Morning Bloody Television

So with my new life as a freelancer, part-time teacher, and all-around raconteur I have been spending a lot more time watching television in the morning. Everyone that knows me knows that I love television. A lot of it is crap, but some of the best is amazing. Television, unlike any other form, can sustain a story for years. Hour-long dramas can continue a neverending arc. Look at current shows like "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives" create stories that thread in and out and work at achieving tension and audience empathy. Former shows like "6ft Under" worked hard to create an almost novelistic approach and when it was over you felt like you had read a great sprawling novel like "The Corrections", "The Magnificent Ambersons", or "Fortress of Solitude". There are also sit-coms like "Scrubs" and "Arrested Development" that play with the form and change the expectations of viewers there are also traditional sit-coms like "King of Queens" and "Everybody Hates Chris" that are good by writing well and having good acting.
So, why did I just tell you all that? To lament the craptacular state of affairs that is morning television or to quote Patsy Stone from AbFab "morning bloody television". Man, it is bleak. Now "Ellen" is the exception. It is a fun talk show with a variety of guests and Ellen is really great at hosting a talk show. But, it is still a plain old show. There are trashy talk shows, decorating shows, and cooking shows. Now I enjoy Clean House for the sassiness of Niecy Nash, the only person to be in an Altman movie, Reno 911!, and to have her own Style Network TV show. But, so much of it annoying. I watch "The View" for the hot topics because I enjoy feeling like a housewife and I have a little crush on Meredith Viera. Too bad that Star Jones is possibly the most annoying woman in America.
All of this is leading to the ultimate trainwreck..."Starting Over". This is a reality show featuring women who need to, as the title says, Start Over. So, they have life coaches. Yeah, I want this job. You just tell people to get a job, love themselves, etc. And then the people get in touch with themselves and cry. It's like a sham of a real job. And, for me, there is nothing better than watching women with goals like "learn to love themselves", "create an identity away from husband", "repair broken relationships" try to achieve these goals. How do you achieve a goal that has no real answer?
Needless to say, "The View" is almost starting so I'll have to bid all of you adieu.