I'm sure that Netflix is a lovely service and I've heard great things about it from many folks. But being both a cheapskate and a Pittsburgher, I have a fantastic alternative: the Carnegie Library system. The combined libraries of Allegheny County have a truly excellent selection of TV on DVD. They have movies too, of course, but my viewing habits happen in either hour or marathon spurts. Movies are at once too long and too short for me.

Entourage Season 2

Last week, when I was sick, I had the good fortune for Entourage Season 2 to come in at the library. Not that Entourage is my favorite show by any stretch of the imagination. The "life in Hollywood" milieu is interesting and fun, but not nearly as appealing to me as anything that takes place historically or in Manhattan (or in Toronto posing as Pittsburgh). I found the first season to be entertaining, but largely unremarkable—with the notable exception of Samaire Armstrong, who is always a treat even in small roles. In the second season, though, things get a little more interesting, and it showed some much needed quirkiness in a standout episode where the characters go to Comic Con, complete with a deft lampooning of Hercules and Xena. I otherwise have found the "stars as themselves" guest spots on this show less interesting than they probably ought to be (Melinda Clarke a notable exception), but I have to give the show much credit for casting Vanessa Angel as the parodic Xena character. As all good Xena fans know, of course, Vanessa Angel was originally cast as Xena in the Hercules episode that started it all, but had to bow out last minute in favor of her understudy, Lucy Lawless.

This week, I have Deadwood Season 2 out from the library for about the third time. I managed to watch one episode more, but my schedule has been so busy that I imagine I'll have to return it and re-order it once again. I've stopped putting in new holds for shows now because term paper season is heating up, but I still have several in the system, many that are months old. I thought it would be interesting to post what I'm waiting for and where I am in line. It also gives an idea of how popular these are at the library:

Battlestar Galactica Season One - 3 of 52 holds (this one takes forever! I've had it out before)
The L Word Season Two - 3 of 32 holds
Prison Break Season One - 36 of 54 holds
Grey's Anatomy Season One - 55 of 112 holds
The OC Season Three - 4 of 13 holds
Bones Season One - 4 of 16 holds
Battlestar Galactica Season Two - 29 of 45 holds
The Wire Season One - 29 of 53 holds

Most of the Season Ones are shows I've never watched before. Just waiting to see what all the fuss is about. I'll review them here or on ARWZ as I watch them.