News Roundup: USA Dates, New Shows, & More

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Renewals, Cancellations, & Scheduling:
FOX's Hell's Kitchen will have 11th and 12th seasons... the 10th season begins Tuesday, May 29th at 8pm ET/PT.

BET has renewed The Game for a sixth season, Let's Stay Together for a third season, and Reed Between the Lines for a second season.

TLC renewed My Crazy Obsession for a second season.

VH1 renewed Stevie TV for a second season.

Discovery has canceled Cash Cab. I never got into the show much, but we did a feature on it as part of our Game Show series.

HBO has canceled (for a second time) The Life & Times of Tim.

BBC canceled Upstairs Downstairs after two seasons.

Discovery's Auction Kings returns on Wednesday, April 25th at 10pm ET/PT.

A&E's Monster In-Laws will begin its second season on Monday, May 28th at 10pm ET/PT.

CBS has Dogs in the City beginning Wednesday, May 30th at 8pm ET/PT. It's a reality show where a NYC dog guru will resolve "issues between canines and their owners."

USA has given summer start dates to many of its shows. Check out Royal Pains and Necessary Roughness returning on Wednesday, June 6th, Burn Notice and Suits coming Thursday, June 14th, and White Collar and Covert Affairs on Tuesday, July 10th.

When Arrested Development debuts its fourth season next year, all ten episodes will premiere on the same day via Netflix streaming. There have also been talks about possible fifth and sixth seasons as well. Oh, and Bob Loblaw is also scheduled to return as well.

Remember when the cancelled Breaking In was brought back? Well, FOX has pulled it from their schedule and will air the final three episodes at some point in the future.

Many people were looking forward to Seth MacFalane's The Flintstones reboot next year, but the man is just too busy... so it'll be put off.


Cast & Plot Updates:
The Rock will star in The Hero, overseeing contestants in this "global action reality series."

Amber Tamblyn will be on the House finale, May 21st, reprising her role as Martha Masters. There are also rumors of Kal Penn returning as Kutner for the finale.

Have you even had time to miss Rosie O'Donnell yet? She's going to be back on television soon, joining Star Jones and Donny Deutsch on Today's "The Professionals" panel in the 8am hour.

Shows in Development & Other Fun Stuff:
NBC's 13 Mockingbird Lane (which I think is just going to be called "The New Munsters" by everyone) now has some artwork available, and they've mentioned that the costumes are going to be "almost the Real Housewives of Transylvania" and will feature animal textures. Lily's wardrobe "comes from nature," for instance.

If you want to catch Girls or Veep and don't subscribe to HBO, you can catch the pilots for free until the middle of May on HBO.com, DailyMotion, YouTube, TV.com, and some Free-On-Demand platforms.

Is Smash not enough Marilyn Monroe for you? If so, you're in luck - Finding Marilyn will feature twelve women vying for a chance to become "the next great American icon."

BET has ordered four new shows, including Generation Wayans (Craig & Damien + four nephews), House Husbands (based on the skit from the BET Awards), The Mathis Project (criminal docu-reality series), and Don't Sleep with TJ Holmes (late-night).

Disney has Dog with a Blog coming to the small screen - "a family sitcom from the pet's point-of-view" where parents buy step-siblings a dog "to encourage them to get along." Turns out, the dog can talk... AND BLOG. Interesting, huh?

NBC will have a new matchmaking show this winter, called Ready for Love, which will use Facebook to get things started.

Go On, the NBC comedy starring Matthew Perry, has a series order. Perry plays a sportscaster who is in mandatory group therapy.

If you use Chrome, you can add the "My Episode Guide" extension to track when your favorite shows have new episodes coming up.

News Roundup: Early 2012 Development & Fun

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

This is the final part of our first news round-up of the year, so it covers nearly three weeks of entertainment fun facts. The original post was so large that we broke it up to be more digestible for you guys. Next week we plan to return to our normal, one-news-post-per-week schedule.

