Video on Demand

2/15/06 2:24 AM 0 Comments

So, our cable company finally upgraded to include Video on Demand. As a subscriber to the Starz/Encore package, this means that we are supposed to be able to access the entire Starz/Encore library for free. Unfortunately, our cable provider has not uploaded (or whatever) the library yet. So for now, we're stuck with 3 options:
  1. Watch CNN on demand (as boring as regular CNN, but at least you pick the topic)
  2. Pay $2.99 for movies that are worse than the ones Starz/Encore is currently running
  3. Watch Adult Swim on demand

While watching Adult Swim on demand does not sound like a hardship, let me explain exactly what that means. Basically, we can watch the same episode of Sealab or Space Ghost over and over for a month or we can try to sit through some of the newer, less interesting shows. No thanks. We'll just buy the Sealab DVDs and forget that option exists.

They claim Video on Demand, but I demand that they get it up and running NOW!

After watching countless weeks of reruns of the shows I actually watch (thank the maker for soap operas), I have to wonder what TV execs are thinking right now...

Do they truly believe that throwing in one new episode every month will help improve viewership? Are they unable to understand that WINTER, not Fall, is the prime season for TV watching? The weather sucks and more people are forced to stay inside. Their options: TV or (by February) mindless small talk. We want new shows dammit!

I guess I should have seen this coming. FOX should have tipped me off to the fact that there is no program director anymore. They just let a machine run the whole damn thing. FOX had one of the most successful dramas this Fall with their new series Prison Break. To reward viewers for tuning in and getting hooked on a show that seemed destined to be over by the end of the season, they decided to extend Prison Break's run. Unfortunately, it happened to be in 24's time slot, so FOX proposed delaying the rest of the new Prison Break episodes until May. Due to outraged viewer response, they moved the date up to March. They apparently don't understand that they now have us conditioned to watch a show Fall through May and then go outside in the summer. Now instead of running something until the end of the season or starting a season at the normal time they mix everything up.

Tonight, I even turned to a reliable favorite (NCIS) that I don't watch every week to try to at least see one show that is not a repeat of an episode I've already seen. What do I get? Some kind of crap and Dr. Phil consoling Paula Abdul. Yeah, that just shows that TV was counting on everyone being out tonight, or a universal brainwashing resulting in millions of viewers enjoying sentimental garbage revolving around Valentine's Day. Later, when I flipped by the channel again, the show I was looking for was playing in the 10 pm slot instead of it's usual 8 pm spot. The kicker? It was a repeat of an episode from this season that I have already seen at least once. NCIS is at least 4 years old. They could have pulled out an old one. C'mon CBS get it together.

The good news is that Ghost Hunters is returning to the Sci-Fi channel tomorrow at 7 pm. Sci-Fi is going to air mini-marathons of 4 episodes a night until they start the new shows at 9 pm on Wednesdays beginning March 29th. The only reason this show had a gap in its season was that more episodes were commissioned at the end of the regular season. Luckily I missed some of the season 2 episodes (I have season 1 on DVD). So, there should be a few mini-marathons to keep me busy.

Also, The Amazing Race returns on February 28th. This is the ONLY reality TV show I can stand to watch. Hopefully they don't jack around with the rules too much for this season.

Now, I demand for regular TV to start giving me new episodes of the FOX Sunday night line-up, NCIS, and Webster (hey, it's worth trying anyway). Until then, I will continue to curse, rage, and threaten physical violence at our TV.

At least I got to see the intro to Walker, Texas Ranger and sing along with the theme song. Highlight of my TV night.

