TV's Golden Age

Geez, I'm posting a lot today. It's P.O.D., mon freres.

I gotta point you, once again, to my peeps at The AV Club, which has a really interesting Crosstalk feature on the slate of spring's new TV shows.

Writer Scott Tobias makes a statement that seems bold only on its face, which is that we're in the midst of a golden age of television. To me, this is painfully obvious unless you are (1) one of those awful ninnies always complaining about too much sex and violence on TV or (2) one of those awful snobs who look down on TV watchers because they're not out climbing mountains or something. More than film and certainly music, TV is creating truly innovative work that also has mass appeal.

Without thinking too hard I can rattle off lots of great shows from recent years that challenge and entertain in equal measure: "The Sopranos," "The Shield," "Nip/Tuck," "The Wire," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "24," "Gilmore Girls," "Chappelle's Show," "The Office," "Thief" and the recent HBO show "Big Love" to name a few. There also are shows that I haven't watched but have received great acclaim: "Lost," "Deadwood," "Desperate Housewives," "Battlestar Gallactaca" and so on.

So, please, stop exercising and watch more TV. You're missing out otherwise.