There’s a lot of garbage on television these days, but there are also a lot of programs out there that don’t get as much media attention as the latest edition of American Idol, for example. In future entries in this blog, I might venture into the more mainstream programs that show up in primetime on some major networks, but for today, I’m showcasing a small handful of shows that I enjoy watching for a variety of reasons. I’ve left reality TV and sitcoms on the backburner for now, as much as I enjoy the latter, but I hope that you’ll like some of these shows. I know I do. And you may not have even heard of some of these.


Technical Knockout: Syndicated on CH and Global, Technical Knockout is hosted by Su-Ling Goh and Carey Roberts. Despite what the title may lead you to believe, this is not a show about boxing (although they did mention Mike Tyson in one particular episode). Instead, the focus is on the “technical” part of its title, featuring new technology, vehicles, inventions, and that sort of thing. They seek to demystify the electronics section of your local department store, opening up some new computers and explaining them in layman’s terms. Video game enthusiasts get treated to the odd review or preview, music lovers get introduced to new MP3 players, and trivia aficionados get a tidbit or two. If you’re seeking in-depth reviews, this isn’t the show for you, but it does give a brief overview of a wide variety of topics related to technology. Myself, being a writer and editor for Mobile Magazine, not very much on this show is “new” to me, but I still enjoy watching it.

Wrong Coast: Airing several times a week on the Comedy Network, the Wrong Coast spoofs all those entertainment gossip shows that are on TV, like Entertainment Tonight, Extra, and Access Hollywood. They make use of clay-mation with hosts Jameson Burkwright (voiced by Mark Hamill, yes, “Luke Skywalker” Mark Hamill) and Debbie Sue Ashanti-Melendez (voiced by Kathryn Greenwood, yes that “I haven’t heard of her before this either” Kathryn Greenwood). One of the most amusing field reporters is Ti Hua Foo, who apparently represents every Asian culture there is. Sometimes you’d think he’s Chinese, othertimes Japanese or Korean. I guess that’s typical of Hollywood, though, just like the token black person, but that’s exactly the beauty of this show. They aim to spoof us all, from highlighting new movies like That 70s Movie (starring the Wayans brothers in a variety of 70s movies scenes, like Rocky, Jaws, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), American Booty (where the Kevin Spacey character gets infatuated with Queen Latifah’s robust derriere), and First Wives Fight Club (the first rule of First Wives Fight Club is… oh, nevermind). Unfortunately, there is only one season that has been completed (it takes eight hours to make a 15 second segment).

Driving Television: Another show on the Global network, Driving Television is hosted by Dagmar Midcap and Zack Spencer, the latter of which you’ll probably recognize from his on-air personality days at Z95.3, “Eye on the Street” at BCTV, or currently as the weather anchor for BCTV Morning News. This show focuses on reviewing a couple of vehicles, getting the input from both hosts. They look at the performance, the look, the feel, the interior, the drive, and anything else that may affect your purchasing decision (y’know, like price). They list their pros and cons, giving you a general feel of that particular car. In between, they’ll have short segments on improving fuel economy, and other car-related issues.

Yo Momma: Now that That 70s Show is over and done with, Wilmer Valderrama (you probably know him simply as “Fez”) has found his new calling hosting this show on MTV. As you can probably guess, this program is just filled with yo momma jokes (I’ve always spelled it as yo mama, but what do I know). It seems like he visits different locales, in an attempt to find the ultimate diss machine. They sometimes call them “battles”, he may sometimes tell them to begin by saying, “Let’s bully!”, but whatever you call them, there’s some wit to be found there (but a lot of cheese as well). The local participants challenge each other for $1,000 in “cash money” and the chance to appear on the ‘championship’ show later on in the season.

Pinks!: Generally speaking, Pinks!, found on Speedvision, is strictly for gear-heads and grease monkeys. If you’re not into high horsepower cars, loud exhausts, and fast spooling turbos, you’re not going to enjoy this program. That said, if you know exactly what I’m talking about when I mention a EK HB with a Garrett GT28R, then this show is right up your alley. It pits “everyday” cars against one another on a quarter-mile drag strip. They negotiate the terms, including giving head starts, deactivating nitrous (best known by the popular name brand “NOS”), and other things. First car/driver to win three races wins the competition… and his opponent’s car. You see, the reason why this show is called Pinks! is that they compete for pink slips: the deeds to their cars. Good fun.