Andy Chase

Having a satellite receiver on the roof instead of a TV antenna means that we don't get programming from any of the major networks... with very, very few exceptions that's no loss. The Simpsons was the last network show I watched religiously, and the Simpsons hasn't been all that funny for a long time now.

Reality TV in particular is something that I can do without. No matter which show you watch, it amounts to 30 or 60 minutes spent watching human beings at their worst.

One of the more recent shows in the genre is the A&E network's Airline, which chronicles the zany happenings in and around the Southwest ticket counters and terminals around the country. You know, bitchy customers, drunk passengers, everything people hate about dealing with air travel in the first place. This is entertainment?

A lot of people apparently think so... the TV ad I saw tonight was rife with tidbits from glowing reviews. One in particular struck me:

"Like a barf bag on a bumpy flight!"

I didn't catch whose quote that was, but if you watch A&E for more than 5 minutes I'm sure you can see the ad for yourself.

"Like a barf bag on a bumpy flight"? That's what describes a good TV show these days? As in, "This reality TV show is marginally less puerile than the rest!"