After a few weeks of experiencing Direct TV while vacationing at my folks' place, I am more convinced than ever that I'm happy with regular old FIOS. It seems to me that if you don't want the NFL Sunday Ticket package--and I don't simply because it costs wayyyy too much--there's not a lot out I don't already get.
Actually, let me correct that: I think there are a whole lot of channels on satellite that I don't get now. Unfortunately, they're all shopping channels, and they're so prevalent in the lineup that it's tough to avoid them.
I am somewhat intrigued, though, by Direct TV's foray into original programming with its "The 101" channel, which can be found on channel 422. HA! No, it's on 101, of course, and while offerings like "Friday Night Lights," the current season of which debuted here before its run on NBC, get all the press, there are 101 exclusives on there that, though not gamechangers that are gonna make anyone switch TV providers, are entertaining time fillers.
"Rock and a Hard Place" is a music and pop culture trivia game show pitting "some of the hottest performers of the past," as per the channel's website, against each other. I saw the Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam vs. Da Brat episode, but now that I look at that list of episodes, I'm really bummed about missing Everclear vs. Starship.
The premise is simple, but there are some amusing twists to the questions and challenges. One round in the episode I saw featured contestants playing pop songs on a kazoo for their bandmates to identify. Meat Loaf is a surprisingly adept host, keeping up with the show's extremely fast pace and providing an engaging personality and some humor here and there.
Another 101 original is "Supreme Court of Comedy," in which two comedians argue a small-claims type case before "the honorable" Judge Dom Irrera. It is reminiscent of Lewis Black's "Root of All Evil" on Comedy Central, except much, much funnier. The gimmick of deciding simple disputes with comedians as representation works better than having the funnymen debate more abstract concepts like whether Paris Hilton is more evil than Donald Trump.
I saw Tom Arnold square off in court against Paul Mooney, and though each guy went to predictable places for his jokes, it was a lot more entertaining than I expected. Irrera is effective working the judge persona and gets off some good lines himself. It looks like the show is heavily edited to get down to a half-hour, and of course that has the effect of making all involved look sharper.
According to this, other episodes present courtroom match-ups such as Victoria Jackson vs. Rich Hall--Rich Hall!--and half the shows seem to have Arnold and/or Mooney. The lineup could maybe use a bit more starpower or at least diversity, but this cheapo half-hour is pretty funny, and if it were on Comedy Central, I'd give it at least a few more episodes.
These shows aren't strong enough on their own to make me even consider switching to satellite, but they are better than a lot of other costlier, more hyped productions on high-profile cable channels. It will be interesting to see if Direct TV makes any kind of waves with this kind of strategy. A few great shows here and there could turn some heads, but I don't know what kind of series would be enough to lure new customers. After all, it's a lot easier to tack on whatever bucks a month to your cable bill for HBO so you can get "The Sopranos" than it is to change your entire method of receiving TV signals.
Actually, let me correct that: I think there are a whole lot of channels on satellite that I don't get now. Unfortunately, they're all shopping channels, and they're so prevalent in the lineup that it's tough to avoid them.
I am somewhat intrigued, though, by Direct TV's foray into original programming with its "The 101" channel, which can be found on channel 422. HA! No, it's on 101, of course, and while offerings like "Friday Night Lights," the current season of which debuted here before its run on NBC, get all the press, there are 101 exclusives on there that, though not gamechangers that are gonna make anyone switch TV providers, are entertaining time fillers.
"Rock and a Hard Place" is a music and pop culture trivia game show pitting "some of the hottest performers of the past," as per the channel's website, against each other. I saw the Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam vs. Da Brat episode, but now that I look at that list of episodes, I'm really bummed about missing Everclear vs. Starship.
The premise is simple, but there are some amusing twists to the questions and challenges. One round in the episode I saw featured contestants playing pop songs on a kazoo for their bandmates to identify. Meat Loaf is a surprisingly adept host, keeping up with the show's extremely fast pace and providing an engaging personality and some humor here and there.
Another 101 original is "Supreme Court of Comedy," in which two comedians argue a small-claims type case before "the honorable" Judge Dom Irrera. It is reminiscent of Lewis Black's "Root of All Evil" on Comedy Central, except much, much funnier. The gimmick of deciding simple disputes with comedians as representation works better than having the funnymen debate more abstract concepts like whether Paris Hilton is more evil than Donald Trump.
I saw Tom Arnold square off in court against Paul Mooney, and though each guy went to predictable places for his jokes, it was a lot more entertaining than I expected. Irrera is effective working the judge persona and gets off some good lines himself. It looks like the show is heavily edited to get down to a half-hour, and of course that has the effect of making all involved look sharper.
According to this, other episodes present courtroom match-ups such as Victoria Jackson vs. Rich Hall--Rich Hall!--and half the shows seem to have Arnold and/or Mooney. The lineup could maybe use a bit more starpower or at least diversity, but this cheapo half-hour is pretty funny, and if it were on Comedy Central, I'd give it at least a few more episodes.
These shows aren't strong enough on their own to make me even consider switching to satellite, but they are better than a lot of other costlier, more hyped productions on high-profile cable channels. It will be interesting to see if Direct TV makes any kind of waves with this kind of strategy. A few great shows here and there could turn some heads, but I don't know what kind of series would be enough to lure new customers. After all, it's a lot easier to tack on whatever bucks a month to your cable bill for HBO so you can get "The Sopranos" than it is to change your entire method of receiving TV signals.
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