Shows in Development: 
There's a new animated/live action comedy hybrid in development called Honey Badger U... yes, based on the viral video of Honey Badger.

Like those period television shows that are on? ABC has ordered a pilot for another one - Gilded Lillys, set in 1895, about the opening of the first luxury hotel in NYC.

Hulu has announced its first slate of original programming, including A Day in the Life (which will launch its second season in March), Up to Speed (which will be a documentary series debuting this summer), and Battleground (a mockumentary to debut on February 14th).

Back when the CW was the WB (and UPN, for that matter), they had bought a crime drama called Cult, but it never got made when the CW swallowed other projects. Now, it's back on the table, though it'll be altered to fit the "teen content" of the network.

Also for the CW, they're getting close to finalizing a deal for a pilot called Arrow, to be based on Green Arrow, a la DC Comics fame. Oh, and a prequel to Sex and the City, called The Carrie Diaries.

CBS is betting on an adaptation of Sherlock Holmes to work out for them.... it'll be called Elementary and take place in modern-day NYC.

OWN has three new shows coming up: Lovetown, USA (two expert matchmakers will spend 30 days in Kingsland, GA to help eight dingle find true love), Lives on Fire (about four female firefighters in California), and Are you Normal, America? (a game show where people admit what they do and a jury of polled folks will determine if that's normal).

Dance Moms is getting a spin-off... Dance Moms: Miami.

TNT's first reality competition series will be called The Great Escape. Ten episodes will air this coming summer. They also ordered a drama series called L. A. Noir, based on John Buntin's book, L. A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America's Most Seductive City. 

Marcia Gay Harden will play the matriarch of "a normal middle-class family that wrestles with the challenges of everyday life while raising a daughter who has magical qualities" on Isabel, a comedy pilot for NBC.

A&E is developing a miniseries of Bonnie and Clyde. They're also working on a Psycho prequel series called Bates Motel.

AMC, on the other hand, is looking to develop a Goodfellas series

Tom Hanks has a futuristic animated series in the works, and Electric City's twenty episodes will air on Yahoo this spring.

SyFy has a two-hour pilot coming called Rewind, an action thriller set to begin production this April.

IFC has two new scripted comedies coming in June - Comedy Bang! Bang! (a sketch variety show) and Bunk (a game show parody).

FOX has a pilot going called Ben Fox is My Manny, a single-camera comedy, about a single mother whose brother moves in to help her raise her child. Living Loaded is yet another of FOX's pilots for next season.

Remember that musical chairs game show that the CW was talking about? It's called Oh Sit!, and ten episodes will debut later this season.

Starz has plans to make Marco Polo a series.

J-Lo and Marc Anthony created !Q'Viva! The Chosen, a Latin-American reality talent competition set to debut on Univision in October.

Bravo is adding quite a few new programs to their lineup in 2012, including Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis (starting March 14), Shahs of Sunset, Love Broker, Million Dollar Listing New York, Don't Be Tardy for the Wedding, and Kathy, a primetime talk show with Kathy Griffin. [NBC Universal - Bravo Press Release]

Big fan of Martin Lawrence? CBS sure is. They're developing two different shows in which the comedian may star. One has him being a foster parent and the other has him keeping his kids grounded in spite of wealthy in-laws. More info will be coming soon!

Other Fun Stuff:
NBC is incorporating Instagram to integrate "compelling user-generated content into its local news delivery on air and online." You can send in photos of breaking news, special events, severe weather, etc. [NBC Universal Press Release]

After last month's barrage of the Duggars and their memorial for their stillborn baby Jubilee, they're back in the news for backing Rick Santorum for the GOP. 12 of the children are part of the campaign! Michelle recorded some robocalls for the candidate as well.

The annual Nielsen "Television Audience" survey reported that, for the first time in nearly two decades, TV ownersehip actually declined, dropping from 115.9 million homes with a TV to 114.7 million. At the same time, 56% of the nation now have three or more televisions in the home. Oh, and the average viewing time per household is up to nearly 60 hours each week.

