Tube Talk Girl gives thanks

by Jennifer Squires Biller

Happy Thanksgiving! (Or as Marshall from How I Met Your Mother would say, “Happy Slapsgiving.")

As you sit down today with your turkey, stuffing and dysfunctional family members, don’t forget to take a moment to give thanks for all the blessings in your life. As your TV maven, I’m counting my TV blessings. Here’s a quick rundown of what I’m thankful for.

The DVR
Whether you’ve got a TiVo or a FauxVo, let’s take time to be thankful for this technological wizard. The ability to pause, rewind and fast forward live television is the best invention to hit the television world in the last decade. Don’t believe me? You try watching the Dancing With the Stars results show without the fast forward button.

TV writers
As much as I nitpick show plot points and am sometimes too quick to criticize scripted shows, the reality is, TV writing is still top notch. Try watching an episode of The Bachelor or any other reality show, and you’ll be sending a thank you card to the Writers Guild of America, too.

TV romances
I love a good romance, and TV has plenty of them. From Pam and Jim, to Derek and Meredith, to Betty and Henry, I’m thankful that the TV landscape still gives us a little love. (Or in Meredith’s case, a lot of love. She can’t seem to stay out of the on-call room for her booty calls.)

TV on DVD
The mere fact that I no longer have to record my favorite TV shows on ancient VHS tapes is reason enough for TV on DVD to be on this list. Add in the fact that most TV DVD collections provide episode commentary from the actors, deleted scenes, and blooper reels, and it’s no wonder my VHS tape collection has gone the way of the dodo bird. Really, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen bloopers such as Smallville’s Lex Luthor passing gas in a pivotal scene.

Original programming
Copycat shows are all over the TV dial. It’s sometimes difficult to distinguish between any of the myriad procedural crime dramas or medical dramas. So, we must rejoice when networks take chances on original shows that aren’t copycats of what we’ve seen before. Pushing Daisies is this year’s best example. (A pie maker who can bring dead things back to life definitely qualifies as original.) So does Scrubs, a medical show with a fantasy element. Only Scrubs could pull off a musical number called “Everything Comes Down to Poo.”

Tube Talk Readers – I’ve been writing this column now for three years. Some of you found me through the newspaper, while others found me on the Web. Readers all over the world stop by the site on a daily basis, and I’m thankful for each and every one of you who share my love of the television genre. I especially love those of you who leave comments, even when it’s “Tube Talk Girl, you’re an idiot."

Happy Thanksgiving, Tubers! Go easy on the turkey.