Abba Zabba

NBC has declared that, to save money, they're going to reduce the number of scripted comedies and dramas they produce. Instead, they're mostly going to make reality shows and game shows.

This isn't really new; it's a continuation of an ongoing trend. Networks have less scripted programming on than ever, it seems. 10 years ago, there were no reality shows or game shows in prime time. Then some time around 1999, things changed, and you couldn't turn on the TV without seeing "Survivor" or "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" Now, most of the schedule of every network is reality shows, game shows, and sports. Especially because most of these shows are aired multiple nights. You have about a 50/50 chance of getting "Deal or No Deal" if you turn on NBC during prime time, any night of the week.

I hate this decision, for several reasons. The first is that I hate reality shows and game shows. They're boring. Second, NBC is the one broadcast network I actually watch. Now I have to worry about "Heroes", "30 Rock", "The Office", and "My Name is Earl" being endangered by this new decision. Why not CBS or ABC? Their shows already suck! And third, it's supposedly being done to compete with the threat of the "new media", YouTube and other websites. But it seems to me that websites make content very close to reality shows, and nothing like the scripted series that NBC is dropping. So I don't even see the connection.

But the biggest problem is that it's such a short-term solution. I know that a lot of people get into reality shows and game shows. But how long does the infatuation last? Are there people watching Season 1 of "The Apprentice" in syndication? Did anyone buy "So You Think You Can Dance" on DVD? Maybe; I don't know. But I do know that I can turn on the TV any time of day and watch a "Seinfeld" rerun, and that DVDs of popular shows like "The Simpsons" are huge sellers. These shows have dedicated fans who really care. I don't think anyone cares the same way about reality shows and game shows, which are so ephemeral. This strategy is going to bite NBC in the ass in the long run, because it's just going to drive people away from TV even more.

Today I saw someone come off the highway, approach an intersection, and quickly make a sharp left turn. The light was red. When the light is red, you're supposed to stop. Also, right next to the red light, there was a "No left turn" sign. You also aren't supposed to make a left turn when there's a sign like that. So I count 2 distinct reasons not to make a left turn. The driver ignored both of them; he didn't even slow down.

For a while, I didn't believe that Massachusetts drivers were worse than those from other states. But it's getting harder to deny it.

Over the weekend, I had to go to the Apple store in a nearby mall, because my girlfriend's new Macbook is having some problems. (Her old Apple laptop had problems too. For a company with such a good reputation, Apple seems to have some quality control problems.) I'm not a big fan of Apple in general, but I really hate the Apple store.

There are a lot of things to hate about the Apple store. Like the way half the floorspace is devoted to iPods and iPod accessories. There are way too many iPod accessories on the market. Or the unnecessary "i-" prefix in front of every product on the shelves. Or the cacophony that results when the sounds of a dozen iPod stereos set to a dozen different songs mix with the music from the overhead speakers, the sounds of the kids' computer games, and the technical demonstration in the back of the room. But I'm specifically going to focus my rage on the Apple support technicians.

Oh, but they aren't just technicians. They're geniuses! Yes, the tech support area of an Apple store is called the "Genius Bar." Actually, it might be the "iGenius Bar"; I can't remember. Unlike other stores, you can't just walk up and ask for support. The geniuses are too busy to be bothered! Instead, you get to put your name into a computer system and wait over an hour for the privilege of having a genius ask you about your problem. Even if it's a problem with the Apple hardware, a problem caused by the rest of the geniuses at Apple. During about half of that wait time, you get to watch the geniuses stand around, talk to their friends, and generally not try very hard to get through the list of people waiting for support. But I guess Apple can't be too hard on them, otherwise they'll quit. And it's not easy to find more geniuses.