MetroPCS became the first cell phone company to announce a Samsung Smartphone that will be able to tune into live (local) television broadcasts. They will receive special Mobile DTV signals by 72 stations in 32 cities.

FOX's New Girl was the most DVR'd new series last fall.

The Simpsons is trying to break the Guinness World Record for "longest continuous television viewing" with a fan marathon... that will last from February 8th through the 19th at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles.

Time Warner is distancing itself from Netflix, Redbox, et al. New DVD releases now have to wait 56 days before they're available through those outlets... it used to be 28 days. Time Warner's HBO folks won't be selling DVDs to Netflix at all.

AT&T U-Verse and Verizon FiOS customers can now access Showtime programming through their free iPad app.

The first ever Golden Collar Awards will be given out this year in five categories, to honor the past year's Best Dog Performances. Best Dog in each: Theatrical Film, Foreign Film, Direct-to-DVD Film, Reality Television Series, and Scripted Television Series. Awards will be presented at the dog-friendly Hotel Palomar in LA on February 13th.

Wondering what else Ryan Seacrest is up to these days? He's working on re-branding a new network, to be called AXS (pronounced "Access"), which will launch this summer.

If you're a White Collar fan (or even if you're not!), there's a new six-week game you can play, coinciding with the mid-season episodes. There are weekly challenges, and when you complete all six, you can enter a sweepstakes to win an iPad2.

CES 2012: Press Day - DISH Network

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Here at CES, TheTalkingBox is having a wonderful time at Press Day. The stand-out event was DISH Network's press conference, which you might have followed on our twitter feed earlier this afternoon. The excitement built as journalists entered the room, found seats, and went through their swag bags, which contained plush kangaroos, among other goodies. Of course, some of us were greeted by someone in a seven-foot kangaroo costume in the hallway, so the surprise wasn't as big for everyone.

photo credit: Jonathan Bredemeyer

DISH made many announcements today, and just the "new things" alone were impressive. CEO Joe Clayton (pictured right with the new kangaroo mascot) wasted no time in introducing the Hopper, which boasts 2 TB of storage and the ability to record up to six HD channels at once. While most DVRs on the market can record two, and AT&T U-Verse made a push with four, recording six offers the customer a great deal of options - especially when it comes to checking out every new show on the broadcast networks each fall!
Hopper is eight pounds while its companion, the Joey, is just 0.7 ounces. While Hopper is designed to be places in the main room where you watch television, Joeys can be used in any room of your house, and are designed so that four different programs can be viewed simultaneously. They can even be set behind your television to prevent clutter!

The new set-top box also offers some amazing features, including Sirius XM channels, ZigBee, and Bluetooth. Some markets will be able to utilize the "Primetime Anytime" feature, which will give you three hours of HD primetime programming On Demand for up to eight days from initial airing. This doesn't take up any of your personal DVR space, either! Another benefit of Hopper? There's a sling adapter add-on so that you can watch your recorded material on a laptop, tablet, or other mobile device.

Another new product from DISH is the Tailgater, a portable HDTV system. at 16" x 16" x 17.5" and weighing in at ten pounds, this pay-as-you-go device is perfect for watching sports (or anything) on the go. It received power from your compatible DISH receiver, and claims to take only ten minutes to set-up. Paired with no contract required and no charge to start/stop monthly service, this may pick up steam as the new way to watch away from home. 

As folks made their way out of the room, we were invited to get a photo with the larger kangaroo. The animal was rather unwieldy, but the line was short and I gave it a shot. Too bad his little face isn't turned toward the camera!

photo credit: Jonathan Bredemeyer

News Roundup: HawthoRNe, Regis, Netflix...

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Renewals, Cancellations, & Scheduling:
TNT cancelled HawthoRNe, a medical drama starring Jada Pinkett-Smith. It had a nice three-season run.

