IFC

Independent Film Channel, Channel #83

Great movies but few reruns so if you missed a movie once it chances are bleak of seeing it again. Speaking of bleak most of these movies are seriously depressing. They have some original programing and documentaries but the reason to watch this channel is for the movies.

That said tonight is the the premiere of an original mini-series called Bollywood Hero. It is a comedy that mixes real life actors and a fictional production. I never got in to Bollywood or most Indian films since the musical is the least enjoyable of all entertainment.

Some IFC fans are probably worried that this mini-series will garner such high ratings that the channel will switch to a less independent flavor. I'll try to watch all the 3 night event which would be the longest time I spent on IFC at primetime.

IFC seems to bundle their movies. What I mean is currently they are having a run of movies I find interesting but 3 months ago they had a run of the worst movies ever made.


Update: Speaking of great movies John Hughes died today. He made more great movies in his short life than most studios in the last decade.
National Lampoon's Vacation, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Weird Science, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Uncle Buck, Home Alone Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and Curley Sue.

HBO

Home Box Office, Channel #82

The great and grand channel for all things TV. This season garnered the 99 Emmy nominations the most for any channel and more then most others combined. 9 years of leading the Emmy nod and there is no end in sight as broadcast TV just slaughters every good scripted show.

Emmy Nominated:
Flight of the Conchords - The best New Zealand-sheperds turned into novelty-musicians musical-sitcom ever.

Grey Gardens - The movie based on the groundbreaking documentary, I have yet to watch it since I want to see the documentary first.

Overlooked:
True Blood which is great that last episode, Release Me, has revealed all the secrets and next week we will see the consequences.

As great as HBO is they have fallen lately because of the movies. This is not HBO's fault instead most movies today are awful.

This month's movie:
The Women - Ok but far from heart warming.
Apollo 13 - A modern classic but again not as riveting as presented.
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - Awful, it could have been better if Rachel Weisz came back.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall - Funny but laughs did not make it to the end.
Wanted - Decent for the cool killings but not for anything else.
Jumper - I enjoyed it but it needs a sequel.
Harold & Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay - Funny and sick, maybe too much.
The Fifth Element - On my list of favorite movies of all time, I just watched it again a few nights ago.

With the exception of Fifth Element I would not pay 99 cents for these movies or the rest of the ones scheduled to premiere. When your best movie is a 12 year old sci-fi hit then I would recommend keeping up on the original programming.

Sidenote: I've been waiting for The Mist and Cloverfield to come to television so if anyone knows when they will be on please leave a coment.

OXYGEN

OXYGEN, Channel #81

Oprah's station but spend any time watching it and you'll notice it is more of a Carsey-Werner station. Lots of reruns and women-centric movies. Unfortunately also lots of reality.

That said...

Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood
I happened to catch one episode because I saw someone on a race track about to crash. Turns out it was just Dean McDermott doing his motorcycle trials and surviving.

Since I don't follow celebrities instead I follow TV shows/characters I haven't been up to date with Tori Spelling. I enjoyed Spelling on Smallville even if the show has gone beyond ridiculous. Spelling has become the best mom ever. Honestly if the show is just half real she is still the nicest person in the Hollywood fish bowl. Watching her with kids is one of the few genuine reality moments. (Also watched the return of Jon & Kate Plus 8 which was so awkward and forced that you wonder why they came back.)

Shop Erotic (no link as I try to keep this blog PG-13)
To see this level of sexuality and accompanying paraphernalia on basic cable could only be done with Oprah's permission. An informercial that makes you stop everything just to make sure you didn't accidentally order some nasty-vision-pay-per-view.

So the only two shows I've recently seen on Oxygen are on either ends of the extreme so I'm guessing the other shows are somewhere in the middle.


For those keeping track there is no channel 80 on Optimum cable unlike 79 which is just black. So far channel 8 and 80 are not assigned but as the numbers go higher many more will be skipped so I may not mention them.

SCTY

SCTY, Channel #79

This channel doesn't exist.

24 hours of a black screen with No Data Available on the Optimum guide. TiVo even refuses to set this channel, bringing you back to channel 2 if you attempt to get to 79.

I can vaguely remember this was Romance Classic then it changed many times and occasionally showed a blacked out game.

Now it is just darkness and the name SCTY which usually means security.

fuse

fuse TV, Channel #78

A music channel with actual music videos and concerts. Mostly rock and alternative although every type of music is represented.

Fuse 20 - Video clips hosted by everyone 's favorite Danielle Fishel. She makes cute, funny, and interesting comments about a group of 20 themed videos.

Hit List, No. 1 Countdown - both shows show today's most popular music

Loaded, All Nighter- more alternative or lesser known music

Band Chronicles - um...they chronicle one band at a time

I do enjoy music videos but as time goes on I know less and less artist. Also I find more than half of the videos unwatchable.

