My unhealthy addicition to that big box called the television and why it makes me so damn angry

Ever since I was a little girl I have been in love with tv. TV all day, everyday. My dad introduced me to Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello, Blondie & Dagwood and I Love Lucy. My mom watched whatever was on, I wanted to be Wonder Woman, Samantha Stevens and Laura Ingall. I thought I was going to marry Ponch from CHiPs. I thought Blair Warner was a snob and Bo Duke was super cool. At one time I even thought I would be a Soild Gold dancer.

Over the years I have watched so much tv it would make your head spin. I thank God everyday for the invention of the DVR. Since that invention my guide is jammed pack with recorded shows, sometimes I wonder how I even keep up with it all.

It seems like 10 years ago shows stayed on season after season. The networks had a lot of wonderful shows on and they lasted. Now I am not so sure. It seems like the networks pump out shows like chickens laying eggs. They are a dime a dozen, they don't last and it pisses me off.

Over the last five years I have invested in shows, watched every episode and for what?? Just so it could be cancelled. NBC had Surface and CBS had Jericho. The Surface finale was a cliff hanger and it was never renewed. Jericho fans saved the show and it was renewed for a half of season. CBS didn't even give it a chance.

The other day I was reading an article on Yahoo, they talked about 27 shows that are "in trouble". After looking at the list, I thought "geez, they may be taking away more then half of the shows I love". My big TV night was Tuesdays, ABC with No Ordinary Family, V and then Detroirt 187. ABC wants to cancel all three shows.

These networks talk about ratings, does anyone ever wonder where these ratings come from? I do?? What is NEILSEN? Apparently is a box that is hooked up to your tv that tracks what you watch. I tried to get one, it didn't work. They select famlies in certain areas, I didn't qualify. So when a network says they have 12 million viewers, when you think about it 12 million isn't anything to brag about when you look at the population of the entire USA. My thoughts are this, unless every single household with one working TV has a Neilsen box, how can there be accurate ratings? It is impossible.

So my question to the networks is this? Why do I even bother to watch tv anymore? I invest my time watching a show for an hour each week and for what? Nothing because the show will more then likely get cancelled anyway. I can easily think of 15 shows that have been cancelled on the last 4-5 years after a season or less, shows I thought were pretty damn good. Cancelled due to so called poor ratings. Currently there are over 300,000,000 people in the US and I am pretty damn sure at least half of those watch tv at least for a few hours a week. So to the networks out there listen to me loud and clear. Give these shows a chance.............................