There's another Penguins of Madagascar special coming up! On the 9th, "Blowhole Strikes Back" will premiere.

Cast & Plot Updates:
November 18th will be Regis Philbin's last Live! with Regis and Kelly.

Other Fun Stuff:
Abercrombie & Fitch offers to pay The Situation (from Jersey Shore) to stop wearing its clothes. (Entertainment Weekly)

Sometimes words do hurt. Dan Stevens lost around 20 pounds since Downton Abbey aired - people were making fun of his size on twitter.

Netflix has launched in Brazil. 43 more countries in Latin American and the Caribbean will also have Netflix available to them in the next week. Tomorrow, a Spanish version of Netflix streaming will premiere in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Oh, and Starz streaming on Netflix will end on February 28th, as they want to preserve the pricing and packaging of their content.

Fan of The Blues Brothers? A possible TV series is in the works.

News Roundup: Breaking Bad, Roseanne's Nuts, Bones, etc.

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Renewals, Cancellations, & Scheduling:
Breaking Bad has come back from the dead, with 13 episodes to air on FOX.

Good Luck Charlie was renewed by the Disney Channel for a third season.

White Collar was renewed for a fourth season.

Roseanne's Nuts is being moved to Fridays at 10pm for the remaining three episodes. Repeats of Dance Moms will take the old Wednesday slot.

FOX has passed on Locke & Key. I guess it's a good thing that I skipped out on seeing the pilot at Comic-Con (it was on my original plan), otherwise I might be among the many who are upset at the moment. 

Cast & Plot Updates:
Ben Savage (of Boy Meets World fame) will guest on Bones.

Did you realize that the new season of House will pick up a YEAR after last season's finale left off? House is in jail, alongside Jaleel White.

OtherFun Stuff:
Want a good laugh? Go read some predictions as to what the Rugrats characters are doing now that they're 20.

Speaking of old NickToons, Hey Arnold! and Rocko's Modern Life have been added to the late night 90s programming block on TeenNick. Look for them starting September 6th.

Did you hear about how Paul Rudd hitchhiked to the airport? He wanted to offer his savior something big, which ended up being a walk-on role during an interview.

Absolutely Fabulous will be doing three specials for its 20th anniversary.

TiVo isn't doing so well. In fact, they lost 33,000 subscribers last quarter, bringing their overall subscriber total to the numbers they had in 2004! I predict we'll see a similar drop next month when Netflix inflicts its price hike.

The Future of 3D TV... Will Be Broadcast...

by Jonathan Bredemeyer

Since soon after the dawning of the vacuum tube, broadcast TV has pushed content to masses in style. Standards, frequencies, and color spectra have changed, but the broadcast method of delivery has always been there. The latest and greatest TV tech to try and sweep the couch potatoes off their… bottoms is 3D TV. This technology, implemented by all the major TV manufacturers in a few different ways, involves the perception of the image on the television in two to three dimensions. The end product looks much like 3D movies in movie theaters, but not quite the vast landscape of eye candy the movie-goer is used to on a home-sized screen.  Impressive as it is, it hasn’t penetrated the home market as hoped by TV manufacturers, but maybe it will have new life in the coming months.

Samsung 3D TV, Blu-ray player, and Active 3D Glasses

3D TVs are not new.  They burst onto the consumer electronics stage front and center at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas several years ago, and have made their way into nearly every TV retailer in the US. There are two main varieties of 3D TV: active 3D and passive 3D. The way 3D images work is through a process of tricking the brain into perceiving a slightly different image in each eye at the same time. This is accomplished by projecting two images simultaneously on the screen, and then using glasses to show a different one to each eye. Active 3D uses shutter glasses that alternative each lens in sync with the TV. There’s an infrared receiver on the glasses and a transmitter built into the TV that coordinates this dimming effect. Each pair of glasses runs around $150 and requires batteries to operate. Passive 3D glasses, on the other hand, are cheap, don’t require any power or signals to work, but aren’t as crisp as active glasses. Passive glasses are the ones you wear at any typical 3D movie.

