All right, all right, I’ll admit it. The writer’s strike hasn’t been all bad. Despite the fact that I would prefer to continuously bitch and moan about shortened seasons, uncertain futures for some of my staple shows, and the general jankiness of the programs that have returned sans WGA staff, I have to confess that I have managed to, through careful perusal of certain once lesser-watched channels, been able to reasonably satisfy my appetite for entertainment (read: my desperate need to escape from grown-uphood somehow sometimes). Sure I could have done what most folks did, and turned to other opiates like opium and heroin for comfort, but hell, I’m already at home and paying for cable every month, so scoring just seemed like so much extra work. What have I come up with? Some real gems! Stuff that may have otherwise gone unnoticed but for the current unfortunate set of circumstances. So while I pray to anyone who will listen for the strike to end soon, in the meantime…

Celebrity Rehab (VH1)

Oh VH-1, I would be so much better of a person if it weren’t for your utterly tasteless, morally questionable, and shamefully addictive “celebreality” shows. I can’t stop watching. And speaking of addictions, I think this is the best one yet. The whole world is still cringing over the state poor Jeff Conaway was in. From now on I will never automatically think of Olivia Newton-John in spandex when I hear the word “Grease.” Unfortunately, now the image of “Kenickie” or his shell anyway, disheveled, mumbling, weeping, and hallucinating, all hunched over in his wheelchair is forever burned into my brain. Ugh. Most homeless people I see look 100 times better than he did. Because his story is so compelling, the other celeb trainwrecks involved seem pretty irrelevant, but rounding out the cast, along with the benevolent-next-Dr.-Phil, Dr Drew, are a couple of nasty skanks, some has-beens, a few never-weres, a crackhead and a Baldwin. Daniel Baldwin (the second best one!) to be specific and he is the next most interesting character because he seems to have some alien body chemistry that caused a recent drug test to be able to detect “nanograms of metabolized cocaine” in his system when he claims to have been sober since November of 2006. It can be stored in the fat cells somehow he heard someone hypothesize once (*cue sarcastic look from the nurse*). He further claims he’s just doing rehab to keep his sobriety on track. Nudge nudge, wink wink. Bet you can’t watch just one episode!

How It’s Made (Science Channel)

Such a fascinating show! I am actually surprised by how often I am surprised by the complexities of the manufacturing process. These documentary style summaries of the work that goes into making everyday stuff sure makes me appreciate things I took for granted before, like whistles, grandfather clocks, and umbrellas. And makes me marvel over how the $1.00 store keeps buying their stuff so cheap. It must take most of that whole dollar’s worth of materials, labor and electricity just to make it. Right? In any case will the guy that does the narration for this show please come to my house and read me a bedtime story every night? His delivery of the information is at just the right intonation, somewhere between a robot and a sensitive hot guy. It feels like he is opening my skull and gently, soothingly pouring all that yummy education right into my brain. Mmmm.

B. Original (DIY Network)

I almost hate to tell anyone about this show because every time I see it I am pretty sure I am going to make millions on eBay selling the kick-ass crafts host Michele Beschen comes up with. Or at least have nifty ideas for something to make the family for any gift-giving occasions. Or possibly even make all my friends green with envy over the insanely awesome and unique ways I learned to decorate around house. Some of my favorites are the kitchen cabinet insert panels, the license plate boxes, the magazine page floor, and the outdoor concrete block couch! She is completely fearless and innovative in dealing with materials, tools and adhesives and, OMG…I think I need to go to Home Depot right now.