simpsons) Comedy Central Discovery Cartoon Network and I have to agree with **AMP** on any XXX porn channel available ---
**Author:** ![monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monster)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/8 "2001-09-06T15:49:11Z")
Me: Comedy Central A & E TLC VH1 E! Husband: ESPN FOX Sports CNN HBO Golf Channel Son: Cartoon Network Nickelodeon Disney Channel Comedy Central (He LOVES Ben Stein) ---
**Author:** ![Schadenfreude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@Schadenfreude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schadenfreude)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/9 "2001-09-06T15:59:17Z")
Sci-Fi Channel TLC Comedy Central Food Network (for Iron Chef!) Discovery Civilization I too dearly wish the cable companies would offer a cafeteria plan for channel lineups. AT&T recently started offeing add-on packs of about eight channels each, but in order to get the few that I would like to watch, I’d have to order every pack. ---
**Author:** ![Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/779978/32.png) [@Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zumba_The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/10 "2001-09-06T16:04:13Z")
HBO Turner Classic Movies American Movie Channel Comedy Channel Showtime Can you tell I like movies? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/11 "2001-09-06T16:10:09Z")
Comedy Central Discovery Channel ESPN VH1 IFC - (which I don’t even have now, and I miss it!) ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/12 "2001-09-06T16:21:24Z")
Fox-The Sunday night lineup is Appointment TV Turner Classic Movies-Gotta cover my noir addiction Food Network-Can’t miss Iron Chef American Movie Classics-More monster movies than TCM Sci Fi-MST3K reruns and Farscape ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/13 "2001-09-06T16:23:54Z")
PBS is a cable station? I haven’t had TV in a long time, but I am very sad to hear this. I don’t have cable, but I would if you could actually pick and pay for only the 5 stations you wish to watch. I would pick: ESPN ESPN 2 Classic Sports HBO Sci-Fi Channel ---
**Author:** ![blur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dbc845/32.png) [@blur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blur)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/14 "2001-09-06T16:31:45Z")
History Channel ESPN VH-1 TLC HBO ---
**Author:** ![finnofranco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@finnofranco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/finnofranco)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/15 "2001-09-06T16:37:16Z")
History Channel Discovery Channel Turner Classic Movies Comedy Central Cartoon Network ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/16 "2001-09-06T16:40:28Z")
TLC (Junkyard Wars) Comedy Central (South Park, BattleBots) Food Network (Iron Chef) History Channel CNN ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/17 "2001-09-06T16:49:23Z")
I’d take: A&E HGTV Discovery Channel VH-1 TECHTV Mr. Romans would take: ESPN ESPN2 Speed Vision Fox Sports HGTV ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/18 "2001-09-06T16:54:00Z")
MSNBC ESPN HBO Discovery Telemundo ---
**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/19 "2001-09-06T17:02:20Z")
1. Comedy Central (#1 by far–TDS, WBSM, Battle Bots, etc.) 2. Fox 3. History Channel 4. TLC 5. Sci-Fi (only for MST3K and Quantum Leap reruns) ---
**Author:** ![thermalribbon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@thermalribbon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thermalribbon)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043/20 "2001-09-06T17:09:07Z")
I couldn’t live without: HBO: (Sopranos/6ft Under) ESPN: (Sportcenter) MSNBC: (Hardball w. C.Matthews) Discovery: (James Burke’s Connections) Comedy Channel: (SNL reruns/Daily Show) I would like to be able to put MTV/VH1 on the list for music, but the NEVER PLAY MUSIC!!! (and I don’t have MTV2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-pick-5-cable-stations/80043.md?page=2)