So why don’t you own a 3D TV? (I’m betting you aren’t one of the few million that have bought one in the past year that they’ve been widely available…) For one, the lack of 3D content is impressive. Only a few service providers even offer a 3D channel package (Uverse, Xfinity, and DirecTV are probably the most popular). To demonstrate how few viewers this content has, the famously touted ESPN 3D TV channel was dropped by Uverse this month, citing such a low viewership that it couldn’t justify keeping it. The really disappointing part is that it was launched just over a year ago in time for the World Cup. This doesn’t seem like the path the industry anticipated, since they require 3D content to be ready for the estimated 90 million 3D TV owners by 2014. With the economic downturn sticking around longer than planned, sales haven’t climbed as expected, giving the cable providers little motive to shell out money and upgrade their content to the next dimension. So to answer the original question of why you don't own one? It is because 3D TV doesn't currently include... well, TV. It's basically impossible to find our old beloved shows or new potentials favorites in 3D.

the savior of 3D TV

The current plan for the future of 3D TV looks better than its measly start. This month, the Advanced Television System Committee, Inc. (ATSC) announced they are developing a 3D TV broadcast standard. It’s supposed to provide methods for transmitting 3D content, 2D HDTV, and mobile DTV to fixed and mobile devices. This new capability is scheduled to be completed within a year and to be able to deliver both left and right eye images to devices in real-time. Ideally, the broadcast networks will upgrade as well, giving us the content we’ve come to know and love since childhood in the 3D goodness of the 21st century.

On the hardware front, Sony is planning to release its 3D TV/monitor by the end of this year in time for the holiday season (or so the rumor goes). At under $500, Sony is hoping to jump-start the 3D market and create a whole new 3D gaming industry with its hardware at the forefront. I don’t own a single Sony entertainment product, but I’m all for it if it pumps up the 3D TV ownership numbers to a level that gets content providers to push TV technology into this century, even if they drag it in by its one-dimensional heels.

In my humble opinion, 3D TV will be saved by the same technology that made television a fixture of everyday life: a broadcast standard. The ability for users to pull 3D content out of the air will compel home viewers to set up their living rooms, home theaters, and devices to view 3D content. And why not? It’s right there…  why not view it? With so much free content available, it will give start-up companies a chance to experiment with new hardware designs and potentially build companies around receivers, glasses, etc. In any case, it will give us a whole new dimension to tune into for our favorite shows.

Regardless of adoption, 3D TV is the chosen next generation of the television. Just like high definition, it will come slowly (and this case, painfully) into our lives as long as we choose to enjoy television at its finest. Leave your thoughts in the comments if you have a 3D TV, love it, hate it, or are planning on getting one. Maybe you’ll help sell the rest of us… you, and the new broadcast standard...


References:

• http://hd.engadget.com/2011/08/01/atandt-abruptly-drops-espn-3d-from-u-verse-during-the-x-games-citi/
• http://www.atsc.org/cms/index.php/communications/press-releases/257-atsc-begins-work-on-broadcast-standard-for-3d-tv-transmissions
• http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/report_despite_slow_start_3d_tvs_will_become_mainstream_2014 

10 Ways Technology Helps Keep You in Tune with TV

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

The new season of television shows is upon us. Critics are checking out the pilots (if they haven't already). Fans are making their personal schedules. Marketing is in full swing for new shows and shows moving to new times/nights. Casting announcements are popping up every day. It's really only a matter of time before we're all dying for the September and October premieres that most shows will have this season.

Earlier in the summer we ran an article discussing ways in which DVRs help to improve the viewing experience. But DVRs aren't the only thing that can help you keep up with everything that goes on in the television realm. Today we share 10 gadgets and technologies that are keeping us in tune with television this year.

