TV Can be Good

Lately, I've noticed some very good programming on TV. The writer's strike may have gutted the 2007-2008 season but there are some gems among the reruns and reality shows. If you can pull yourself away from Howie Mandel's ever present image you may want to catch the following:

• The John Adams mini-series on HBO is great. Paul Giammati gives an inspired performance as the nation's second president.

• PBS' Frontline examined the Iraq war over two nights this week in "Bush's War". This was an insightful look at the war that has dragged on for five years.

• Battlestar Galactica wraps up its series with the beginning of the fourth season next Friday, April 4th. This superb television show does exactly what good science fiction is supposed to do; it examines the human condition in a format that entertains as it holds your attention. Questions about politics, religion, torture, genocide and peace have all been explored in the past three years.

• Lost has wrapped up an eight episode run chronicling the ever complex lives of the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. This season was even more abbreviated than it was scheduled to be (it was only scheduled to have 16 episodes) but they were eight fantastic episodes. Some answers were given that led to more intriguing questions and the writers have tightened up the plot nicely. How did the Oceanic 6 leave the island? What happened to the rest of the survivors? What do the numbers mean? Oh, it's going to be a long wait until the next season.

So, we lost Jack Bauer for this year but everything is not dismal. If you missed any of the above programs they can be found on their network's respective websites. Now put down those books and get watching. Happy viewing.