Rome

There was a period of about 4 years when I didn't own a TV. I used to roll my eyes whenever I overheard some ditz discussing reality TV at Blue Sky and then go back to reading my book by Edward Said (or any of a number of unreadable hacks whose names I've forgotten). But over the past year or so I've let TV back into my life, and I'm in love.

In particular, I love HBO's "Rome." The first episode had everything you could ask from junk TV: violence, intrigue, full frontal nudity (female). But it also has great writing and cinematography (it was filmed at Cine Citta in Rome, Italy). From the reviews, there is only more where that came from (including a few pickle shots for the ladies . . . or men as the case may be). So basically, it's like "I, Claudius", except not boring, or "Gladiator" except not stupid.

Watch it.