What's on tonight, dear?

In my childhood, choice was more of an entry in a dictionary than a reality. In the placid, semi-conformist world of the social democratic welfare state, you seldom had to make a qualified choice. There was only one tv channel, only one state-run radio channel, and so, quintessentially, in terms of infotainment the choice had already been made for you.

Come 2009, and this 43-yeard old has suddenly been overrun by the unflinching avantgarde of Boredom Killers: I'm now the proud subscriber to, and without doubt also a beneficiary of, the visual delights brought to me by an amazing sixtyone tv channels. It happened the moment our serviceman had finished connecting this household to the new and mighty sub-surface cable grid. You know, the cables that will carry whatever information you require right to your comfort spot - your own and only livingroom.

Sixtyone tv channels. Just ponder the enormous range of programmes I can now access at will: sitcoms, live concerts brodcast free of charge (really?), 24-7 news coverage of anything that goes on in my global neighbourhood, film classics most people have never even heard about. Hey, I can now factually stop having a real life, and embark upon one of life's improbable projects: remaining in a horizontal position for the rest of my days with eyes transfixed upon a 32 inches wide television screen.

No, seriously. I'm not that endeared to couch-potatoism. But I do think there is some merit to tv watching. First of all, staying informed about world, national and local events is no bad thing if you want to be able to conversate meaningfully with you next-door neighbour, as they're certainly not all very concerned about eternal salvation. Secondly, watching the very dignified David Attenborough creeping on all fours while droning on about the unveiled mysteries of beetle life, is actually quite interesting. And finally, as yet, killing time watching "Sound of music" is not at all a waste of time. At least I get to hum along to some really nice songs.

So, dear, what's on tonight?