My appointment television

Even though the ratings for a lot of TV shows have gone down for whatever reason (be it the use of a TiVo or other DVR, or just a decline in the quality of television overall) over the past several years, a lot of people still have what they call "appointment television." In other words, shows they will not miss, and if they do have to miss, they set up the DVR, or if you're old school like me, the VCR.

I have four of these shows, even though I have to catch up on the back episodes of the most recent addition.

• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation--this is the longest running of the "appointment" shows, holding down a spot since its Thursday night debut in 2001. I subsequently was able to catch up on the part of the season that aired in the hell known as Friday night. I'm not going to lie, I like this show a lot. I think it is a smartly written, well acted show. If I had to pick a favorite episode, it would be the two hour finale to Season 5, where Nick gets buried alive and the team must find him. Directed by Quentin Tarantino (also a personal favorite), the episode had everything you could want in good drama, including pulling the rug out from under you just when you think everything is safe (fire ants in the coffin anyone?).
  
  I will admit to even geeking out a bit on this show, as I created an episode guide, with summaries of each episode, and footnotes that cover major events in the series history. Please stop laughing and continue reading.
  
  Other likes: Warrick, after they got rid of his gambling problem, Nick's sarcastic wit, Catherine because she's attractive, Grissom and the Grissom-Sara romance. For the record, sad to see Warrick get killed off, Sara leave, but happy that her and Grissom ended up together, and also the Miniature Killer of Season 8.
  
  Dislikes: Louise Lombard's horrid attempt at an American accent for Sofia Curtis, the attempt to compete with Grey's Anatomy during the season where it got its butt kicked by that show by adding way too much plot.
  
  Also, I like the addition of Laurence Fishburne as a main character, but still miss Grissom. I think when he left the show earlier this year, a show already experiencing a slight decline in quality over the past year has seen that escalate a bit. The decline in quality coincides with this falling out of my "Favorite Show" spot.
  
  
• Lost: It occupies the "Bow to the Majesty which is JJ Abrams" spot. I will admit that I discovered this show in the process of watching another appointment show, Alias. For a while at the beginning of its run, Lost served as the lead-in to Alias. In an effort not to miss any of Alias, because to be honest, you really couldn't, I would turn on ABC a few minutes early. I was always impressed by the last five minutes of Lost during its first year, and so in the midst of the second, I caught up on it by buying it on DVD. I will admit that the show at times has frustrated me (I find my self screaming at the TV at least once an episode trying to figure things out), and I have thought about giving up on watching it for that reason. JJ has left the show in very capable hands (going on to do movies and finish up Alias) turning it over to Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who are leading the show towards its end in 2010. If nothing else at this point, I have given enough time to the show that I have to know how it ends. At this point, it holds the mantle of "Favorite TV Show" as well.
  
  Likes: After a few years of not, Sawyer. I disliked him very much during the first season or so because quite frankly, he was a huge prick. Charlie (why, o why, did they kill you off?), who I will admit to bawling over when he was killed off. I think the fact that he was flawed appealed to me for some reason. My favorite couple, Sun and Jin. Locke and Ben, sometimes. The mystery that is Richard Alpert and his eyelashes. Also, just having to figure out the giant puzzle that is the plot.
  
  Dislikes: Jack and Kate. I find them both increasingly whiny, and for that reason I think they belong together. Locke and Ben, sometimes.
  
  All my disagreements and yelling aside, I will miss this one when it's gone.

• Bones: I picked this one up during the Writers Strike last year, because quite frankly, I was getting tired of reruns and poor quality fill-ins. To be honest, I had wanted to check it out for at least a year, but just never got around to it, and also didn't want to deal with the shuffling around the show endures as a byproduct of American Idol.
  
  Likes: The relationship between Bones and Booth. Please don't let them actually sleep together. That is what makes the show appealing. They aren't a couple, but you root for them to get together. The fact that the show is highly technical in its dialogue. Watch when they explain how someone was killed sometime if you don't believe me. The fact that TNT now shows reruns every weeknight, so that I can get caught up on things. David Boreanaz and his local connections. For those of you who are not aware, his dad is Channel 6 weatherman, Dave Roberts. The fact that I think the show is a steady Thursday night resident for next season.
  
  Dislikes: Those same reruns, for one reason. One of the major characters colluded with a cannibalistic serial killer. When they show these episodes, it's hard to watch him examine the evidence knowing what he has done. The aforementioned American Idol related movement.

• True Blood: The most recent addition, this one occurred purely by accident. I was visiting friends on Memorial Day, and since there was nothing else on, including the race that was supposed to be broadcast in the evening from Charlotte, we ended up watching a recap of the first season of the show on HBO. I am trying to find something to replace Lost when it ends next May, and have been for a while, not finding anything that appealed to me. Needless to say, what I saw in the recap did. I am currently watching the first season of the show online, but am contemplating just breaking down and going to Blockbuster so I can catch up faster, especially since the second season started last night.
  
  Likes: The large amounts of sex. Seriously. I'm not going to lie. It makes the show a bit more watchable for me, and also serves as the means of (no pun intended) sucking you in. When it does suck you in, you find a well-written, tightly focused show.
  
  Dislikes: The fact that two of the main characters look a bit alike, both having dirty blond hair, which they similarly style. Honestly, right now that is pretty much it.

So, there you have it, these are the shows I actually try and be home to watch, or in the case of True Blood, try and catch up on, at least for the time being.