If I had a job, I'd watch less TV...well, no I wouldn't, but I'd have more to write about

TV wrap-up from the last few days...

Despite the Simpsons debacle, there was some good TV on Sunday night. I laughed a lot at Arrested Development, which has a very enjoyable cast and a nice dark twisted streak. But now, a day later, I can't really remember a single specific thing about it, which can't possible be a good sign.

How could I ever have doubted the creators of Alias? In last night's episode [spoiler]

Due to a still-unexplained mishap with the Explorer 8000 Home Entertainment Server, I managed to lose the second episode of Carnivale, and even though I read the recap on Television Without Pity but never got myself back on schedule and haven't watched it since. HBO2, god bless 'em, ran a marathon of all the episodes so far yesterday, so now I have them all in order on the trusty Explorer 8000. I've only watched the first two so far, but I'm completely hooked. It's just so clever and stylish and well-acted. The storytelling is slow and we're getting information bit-by-bit, but that's not at all frustrating like I expected it would be.

After singing their praises for The West Wing, Queer Eye and Boy Meets Boy for months now, I'm a little disappointed with Bravo. Back in the day (the day when they weren't owned by NBC and didn't show commercials), Bravo did a week every season called "Broadway on Bravo," which consisted mostly of showing taped stage musicals and plays, and a couple of fluffy documentaries and biographies. It was great stuff that didn't get shown much anywhere else. They've brought the theme week back this month, but now it consists of two films on which Broadway shows were based, and one film which happens to be based on the same novel as a Broadway musical. Fine films (well, two of them are), but it doesn't really have much to do with Broadway, especially since two of the shows aren't even running anymore.

The Average Joe commercials make me kind of sad. I know in theory the joke is on the ex-cheerleader, and I'd like to support that, but I can't help feeling like the men are all going to be played for buffoons. Well, I guess that's what they get for choosing to go on this show. Surely they know what the premise is at the start? I know I shouldn't watch it. I know I'll regret it. I know I'll be there at 10:00.