Wednesday, April 15, 2009

The Boob Tube Indeed

So yesterday all I did was bitch, and I hate to do it again, but I have to let out my rage yet again. This time the subject lying across my chopping block is television. This annoyance really began last night when I sat down to watch the latest DVR’d episode of Fringe. This is one of my favorite new shows on TV. Very much like X-Files, which automatically gives it points, but with a little more of the new Lost/Heroes sort of connections of today’s dramas. Some people will argue that the things people do in fringe science on the show are completely unreal and would never happen. Duh! Of course they wouldn’t, it’s science fiction. Suspend your disbelief for a moment, won’t you?

Bah, back on track…

For the second week in a row American Idol, or something before it, has run a little long. Last week I fast forwarded almost ten minutes before Fringe finally started so I just downloaded the episode and watched it the next day. As for last night, it was only a few minutes in so I gave it a shot. The recording cut off with probably about one minute left in the show. I’m pretty sure I know how it ended, but given these programs like to add a little stinger I now have to download, or Hulu, the episode for the last freaking minute!

Now today I noticed that Scrubs and Better Off Ted (great new show) were not scheduled on my DVR. I looked on the guide for that time and there was something weird in its place. I checked TV Guide.com and ABC’s site and they showed they should be airing. Then I went to Dallas’ affiliate’s site, WFAA Channel 8, and there was the proof. Instead of showing a wonderful new show, or the second half of a two-parter, WFAA was showing Good Morning Texas After Dark, a special primetime presentation of the station’s morning show where they will talk about spring fashion. For fuck’s sake! I searched around the interwebs and found a reply WFAA sent someone who wrote in about this kick in the face.

“Thank you for writing.

Tomorrow night's preempted Scrubs episode has been rescheduled to air overnight Saturday (4/18) going into Sunday (4/19) morning at 3:35a.m.

Unfortunately we are not able to reschedule Better Off Ted into another time slot. However, episodes of Scrubs and Better Off Ted can also be viewed online at www.abc.com.

We apologize for any inconvenience our preemptions may cause. Let us know if we can be additional assistance.”

3:35 in the morning?! What the hell is that about? These stations are practically encouraging downloading the shows instead of fueling their advertisers.

Off to torrents I go.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know! I'm so mad at freaking WFAA. You'd rather show your craptastic morning show at night, than two new shows. That makes no sense whatsoever. I'm with you on this rant. This is why local networks are going to go the way of newspapers; we'll all just watch tv online or from a generic ABC station. I hate watching tv online.

Anonymous said...

What about Better Off Ted!! Nobody cares about your Good Morning Texas 1 hour infomercial, WFAA, I'm sure BELO made a lot of money off of that hour. Better.Off.Ted.S01E05.720p.HDTV...

Post a Comment