Number 1

I read a lot of blogs about television shows, celebrities, Hollywood news, and the like. But I often find myself disagreeing with the bloggers' opinions on one show or another, and thus decided to write my own blog.
For the last few months (basically since the Writers' Strike began) I have been watching TV shows on my computer, consuming entire seasons in a week or less. Some of the shows are long-running and still being produced (though currently on hiatus), but I never had time to get into them until now. Other shows that I have been watching have only completed one season, or have halted production due to the strike.
I'm not very picky with the shows. I take recommendations from friends or from popularity ratings online. You name it, and I have probably seen at least one episode of it, if not every single episode ever made. There are some exceptions, however. You'll see when I post more.
I will admit that many shows I have taken on are what some may call "guilty pleasures." Certainly these shows are not on par with others which are lauded for their originality, or acting, directing, and writing. In my opinion. But they're no less enjoyable because of their predictability! They're possibly even more enjoyable because all of the nuances in the show stand out more.
Another thing that irks me about TV is that people, specifically my parents, look down upon it, and favor books. I love reading, especially when I have a good novel in front of me. But what can you learn from a novel that you can't learn from a quality television program? Considering they run week after week, they can develop characters and plots further than some books. You can pick up just as much vocabulary from television. Furthermore, you can learn a lot about the audiences the shows are intended for - which are more current than the audiences "classic" novels were intended for. I mean, I guess you don't learn a lot about history, but isn't there something to be said for learning about the culture you are living in, now?