Television

     It’s time for school to start around here.  The kids start earlier here than in New Jersey, where I went to school.  There, we started in September; the fall.  The weather turned cooler, the trees began to change color, and one of the ways to cope with the impending doom of  a new year was to check out what new shows were coming on TV.

     Fall is Spring when it comes to television.  Script ideas burst from the cocoon to emerge as a new show.  It may not survive, but at least it had its shot on the boob tube.

     I used to know what all the new shows were.  I used to have my favorite shows picked out and I would make time to watch them.  Many times the entire family would sit down to watch a particular show.

     Now, I barely know what’s on.  Entire shows have come and gone and I never knew about them.  The Pretender ran from 1996 to 2000.  I just started watching it the other day, in 2008.  Eight years after the show ended! 

     I don’t even get to watch my favorite show, The Simpsons.  Either something is going on and I can’t catch it, or I just plain forget it’s on.  And that’s a show that I made sure I was home to watch.

     Lately, though, I’ve been trying very hard to watch Eureka and Burn Notice.  I have to try really hard to remember that they’re on, though. 

     I still don’t know what’s in store for the new season.  Hell, I’m not even sure we have “seasons” anymore.  Now there’s half-seasons and replacement shows and stuff.  Is Fall still the time for new shows to really shine?  Or does it matter anymore?

     I used to love reading TV Guide, or the newspaper, and seeing what new shows were coming up.  Now, it doesn’t really impact my life at all.  I suppose I should be happy about that.  My time is chained to one less object, but I miss having that feeling of expectation.