Television

People have been bugging me to give "24" a try for five years now, but I've resisted, not wanting to risk liking it and having to commit to 24 episodes of something in a row. This year I gave in, watching the two-part, four-hour season premiere Sunday and Monday nights. My fears were justified -- it is compelling television, and I'm probably hooked for the rest of the season. How can you not be caught up in a show whose first two episodes start with a bus blowing up and death by biting out of the carotid artery and end up with a nuclear bomb going off in Los Angeles?

Being otherwise occupied at the Bob Dylan concert Tuesday night, I'm afraid I didn't catch the "historic" first broadcast of the CBS News with Katie Couric as anchor. Sounds like I didn't miss much, though:

After Katie Couric was introduced on her first night as "CBS Evening News" anchor by a Walter Cronkite voiceover, she delivered a fast-moving newscast that the legendary newsman might have found unrecognizable.

[. . .]

Now, here's an innovative idea -- news that will include commentary, but not just from the news "professionals":

"CBS Evening News" will include a regular commentary segment called "Free Speech" after Katie Couric debuts as anchor on Sept. 5, the network said Thursday.

ABC-TV seems to want to hold onto the network anchor as the stars of our news consumption, but that ship has sailed:

ABC News said it's changing the name of its evening newscast to reflect both new anchorman Charles Gibson and an expansion into the digital realm, including an afternoon webcast.

The change from "World News Tonight" to "World News with Charles Gibson" occurred Wednesday evening.

If you thought nothing could be more annoying than Internet pop-up ads:

TAMPA - That hallmark of Internet life - the pop-up ad - may be coming to a TV screen near you.

Cable and satellite TV companies serving the Tampa Bay area have begun experimenting with onscreen features and advertising that are more interactive and, they argue, helpful for TV viewers and clients.

Nerds of the world, unite; we may slowly be taking over. ABC decided to put the finals of the Spelling Bee in prime time. It didn't exactly draw "American Idol" numbers, but 9 million people watched:

Finally, an issue that doesn't involve Red State-Blue State polarization:

Like desperate shoppers fighting over a hot toy on Dec. 24, rival shopping networks QVC and HSN are waging war over the slogan "Christmas in July."

Both networks promote shows with that title in July, offering viewers a chance to stock up early on a $53 porcelain holiday cat or $36 lighted wreath. Now they are competing over the name in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia.

Don't know how I got so lucky, but I happened to catch the beginnings of two of those half-hour infomercials on WANE-TV yesterday (at least we know the local TV networks still take that "day of rest" stuff seriously). At the beginning of each of them was a text advisory something to the effect of, "This is a paid advertisement, and the endorsement of WANE-TV should not be implied." Or inferred, either, I'm guessing.

I'd been getting tired of all the "best of 2005" lists, so I was glad to see this list of the worst TV shows of the year. I certainly agree with the inclusion of "Intervention," a truly appalling show. Can reality television just go away now? Enough, already.

Trying to plant the seeds of democracy in the Middle East seems daunting enough. Not sure they're really ready for this yet.