I must vent!
This entire "reality" trend has sounded the death knell for decent programming. I fondly remember looking forward to an evening of *Must See TV* in, say 1997 or 1998. An evening full of good sitcoms, followed by a good drama or crime show.
It just seems like network TV fell off a cliff sometime around 2002 or so - with the whole reality thing. Even the non-reality shows are not as interesting as they once were. The comedies are rarely funny and the dramas are either centered around rich, spoiled 18-20 year olds or they have some weird kink. Either way, I don't like them because - to paraphrase Peter Griffin: "they insist upon themselves".
Network TV makes me feel as if I've aged 20 years in the last 5. And, I'm just not that old (still 25-44). As a reward for that, we got digital cable and rarely watch the big 4 nets anymore. Except FOX on weekend nights - that's still pretty good (except for The War at Home - which is a great time to go to the "office").
On the bright side, it's given me the opportunity to find interesting shows on the Discovery Networks (except TLC

), the History channel and others. Even PBS gets some viewership around our house these days. LOVE the britcoms.
On the other hand, I can't remember the last time we watched NBC. And, our viewership of ABC has been cut down to news shows and MNF (which is gone).
And, it all started with the proliferation of reality crap. It has ruined prime time TV as we know it. Just look at an old TV schedule from as little as 7 years ago (on the Classic TV board) and you'll see what I mean. Really sad. Watching that reality junk is like having a front row seat for the disintegration of our culture. I'll pass.
The funny thing is that the network execs wonder where the viewers have gone. I
never thought that I would eschew prime time TV - I used to be the ultimate TV watcher. No more. Nice going guys!
By the way, there are at least 2 "reality channels": VH-1 and E!. For all intents and purposes, that's what's on there. And it is dreck! MTV and Bravo are not far behind. All in a headlong race to the bottom.
For the rest of us, it's prognosis negative....
Whew, I feel better now..... 8)