I'm sure this topic has been touched on before in the great history of the Daily Kos. But, with spring coming up, and with several months of heavy indoor time spent watching cable, I feel like an expert on the topic and want to share my mindless research with all of you.
With the NCAA basketball tourney, for those of us whose teams are out, a reflection on what else is out there to watch. Here's my own Top Ten Worst Cable Networks (least to most)(:
- TBS-Saved only by Seinfeld and the sporatic college football game. Shows what you can do with a 10 year cable headstart.
- USA Network: At one time, not too bad. Now its mission is to provide old, low budget failed tv shows locked into airtime by various contracts.
- Lifetime: Or the Angst Network. Seems to have one purpose, to exploit rage against men. Largest employer of members from the Trash Actors Guild, who just elected Jim Belushi President.
- E: Any network that gives Wayne Newton a reality show must have a good sense of humor. Saving grace the show (True Hoolywood Story) about various stars, where, on cue, each has overcome drugs, alcohol or sex abuse.
- Food Channel: Has only one watchable show (Good Eats), and forces us to watch Emeril Live 7 days a week. Too many hip, mod, boring chefs (Bobby Flay comes to mind) who promote their own gigs while failing to teach us anything about cooking.
- TLC: Should be the House Invasion Network. One concept, all day, all the time. Poor Bob Vila, he made this channel and now he has less airtime than Carrot Top.
- History Channel: Would be #1 except for some of the Modern Marvel segments. Has some fine shows (Civil War Journal, The Most, Histories Mysteries), along with, probably, the very worst show on TV, Mail Call, which is nothing more than a 30 minute USMC commerical hosted by R. Lee, who needs to be medicated and sent away at once. Something tells me this channel is very big with the GOP types.
- AMC: For only two reasons. First, have never forgiven them for going to commercial format. Second, and most important, dropping the Three Stooges for some unknown reason.
- TV Land: For a network which changes it schedule like sweatsocks, then insists and showing the worst shows from the old days (Little House on the Praire, Hunter, etc) while dropping or hardly showing Green Acres, Hogans Heroes, Bewitched nothing can save them. The first network with advanced ADHD.
- The Travel Channel: This channel is designed for people who, just back from dropping $20 on lottery tickets down at the 7-11, need to escape reality. Nothing more than the Travel to Las Vegas Network with Samantha Brown ad's for resorts. This is the network to watch if you want to see how red trash America is. This network is big with recent immigrants and overseas, where people actually believe you can get rich and buy your own jet. Such promise, but, well, unless your really into Vegas or seeing how the rich spend their cash, a complete washout.
Check out the poll below, I'm sure many of you have your own picks. And, this poll leaves out the cable news channels for obvious reasons.