Getting back into 'regular' TV

Those of you who know I grew up in a household where the only channels we got were ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, the God channel, and some fuzzy versions of local channels such as KSTW, KCPQ, KTZZ, and later KONG. Sometimes if we were lucky we also got CBUT, but it was always hockey and really who wants to watch fuzzy hockey at 8am on a Sunday? This was my exposure to TV until I started doing housesitting/petsitting gigs during graduate school.

I can remember it as I am sure my brother can as well; we were housesitting for someone and she had (gasp) CABLE TV. We watched Emeril Live for a whole week, just fascinated that there was a whole channel devoted to cooking - cooking shows ALL THE TIME. When I moved out on my own and into a townhouse with Joe and Andrew, I probably watched TV for a solid month just totally enamored with the glory that is cable TV. Years later I realize that there is a lot of nonsense on the 100+ channels as well and although the programming has gotten more expansive we really enjoy FoodNetwork, Travel Channel, History Channel, BBC America, HGTV, Smithsonian Channel, and the random Ted Turner owned channels for the movies. I don't consider these 'regular' TV though as my train of thought associates 'regular' TV with the major networks.

This past Christmas, Joe was saying that we had to start watching How I Met Your Mother and he proceeded to gift us the DVD pack of the first 3 seasons of the show. We are hooked! Last night I saw Big Bang Theory and found myself this morning wanting to read more about the show. More thinking (I know, a dangerous thing sometimes) into this and I realize that I haven't watched much 'regular' TV. I don't count my obsession with Dancing with the Stars as regular TV as in plain-sight the show SHOULD end due to the cast of characters they have lined up - I mean seriously they are reaching for the bottom-dwellers with the latest cast.

My co-workers have been urging me to watch 30 Rock so I may have to look into that as well. I don't really need to spend money on more DVDs, but the DVDs of entire seasons of shows are awesome. I never thought I would say "wow, I want to watch TV shows on DVD", but the shows are really funnier that way - also you get the chance to really get immersed in the plots and the characters. I watched Battlestar Galactica on DVD - definitely a good experience. Same with HIMYM.

I wonder what other shows there are out there for me to start getting obsessed with!