TV . . . generally, it kind of sucks

I've been in my new place for about three months now, and I haven't bothered to get an aerial installed, and so haven't watched a minute of live television. Every now and then I think I should get it done, and then I realise how bad TV is right now.

Take the other night for instance. I was at my lady friend's house, and we turned on the TV, and found a dancing reality show on one channel, a medical reality show on the other, plus some sort of singing competition that I believe is reasonably popular. If I kept it on there would have been the airport reality show, the cooking reality show, the real estate reality show . . .

I guess most people figured this out a long time ago, but I just realised that pretty much everything on TV is reality programming. And it's mostly dull and repetitive (this week, on Border Patrol, someone tries to smuggle drugs into Australia! How novel!)

I mean, I'm not someone who has really elitist tastes. Last night I hired "Snakes on a Plane" from my DVD shop. But it seems there's an awful lot of crap on these days, and I don't know why everyone puts up with it. I often think the average person is at least as smart as me, sometimes I'm not so sure.

Anyway, a TV show I have enjoyed on DVD the past week was season 2 of Dexter (it's on free to air on Sunday nights, which would ruin my argument, except they are still showing season one, even though season one and two are available to buy/hire. Genius.)

If any of my seven readers haven't come across the show, the basic premise is that Dexter Morgan is a blood splatter expert with the Miami Police Department, who kills serial killers in his spare time. Season two focuses on his efforts to evade detection - the bodies of his victims have surfaced, and his colleagues (including his step sister) form a special FBI-led task force to track the killer. Which means that in addition to his normal killing duties, and his day job, he also has to intervene from time to time to taint evidence and throw his colleagues off his scent.

I thought season one was OK, but season two was definitely a step up. I watched all twelve episodes in six days, which sounds quick but it was two more than it took Murray. Amanda apparently watched season one and two combined in even less time, which is rather impressive. It's definitely a show that pulls you in.

If I had one complaint it would be that they stole one of the characters - Lila - from Fight Club. Skinny pommy chick who's kind of hot but has all sorts of issues, and goes to support group meetings even though she doesn't have an addiction. Yep, sounds like Marla Singer. Also, I didn't really see why she had to be topless in almost every episode, but I guess I'm not a professional TV-directing guy.

Despite the rampant breast baring in season 2, the show isn't as full on as it sounds. A lot of the violence is implied, there's probably not a lot more than an average episode of CSI (admittedly, there's more than you'd find in Columbo Paul). The main thing is that it forces you to identify with, and sympathise with, someone who is a serial killer. If you can get past that (and I'm sure some can't) you'll love it.

Season three starts in the US in a few weeks. I could wait until 2010 or so when it makes it to Australian TV, but most likely I'll download it as it airs.

The following trailer shows Jimmy Smits (my favourite fictional president) joins the cast, so it should be great.