HLN

CNN Headline News, Channel #77

What was once a great quick 30 minute news channel has turned into a gossipy trash talk network. The still give some quick headline news just not 24/7. At least us New Yorkers still have NY1.

I noticed the tide turning after HLN devoted much of the primetime hours to Nancy Grace. This hardly-lawyer is a slightly demented faux-reporter who sees criminals everywhere ever since her fiancée was shot dead. Her attack on the not-guilty has resulted in deaths and she feels no remorse. Grace was such a hit on HLN that three or four more similar style yellow-journalist have joined the team to compete on the same level as Fox News.

Appropriate logo.

TV Squad Win

Actually I won a few times from TV Squad since it's beginnings.

One early contest(c. 2006) netted me $100 (although I wanted the iPod they sent a check) for highest rated comments. Now most of their contest hold no prizes but they do have lots of giveaways.

Several times for this Subtle Subtitles and I think a few others. I didn't track them all but I will from now on because it fills a void in my life.

I have won multiple times in a row so go on TV Squad and dare to challenge this week's contestants.

GSN

Game Show Network, Channel #76

Over the last ten years I probably watched 30 minutes of this station. I remembering watching all these shows when I was a kid and the new shows are not as fun so I don't bother.

Lots of old game shows, some new, and I think they sometimes talk about game shows.

CUNY

City University of New York, Channel #75

The City University of New York's university system consists of about 20 colleges that educated some notables like Jonas Salk, Colin Powell, Frank McCourt, Ruby Dee, Jimmy Smits, Ralph Lauren, and Jennifer Lopez (the last two did drop out).

The channel helps certain current students with their courses. Some shows are actual student made while others are documentaries and films from all over the world that CUNY professors recommend.

As far as I can tell unless you are enrolled in a particular class that assigns a particular show it is nearly impossible to learn a full semester of work from this channel.

Except for a rare documentary or the Classic Arts Showcase the tone of the channel is too much like a lecture hall to be enjoyable.

Classic Arts Showcase
A free feed from satellite Galaxy 15 Transponder 5(Very Doctor Who) that gives access to any TV station in America a 24/7 showcase of classical arts in small clips. It is still available in analog as well as digital.

I can spend hours watching this but now most channels carry 24 hours worth of programs and have cut back or eliminated this free broadcast.

One animated clip always stuck in my mind and if anyone knows where I can get it online please leave a link.

A lone cat walks through a bombed out building and can see shadows of its former human family. The cat attempts to play with them, caress them, and touch them but can not since they are gone. Finally in utter desperation the cat smiles and ceases to exist, fading away in what we the audience hope is the the place where it can be happy again.

Again if anyone knows where I can get it online please leave a link.

I recorded it on tape but then accidentally recorded over it and have not seen it since 9/11. I think it was too depressing.

NYCTV 1-74?

New York City Television 2 or 3 or 73 or 74, City Drive Live, Channel #72, #73, #74


Ok TiVo guide, Optimum guide, and the corner logo all give different names for these channels but I guess the are part of the NYC Media Group which are city owned/run stations like OTB or PBS.


City Drive Live , Channel #72- A 24/7 live traffic cam channel switching between each camera every few seconds. Talking over this are ads for city services on a feed called Radio NYC.


Channel #73...everything new york - Four rotating shows about city life.
NYC TV Digital Magazine:
As far as I can tell it is a NYCTV show to tell you when and where are other NYCTV shows are playing, in a series of repetitive commercials.


Channel #74...everything new york - Mostly how the city government runs, not the state inactivity.
Access Mayor - The mayor of NYC tells stories and hold press conference, great except when he speaks in Spanish.
The Council - The city council acts up and tries to pass laws.
Other shows round out what should be boring but occasionally holds my interest.


Watching local government trying to explain or pass laws and then the audience suddenly yelling in protest until they are forcibly removed is annoying. I don't mind if all these meeting were held in private since never once did the crazies change a vote. As long as they continue broadcasting audiences should be banned.

OTB

Off Track Betting, Channel #71

Watching the ponies go round and round then poof your money is gone. Horse racing and racing information 24/7.

This is the New York State owned and operated legal off track betting business. Once OTB parlors were all over the city but the current mayor pushed to get the city/state out of the gambling business. In 2008, my favorite, Mayor Mike Bloomberg handed over the NYC owned OTB to the state and warned of a financial collapse.

Guess what OTB is now $46 million in debt and may file for bankruptcy soon. The only reason OTB still exists is that $200 million in union pay is still needed keep workers satiated.

I have no issue with horse racing or gambling but once it went legit horse racing could never make a profit.