Battlestar Galactica and 24
Ok, so ever since I got a Tivo, I've gone from watching virtually no TV, to not having enough time to watch all the TV I want to see. Punkassbiker is probably laughing his ass off now.

My latest Tivo obsessions:
I have been completely sucked in by 24. What's amazing is that it really isn't much of a show. But it's totally addictive -- a 1 hour adrenaline high. Or crack for TV.
No really.
I'll admit that the plot is more than just little implausible. But if you're willing to suspend your disbelief for a while it's a great thrill ride. It's like those summer blockbuster movies that are probably turned out by the following formula:

Blockbuster Ingredients
- Guns... lots of guns
- An action hero who works outside the system
- A hot female side kick with good legs and cleavage.
(increase cleavage and reduce clothing for more box office receipts)
- A really fast, cool car (or other cool transportation device)
- A bad guy who is too tough or smart to be taken down with normal means.

Mix togther well, with maximum explosions and special effects. Add gratutitous sex and violence. Sprinkle with naughty words. Release into the sweltering summer sun until the crowds storm the theater entrance with dollars in their sweaty, sun-burned palms.

24 is like that, except it comes back every week, and does occasionally touch on some socio-political issue. (But it doesn't touch on such issues enough to hurt, no matter who you voted for.)

Battlestar Galactica -- ooohh boy! I really wanted to dislike the new series. After all, I was a young teen when the original, Lorne Greene, version was on. Viewed with today's eyes of course, it was really bad. Especially once they found Earth.
The new one however, is smart, well-writtten and actually has (gasp!) character development. I thought I would really hate the new female "Starbuck". But I don't. With no disrespect to Dirk Benedict, the "old" Starbuck was mostly about being a cigar-smoking, skirt-chasing, gambling, smart-ass fighter pilot. And well, except for the skirt-chasing, the new Starbuck is all that. But she's more too. There's an actual character in there. She has skeletons in her closet and a depth that didn't exist anywhere in the '70s series. The other characters are re-imagined well, too. Adama, Boomer, Baltar... Of course the most drastic change are the cylons. Back in the 70's, who would've imagined this transition?

--->

Anyway, watch these -- they're both pretty cool. But then, if you haven't been watching them, you're pretty much screwed, because they're shows that you can't really miss the beginning and come into in the middle. Best wait for the rerun season, I guess.