The best things on cable:
MTV- worth watching- “true life” “made” -mini documentaries, good stuff. “Jackass” is hilarious in my opinion, many find it distasteful. I watch “the osbournes” which many also find distasteful.
Comedy central: ditto “the daily show.” Also “south park” is frickin hilarious and offensive.
Animal planet: animal cops and animal precinct, I also like when they have dog shows. “pet star” is kind of fun.
“trading spaces” I think airs on The Learning Channel, pretty interesting.
Cartoon network: “The powerpuff girls” “Samurai Jack”
Nickelodeon: “spongebob squarepants” is a really good cartoon for kids and adults.
Network TV:
NBC- “the west wing” if you can keep up with it not having seen the first couple of years.
I personally love “survivor” (CBS thursday nights) and that’s about it for the reality shows. I’ve been taping it while I watch “friends” for a couple of years now.
Oh, and “american idol” makes a nice topic for the water cooler (fox network) worth watching at least the first couple of weeks just to see the bad auditions.
Warning about reality shows: once you start watching them, you’re addicted, and you’ll find yourself watching “who wants to marry a loser” all season if you’re not careful.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE: NYPD Blue (Tuesdays on abc)
Alias- awesome show (abc sundays) right after that: “the practice” although that one is being revamped, so we’ll see about it.
A weekly schedule might look like this:
Monday: “boston public” at 7:00, football after that.
Tuesday: NYPD blue at 9:00, I think American Idol is on before that IIRC, also, the osbournes is on at some point on tuesdays.
Wednesday: “the west wing” at 8:00 “law and order” at 9:00
Thursday: “survivor” at 7:00 then nbc comedies and “ER” for the rest of the night
Friday: mostly cable specials, maybe a dog show or animal planet, or trading spaces or rent a movie, or get a freakin’ life and go out or read a book or something.
Saturday : flip through the channels all afternoon till you find something good, or you figure out that there’s nothing on and watch the preview channel for like 1/2 hour.
Sunday: Alias on abc at 8:00 (?) then The practice at 9:00
also good on Sundays: see what Fox is showing, maybe the simpsons, Malcom in the middle, starting at 6:00.