making up for tv lost time

I never used to be a big TV-watcher. I didn't have cable for about 7 years and found that life was ok without it. When Brian and I bought our house in 2004, we decided to get cable. And when we got our LCD TV in 2006, we bought a souped up HDTV cable package (because what is the point of having an HD-capable TV without getting HDTV?!).

So, over the last few years, I've been watching more and more TV. I love DRAMA - these days, I'm all about the CSI's, House, Grey's Anatomy, Brothers and Sisters and, the ultimate in TV melodrama - America's Next Top Model. I'm not big on reality TV, but I watch ANTM and The Amazing Race religiously.

This past season, the writer's went on strike and I found that most of my shows were showing repeats at the height of TV watching time - in the winter when it's cold and rainy outside! I was still able to watch ANTM, but The Amazing Race just ended a season and I found myself doing alot of channel surfing.

In the past, I've watched the round 1 auditions for American Idol. I found them pretty funny. But once round 1 was over, the humour was gone and I lost interest. This past season, there hasn't been much on Tuesday and Wednesday nights since January, so I found myself gravitating towards American Idol.

I didn't really watch Hollywood week and I channel surfed through the first 2 weeks of the top 24. But in the third week of performances, David Cook performed his version of Hello and I was hooked. For the first time, I was recording American Idol. Ugh.

I don't know what the show has been like in the past, but I keep hearing that this past Season 7 has had the most talent in a long time. All I know is that I was hooked on the performances. I actually had opinions on who I didn't like (Kristy Lee Cook, Ramiele Malubay and Jason Castro) and I went so far as to say that David Cook and David Archuleta better make it to the final 2 or the show was a crock!

Anyway, I'm sure alot of you know that the 2 David's made up the final 2 and David Cook was voted the American Idol. It was a good American Idol season. I can't guarantee that I will watch the next season, if there is one. But I'm sure I'll be downloading David Cook songs off iTunes over the next little while.

I wonder what TV show I can get hooked on this summer?! Anyone have any recommendations?