10. The Web. This one might be obvious. And it really encompasses a LOT of options, from reading blogs to checking the listings to following up on what happened last week. If you've missed an episode or want to know what season a show is in, or wonder where you might have seen that guest start before, IMDB, Wikipedia, tv.com, and the like are just clicks away.

9. TV-Related Device. You really have your pick at this point. From a PS3 or an Xbox360 to Boxee, Roku, or a Netflix Set-Top Box, you can stream content through several different devices. "Channels" are available both free and with premium subscriptions, and some of these options offer live content while others don't. There's really a wide variety of comparison, so you might want to delve deeper on your own.

8. Your phone or tablet. Did you realize you can use some smartphones and tablets as remote controls? You sometimes need an attachment to make it work, but the more tech-savvy you are, the more customized you can make your experience! And that's just for starters. Using your phone can keep you close with friends across the world, so if you want to watch something together, you can chat about it at the same time.

7.  Xbox360. Sounds weird, but you can now pay to upgrade/install some software onto your gaming console that will allow it to work just like a cable receiver. So you don't have to pay for another receive as long as you have one. You can access your DVR recordings, use chat while watching things, and save space, among other things.
 
6. An External Hard Drive. Yes, you may consider this to be a little excessive. But, for people who want to catch everything in HD, it can be necessary. Or, if you tend to keep a lot of things available rather than delete them, it's handy. You can hook it up to your DVR so you don't need to be worried about space - which can be a looming concern as time goes on and you just can't part with favorites.

5. Programmable Remote. These babies aren't cheap, but boy can they do a lot! I first bought one when I was in college, so I only had to use one remote for both my television and my VCR/DVD player (and yeah, I used the VCR option a lot more than the DVD back then). But they weren't ideal - the book provided a limited number of codes that would work. Now, you can get a programmable universal remote to accommodate a television, a VCR, a DVD player, a cable or satellite box, a DVR, a stereo, and even computers and gaming consoles if they're Bluetooth compatible! Gone are the days of running into the room at 7:59pm and realizing the TV remote is on the table but the cable remote is MIA... no more running around the room frantically, flipping over couch cushions and yelling at the kids (or the dog) while precious seconds tick away and a new episode of your favorite comedy begins. One remote, all done.

4. A TV Tuner Card. These little devices provide you with a way to catch television through your computer. Most often have a way to capture video as well, so they can function as a DVR of sorts. There are several different kinds, and most also pick up FM radio, if you need some music and for whatever reason don't want to use internet sources or need a local station. 

3. An Online Provider for Shows. Amazon, Hulu, iTunes, and Zune are among the options you have to watch latest episodes for a small fee (or free!). The internet can help you figure out if you'll spend less buying individual episodes than you would on cable or satellite if you only watch a few shows regularly. If you're on vacation and want to catch up before you return, this can be a quick and easy option as well. Plus, some networks offer full episodes of their shows soon after original broadcast, so check their sites as well.

2. Apps. Your Cable/Satellite Provider's App and a TV Listings App for starters. To make the most of apps, you'll need a smartphone or tablet, furthering the emphasis placed on technological devices in this day and age. If it's the end of the day and you just need a break, pull out your phone and see what you might look forward to that night - whether it's a new show, a rerun, or even a favorite movie. And, since many people wear their phones on their belts, you can even pull it out and peruse the listings while you're on a train or bus without digging through your bag. Use apps to manage your recordings, and some say it won't be long before viewing them will be just as easy.

1. The DVR. Really, I see it as the most useful piece of television-related technology we have at this point. If I'm at home, I don't go a day without using it. In a quick recap of the aforementioned article on DVR uses, it's just handy to be able to record multiple things simultaneously, manage them from afar, pause if the doorbell rings, rewind live television if I missed a joke, and keep gems at my fingertips for random pick-me-ups. Just a couple months ago my DVR system updated and now every receiver can pause live television, not just the one with the DVR unit... so much more handy. I wonder what the next update will be??


