Antenna disappoints, Cozi delights

That's a glib headline up there, but I have been thinking about how Antenna TV's lineup is pretty much set as far as interesting shows. The long-ago-promised "December Bride" isn't coming, and while some interesting ex-RTV programs have been added and the overall Antenna lineup is quite solid, I'm not sure how much more we can expect.

Case in point: This recent Sitcoms Online article details the new shows coming to Antenna in November. They are "new" if you don't have This-TV, but otherwise, it's just kind of a trade between the sister networks. "Mister Ed" and "Patty Duke" have been on This as long as I can remember. "Green Acres" and "Flipper" are also coming from This. So what is This gonna do in November? Good question. If that outfit undergoes a long-overdue freshening of its small classic TV block, this could be a great thing.

Oh, the other shows coming to Antenna? "Bewitched" and "I Dream of Jeannie." Of course they are. Those shows are always on somewhere. Again, Antenna is a great service with lots of fine shows you don't get anywhere else. I'm just losing hope that it'll surprise us with any rarities.

On the other hand, NBC Universal's Cozi is a subchannel that surprises us every few months. Sure, there's a lot of lifestyle/magazine junk to wade through, but if you can make your way through that mess, you're treated to "Run For Your Life" and "The Bold Ones." Recently it started "The Name of the Game," and, oh, I wish I had a DVR because it's on in a graveyard slot. Just the other day, "Mr. and Mrs. North" was on, for crying out loud. "One Step Beyond" is part of its Halloween month lineup. Even the shows of more recent vintage feel fresher, programs like "The Six Million Dollar Man" that didn't get much rerun play in recent years.

Cozi is only half a classic TV network, but what a half it is. I admire its willingness--so far--to bring some different vintage TV shows to our screens. Antenna is relying on, well, the old reliables, and that's not a bad thing. But it does make me less excited about Antenna.