Tonight at 9 ET, there's a new episode of ABC's
Lost, a series so good, and so exciting, I have to watch it as it airs.
But also, at the same time, are new episodes of two other shows I record, and watch, just as faithfully: NBC's returning Life and Fox's new Lie to Me. That's three entertaining scripted shows in the same time slot on broadcast TV.
How wonderful is that? Very.
How rare as that? Not as rare as you might think.
Not as rare as I thought, anyway.
Taking cable out of the equation, watch this. Or, to be more specific, watch these:
MONDAYS. In the opening hour of prime time, we have House on Fox, Chuck on NBC, and The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother on CBS. At 9 ET, we have 24 on Fox, Heroes on NBC, and Two and a Half Men on CBS. All good shows. All of them scripted.
TUESDAYS. In the middle hour of prime time, ABC serves up double episodes of Scrubs, while CBS has The Mentalist and Fox has Fringe.
WEDNESDAYS. Already covered. Lost, Lie to Me and Life -- all "L" shows, and all shows I have on my weekly viewing list.
THURSDAYS. The opening hour is kind of nuts. Though ABC's Ugly Betty has slipped a little, I still watch it, and NBC's My Name Is Earl, each week. I'm also a sucker for CW's Smallville, while Fox's Bones, a recent transplant to this night, is my new favorite in the time slot. Then, at 9 ET, you have NBC's The Office and 30 Rock, CBS's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and though I've all but given up on it this year, ABC's Grey's Anatomy.
Pretty surprising. Actually, in this era of reality TV, pretty amazing...