regarding recording television

Upcoming Recordings 10/05-10/06

(for Friday and Saturday, please see the previous entry)

I almost forgot to mention that Friday night sees the season premiere of DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION (The N, channel 129) - Because my DVR will be busy recording “Miss Match” and a baseball playoff game, I’ll be recording the show Saturday night at 10pm. The photos on the website stress everyone’s new hairstyles! Make sure you click through and get a load of JT’s shaggy locks.

SUNDAY 5 October
BLISS (Oxygen, channel 61 - 12:30am) – I’ve got Oxygen programmed as one of my favorite channels, and I have no idea why. There aren’t any movies or talk shows I watch on this network. I want it to have interesting programming. Am I missing out by not sampling The Isaac Mizrahi show? Should I be less scared of that old woman on the Sunday Night Sex Show? The weekends are for branching out and I’ve decided to sample BLISS. That’s probably because it’s described as an adaptation of women’s erotic fiction. I am too predictable. But this is supposed to be “edgy!” And I’m 100% in favor of “edgy!”

EGG THE ARTS SHOW (Trio, channel 102 - 10am) – I can’t seem to track down too much specific info about this episode, but there’s a segment about something called “cinema movement.” Knowing the way this show is programmed, I’m 75% sure this is going to be about some kind of dance thing that I’ll just end up deleting.

NextTV (Trio, channel 102 - 10:30 am) - EP #326. I’m hoping for something interesting.

BLUR (Ovation, channel 83 - 11am) – The big TV watching problem in my life is that I like using the computer. And I like watching TV while I’m at the computer. And I haven’t worked it out so I can actually do both at the same time. In my living room the television screen and the computer monitor face each other. While typing this, I can’t see what’s on the television screen – but I can hear it (it’s that Ovation one-hour biography about Don Simpson). I don’t like to watch anything too serious and visual while I’m at the computer, but I’m not always in the mood to listen to music. Sometimes I am, but I want something slightly different than what I normally listen to. And that’s where BLUR makes an entrance into my life. I can’t wait to update my website while listening as “the British pop band performs.”

MediaTelevision (Trio, channel 102 - 11am) – Episode #1110 looks like it’s got a few interesting segments for my viewing pleasure. Everyone who loves the convergence of television and the internet and the commenting about television on the internet needs to tune into this episode of MediaTelevision. It features a segment about Television Without Pity. There’s also a segment about the First Cut Awards for Canadian commercial directors (many of whom seem to be angry that there are other commercial directors out there fighting for jobs).

FRIENDS FOREVER (Sundance, channel 101 - 12:35pm) – The only reason I list this movie is because I saw the band on a street corner a number of months ago. It was a wild performance that included lots of craziness. Basically, the people in the band show up in their van, jump off onto a street corner or wherever and play their hearts out. If you’re busy watching baseball on Sunday, check out the dvd.

THE INCURABLE COLLECTOR (A&E, channel 16 - 3pm) – A few weeks ago some friends and I got together for our semi-regular poker game. My “Rounders” novelty cards are beaten up to the point where you always know who’s holding the seven of clubs. Before leaving Tribeca Friday afternoon, I stopped into the local comic book shop in search of a new card deck. The guy behind the counter took one look at me and knew I was a guy who needed to buy “The Simpsons” novelty playing cards. They came in a fake can of Duff beer. There was no way I could resist! I kept showing off the cards during the poker game. Everyone was impressed. But I’m not a serious collector of novelty cards. I actually opened them and I’m sure that’s a no-no in collector-land. Anyway, check out this show for a segment about "The Simpsons" collectibles.

MythBusters (Discovery, channel 18 - 4pm) – I learned about this show through a Tivo TV Show Talk Forum. Twenty-four hours later I saw a commercial for it during a baseball game. It looks like a fun time and it airs a number of times throughout the week. The episode I’ve decided to record looks to uncover the urban legends behind “exploding gas-pumps and shattering CD-ROMS.” But, can we all agree titling a TV show by combining two words (TwoWords) is getting out of control?

THE LYON’S DEN (NBC, channel 4 - 10pm) I don’t think I’ve mentioned to anyone that I recorded the first episode. It was okay. The biggest surprise? David Krumholtz (Barry Schweiber from “Freaks & Geeks”) plays a law clerk (is that the right term?) who works in a cubicle.

MONDAY 6 October

FOCUS ON BILL MURRAY (IFC, channel 81 - 5:30am) – Elvis Mitchell interviews Bill Murray. I think this is from 2002, so don’t expect any talk about “Lost in Translation.”

BUFFALO COMMON (Sundance, channel 101 - 3:35pm) – This short film won the Festival Award at the 2001 NY Underground Film Festival. It looks to be about the plains of North Dakota and dismantling of former ICBM missile silos.

TRACK 2 (MTV2, channel 128 - 9pm) – If you know who will be featured on this episode, let me know.

DINNER FOR FIVE (IFC, channel 81 - 11pm) – This episode’s dinner table conversation features the cast of ELF (Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen (who can also be seen in Joan of Arcadia!)).

URBAN SCRAWLS (Sundance, channel 101 - 11:40pm) – Bathroom Graffiti! Why wasn’t this short made sooner?