Oh, and a bonus? It never hurts to have a pair of 3D glasses around. Though it is pretty rare, we have seen episodes of several shows over the years that have 3D segments. Remember that weird, trippy scene of Third Rock from the Sun? Or the bits of Yo, Yogi! that used them while the bears skateboarded around? It's not the newest technology, but 3D glasses are handy, at least until 3DTVs pick up some more for use other than movies and sports!

What technology do you employ to stay in tune with what's on TV? 

10 Great Things about the DVR

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Even though it's June and the bulk of original programming in the US is not in full force, the DVR still saves the day often for many of us. Maybe you only watch a couple shows that run new episodes in the summer, but there are so many other things going on in the warm months that don't happen the rest of the year, it's easy to miss a new episode of a favorite show. As someone who knew how to program the VCR at the age of 7, recording television has been vital to me for more than 20 years. Today I thought I'd share some of the wonderful things that the DVR has done for me in hopes that you'll use yours more seriously.

10. DVRs are popular. I'm not the only one who has become accustomed to the luxury of the DVR. As I mentioned back in January, over 43 million homes in this country use a DVR. I'm not alone, and although I don't have numbers for how this number has increased over the past few years, I'm not really under the impression that people are ditching the ability to be free from watching everything live!

9. TV watchers who enjoy a lot of programming can cut down their overall time. Now, don't get me wrong, I sometimes become as engrossed in the commercials as I do in the show being punctuated by those ads, but when I have a lot to watch it's helpful to fast-forward. A 30-minute show can be cut down to 22-23 minutes... doesn't sound like a big help. But, if you need to catch up on 4 hours of recorded programming, you can watch it in 3, which makes a world of difference to reviewers and critics.

8. What did s/he say? Since many (I'm not sure if they all do this) DVRs keep tabs on what you're watching, you can rewind at any given moment - even on a show you're not recording. So, if you miss a joke or want an instant replay or just want to take a second look at an outfit, it's just one button away. Not long ago, in a rerun of The Golden Girls, my husband and I thought we heard Sophia say someone was a "tool." Since we thought this was a more recent insult, we replayed that phrase three or four times before we were certain of the words being said, which we probably wouldn't have believed if it had not been for this DVR feature.

7. Shows to sleep by. Because I review so many of the shows that are in first-run, catching up on episodes just before bed doesn't normally work for me. And scrolling through the on-screen guide isn't something I generally like to mess with when I'm sleepy... plus I get frustrated when there's nothing on. It's become a custom to have my DVR record a few shows that have long been in reruns. That way, I have something to watch before bed that I enjoy, but I've seen it before so I don't get too involved. I personally recommend comedies, but you could do this with anything, really.

6. Many cable networks have Eastern and Western channels. So, an 8pm show may run at 5pm on the Eastern channel and 8pm on the Western one. If you get home at 6pm, you can watch a freshly-taped show with dinner before it even airs live for most of your neighbors and friends! This also helps with those situations where you want to record several things at 8pm - you may be able to get TLC and ABCFamily shows to record in their Eastern slots and then FOX and CBS in the Western slots (which are the only options for broadcast networks)!

5. Is it a new episode this week? There are a lot of things that affect when new episodes air. Pre-emptions occur because of political events, sports play-offs, holidays, and a number of other things. This means that it's not always easy to know if there's a new episode of a show this week or not. Yes, you can check out any number of websites, but if you're already in front of your TV, you can just take a look at what's scheduled for the week, and if the DVR notices a first-run episode of a show, it'll show up - in my opinion this is quicker and easier than looking online.

4. Sports. I'm not an NFL or NBA or NHL fan, but man oh man do I love my NCAA football! While I'll always make it my priority to catch my alma mater's games, I love to catch the games of several other teams in the conference, plus a few others I just like to watch play. And that's not even considering major rivalries (Army/Navy, anyone?) that may conflict with my games. Yes, you can catch the major plays in recaps and such, but there's something thrilling about being able to see whole games (or quarters, at least!) that took place at the same time as your favorite team's match-up! (Note: make sure to set your DVR to record past the set ending time - you never know when overtime will happen!)

