Save Until Space is Needed.

Now that the Winter Olympics are over, you probably need to program your DVR (aka TIVO). You don't have one? Get one now!

Here is what I think is the best TV this post Olympic season.

Tuesday is a good day:
Rick Mercer Report (CBC): Humour across Canada. Rick is gay but still funny.

Amazing Race 9 (ABC): The second best show on TV (next to The Simpsons). Travel from your living room.

According to Jim (ABC): Innocent humour. Visual humour (fat brother in law in various costumes.). I'm not sure why the brother AND the sister are always there, but even that is funny in itself.

Rodney (ABC): New show, finding its rhythm. Funny and endearing.

Scrubs (NBC): Old show, last season, still funny.

Consider as well:
La facture (SRC): French version of CBC's Market Place, only better.
Enjeux (SRC): French version of CBC's The Fifth Estate, only not as good.
Nova (PBS): Some subjects are inaccessible. Some are fascinating.
George Lopez (ABC): Latin American humor in English

Wednesday:
Still Standing (CBS): According to Jim with teenagers. Hot mom. Teenage cleavage. Homer Simpsonesk dad.

Weeds (Canada's Showcase, from Showtime): Comedic dram with no laugh track. You will find yourself rolling on the floor laughing.

Yes Dear (CBS): This show shouldn't be funny but it is. Lots of adult cleavage.

Thursday:
Survivor (CBS): I don't know why I wtach this show. I think you have to care about the participants. Kind of like watching sports. If it is two teams you don't care about, you wont like it as much. The best way to care about the participants is to watch the show from the beginning.

My Name Is Earl (NBC): Funny. Hot women. Great acting (go out and rent Poison Ivy for proof).

The Office (NBC): More sit com than fake doc, still hilarious. I want that red head.

Infoman (SRC): The French version of Rick Mercer Report, only way better. Current affairs has never been so funny.

Friday and Saturday

Sunday:
The Simpsons (Fox and Global): If I miss it, I cry.

The War at Home (Fox and Global): How many jokes about sex can you make in the presence of teenagers? Watch and find out.

Desperate Housewives: Sardonic humour in a soap opera format that will get you hooked. Attractive older women.


Monday:
Corner Gas (CTV): The show is funny enough to make you move to Saskatchewan. The female cop in hot.

The Apprentice (NBC): This show is really good. Reality TV at its best. Firing and being fired is horrible, watching it is quite entertaining. I keep waiting for the show where Trump will confess: "OK, I'm bankrupt again. Any of you have an idea how I can climb out of this?"

King of Queens (CBS): Laugh out loud funny.

How I met Your Mother (CBS): Doogy Houser is a washup.

Two and A Half Men (CBS): Attractive women, funny script. Live vicariously. You will quickly forget why you laughed, but you will laugh.

Daily:
The Daily Show (CTV, Comedy Network, in the USA on Comedy Central): Four days a week is a bit much. On par with This Hour has 22 minutes and the Air Farce. First 15 minutes only, the rest is rubbish (who reads books?).

The Colbert Report (CTV, Comedy Network, in the USA on Comedy Central): Almost as funny as the O'Reily Factor, but more engaging. Blame the bears.

Cheers (Comedy Network): Catch the jokes you were to young to get the first time around.

Roseanne (CMT): Immigrants should watch this show before they come to the USA. "I hate this town".

Reba (CMT): What life must be like in Texas post Dallas (Mercifully, no country music)

Lizzie McGuire: Excellent kids show. Hot mom. Funny and, for adults, pure escapism.

Good shows I can never figure out when new ones play.
Trailer Park Boys (Canada's Showcase): Acquired taste. Watch it drunk or stoned the first time. Poor is funny. Immigrants should watch this show before they come to Canada.

Reno 911 (Comedy Network): Sardonic humour.

That 70s show (Fox): They are still making these!? Still funny.

The West Wing: So good you can buy the DVD collection. This is the last season. Plays Sundays, sometimes. (If you like political TV on DVD, check out Yes Minister, Yes Prime Minister and Benson).

The best of the UK is endlessly playing in reruns on BBC Canada, BBC American and... PBS!
All series had very short runs in the UK (1 to 3 years)

Monthy Python: Funny.

Fawlty Towers: Funny. Newhart on speed.

Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps: Funny. Endearing. Attractive young women.

Coupling: Unbelievably funny. Very hot women. So good they tried to make an American version.

The Thin Blue Line: Relaxed but funny cop show with the Mister Been guy (Rowan Atkinson) playing a speaking part.

Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister: One of the best comedy shows ever. John Manley, former Canadian Cabinet Minister, said his deputy minister told him the book version was required reading (the book was written after the show). As a former employee of the Province of Ontario's Ministry of Municipal Affairs, I can confirm the show is very accurate.

Black and white comedy classics (endless reruns, buy in DVD or Google video):
I love Lucy.

The Dick Van Dike show.

Cheaper than cable: Get unlimited DVDs from Blockbuster (USA ONLY)