TVSquad

I'm the type that engages more in Black Friday rather the stuffing of both family and turkeys on Thanksgiving Day (I suppose I'm more greedy than gluttonous), but that doesn't mean I can't express thanks for all the wonderful things I have. Here are the TV-related things that I am most thankful for, in no particular order.

My TV-loving friends in the UK: When it comes to getting a hold of the latest British comedies, I find no need to rely upon suspicious torrents, low-quality clips from YouTube, or prayers to the BBCAmerica gods. Why? Well, I have friends... Very giving friends with uploading abilities in the UK. So when the Green Wing Christmas Special rolls around, I'll have it on my Desktop before most American fans will even know of its existence. Thank you, friends.

The Venture Bros. blogs: As most of you know, I think that The Venture Bros. is -- for lack of a better phrase -- totally freakin' awesome, but my fiery love for the program is made all the more intense (pushing "SUPER totally freakin' awesome") by the Venture blogs. James Urbaniak, Doc Hammer, and Jackson Publick (listed in order of update frequency/blogging addiction) all have blogs that allow fans to get an inside look at the production, ask questions about the show, or even goof around like regular Internet-buddies and link stupid YouTube goodies or talk about each others' day. Maybe it's just me, but I think this sort of interaction is a great way to draw in more fans and really establish a sense of loyalty among viewers/readers. I'm sure other shows could benefit from showing a bit of Internet love with the fans. Anyway, these blogs are a lot of fun and I don't mind spending all day compulsively checking for updates. Really. I don't.

NBC's classic SNL re-runs: Saturday Night Live keeps me going from 11:30 to 1 AM, but what I truly appreciate is the "classic" re-run that immediately follows. I used to have to rely upon Comedy Central (and, later, E!) for crappy, edited one-hour old episodes, but NBC actually plays the full thing, failed sketches and all. I'm a night owl, see, so it's really nice to have something familiar (and not paid programming) to keep me company as I'm working on last-minute assignments.

Arrested Development on MSN.com: People have tried to get me to watch this show for years. I never got around to it. "I've got too much homework", "I need to wash my hair", "Not tonight, I have a headache"... I made every excuse under the sun because I was simply too lazy to go out and rent the DVDs and learn the whole crazy story from the beginning. But now that all the episodes are coming to MSN.com, I have the pleasure (and convenience) of watching what is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows of all time, right on my computer... for free. Thanks, MSN.com, because without you, I never would've had the opportunity to shoot a delicious beverage through my nose during Tobias' "excuuuuse me" twist.

The Daily Show and The Colbert Report: I have tremendous love for these two programs. I could get really into this and deliver a really sappy speech... but I won't. It'd be all kinds of embarrassing. But seriously, I love these two shows. I'm very thankful that they're on the air. Oh, and Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert... They're so foxy and smart... Fart Smoxy.