3. You can keep your favorite episodes on retainer. If you're in a really bad mood because it was a rough day at the office or you're lonely on a weekend night, you can have something uplifting just a few clicks away. Yes, it may be a bit of work to have your DVR regularly record Friends reruns and then go through and erase the ones that you don't love to death, but I personally find it easier than having to go to the shelf, guess what season the episode is from, pull that box down, figure out what disc you want, then pop it into the DVD player and select the desired episode.

2. You no longer even need to be home to set-up a recording! Well, at least with my current service. I spent Christmas in my hometown last year, which ended up being about a 10-day trip. and while very little new programming airs around the holidays, I thought I had checked my scheduled programming like a hawk before I left. Then, on the plane to Florida I read about a holiday special I wanted to see. Knowing that I can't count on setting aside television time when I'm with family, I was able to log onto our account and schedule the recording, which I was thrilled to see upon my return to California.

1. Multiple shows at once. I've had a DVR with several different companies now, and my current situation is by far superior. With a VCR I thought it was cool that you could record one program while watching another. My first few DVRs could handle two programs at once (and I could watch a third in another room), which was handy, except on Mondays and Tuesdays when I wanted to watch more than that. Now, I can record four programs simultaneously, which handles all of my needs wonderfully, and even allows my husband to keep up with his favorites, too! I hope that this ability catches on with other companies, though I have had a conversation with an installer for a competing company who was shocked that I truly utilize the option to record 4 things at a time on a regular basis.

So, what do you think? Do these reasons stand up for you? What additional things bring you joy over having the technology of the Digital Video Recorder in this day and age?

Top 10 House, MD Tweeters to Follow

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Twitter is nothing new. Television shows having twitter feeds is also common. However, what is perhaps most interesting is the idea of tweeters taking on the role of major characters. They tweet out favorite lines, upcoming spoilers, episode recaps, cast trivia, and all sorts of other information. Some shows have more "impostors" than others, and some even have legitimate tweeters. Dr. House, from the Monday night show on Fox, is one of the many characters which show up all over Twitter. Not just in English, either. There seems to be a large Spanish-speaking House contingency, along with Polish, German, and probably some other languages represented as well.

Today's Top Ten list features some of the best (English) Dr. House tweeters. If you're into Twitter (and really, who isn't at this point?), go out and take a look at some of these folks. (MANY of them claim to be official, but obviously they can't all be, LoL.)

10. @HOUSEonFOX is very television-promotional... and very new.
9. @HouseMDsite is run by a foreigner (check the website it links to), and points out a lot of websites across the net that may be of interest to House fans.
8. @House_Fan apparently just became aware that a new season is going on, since they've only made one update since last spring. and a lot of the previous tweets are generalized stuff, but there's a few decent things on there.
7. @DrHouse somehow has 23k followers after making just 165 total tweets. There are a few good one-liners, but most of the tweets are replies to others, sometimes talking about very unrelated stuff.
6. @Gregory_House is the start of those really worth following. not only are there realistic jokes and character-strong references, but it also interacts well with other tweeters from the show.
5. @House_isms is kinda random, not gonna lie. But at the same time, it's also fairly amusing, with quotes from over time.
4. @Huge_Ego_Sorry has some pretty funny tweets. it's updated on a fairly regular basis. some of the comments are randomly witty as opposed to in-character witty, though.
3. @GregMDHouse is kinda funny, and spends a good deal of time dealing specifically with the medical side of his character
2. @TheRealHouseMD is young, just over a month old. but with only 12 of 34 tweets replies, it's pretty good. It also retweets good comments made by House fans, and actually makes good use of the "bio" section.
1. @Greg_House_MD has a nice balance of replies, medical jargon, and quotes from the one and only House.

am I missing any that you like? have you already been following any of these for a good while now?