A bunch of TV Randomness

* HBO, what the hell is wrong with you exactly? Why must you show ‘Training Day’ seemingly no less than four times a week lately, and almost always in prime time? How do you expect me to get anything else done when I see it on the program guide? Is there not some unwritten social contract being violated here? You know where to reach my people. Please, some more advance notice on the ‘Training Day’ airings on future such occasions. Please and thanks.

* Speaking of HBO, its original programming seems to be knocking them out of the park lately. ‘Treme,’ the new series about New Orelans residents attempting to keep on living life like regular people in the city shortly post-Hurricane Katrina, is showing a lot of promise after only its premiere episode. There’s also ‘The Life and Times of Tim,’ a hilarious tongue-in-cheek animated series about a mild-mannered, sarcastic pushover – the title character Tim – who can’t ever seem to buy a break, or ever scrape together enough dough to take out his blonde girlfriend Amy. The plots are typically over-the-top stupid on purpose (think ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’), but it’s obvious when you watch it that the humor stems from the absurd nature of the writing, and most of the laughs end up coming out of the outrageous dialogue. Throw in new exciting other series like World War II-centric ‘The Pacific’ and fan favorites such as ‘True Blood,’ and it’s clear that the network is on the ball these days.

* I don’t know how the rest of this Game 1 first-round NBA Eastern Conference playoff series between the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Bobcats is going to turn out, but currently Magic point guard Jameer Nelson is absolutely abusing Raymond Felton and the poor Charlotte defense. This has been insane – Nelson has 14 points and there’s still about 3 minutes to go in the first quarter. I almost want to send Felton a sympathy card right now. This is mad embarrassing for the Bob-kitties.

* ‘Breaking Bad,’ one of The AMC Network’s two signature dramas, continues to surprise and entice viewers with an unending surplus of twists and turns that keeps viewers guessing what’s coming up next. I’ve definitely raved about this program before, and if you ever check it out (assuming you haven’t already), you’ll know why. Bryan Cranston is in the role of his lifetime as a crystal-meth cooking high school chemistry teacher who turns to drug making for cash when he learns that he’s been diagnosed with lung cancer and wants some cash around for his family when he’s gone. It’s gripping stuff that never pulls punches, but there’s just enough moments of subtlety, humor and gravitas so that you don’t crumble under the weight of the show’s ambitious constitution. If you haven’t ever seen it but are looking for an excellent drama, speed-order season 1 on DVD and get started. You won’t regret it.

* South Park, while still usually funny after all these years, occasionally tests my patience with the entire episode-long toilet humor type jokes. But this latest season has been overall extremely funny and topical. This past week’s episode, the first of at least a two-parter in which all of the celebrities the show has mocked in some way throughout its 13 years on the air are making a return, promises to be an epic moment in SP’s history. Mecca Streisand, the Super Best Friends and J. Lo-via-Cartman’s-hand-puppet-antics have all made a return, thankfully. Stay tuned.