Television you ought to see

I don't watch a lot of shows on a regular basis. My favorite time waster is the Food Network but none of their shows are "appointment TV."

The shows I am making time to watch are as follows:

1. America's Got Talent. I've never been an American Idol fan. I think most of the folks I've seen on Idol over-sing (as do most pop artists today.)

America's Got Talent is more interesting. It isn't just about singing. The talent show ranges from strippers to harp players. Now this show is over-edited and the segues and judges comments sometimes get tedious but some of the acts are amazing.

Last night's show started with 11 year old Taylor Ware. She taught herself to yodel. Now, I'm not big on yodeling but this girl is fantastic. I hope she makes it through to the finals.

Last night's show ended with a performance by the Miller brothers from Indiana. The younger of the two brothers plays the harmonica and he ought to win the Million dollar grand prize. I have no idea how old he is but he is fantastic on the harmonica and his stage presence is phenomenal. Check out the video of him playing on the America's Got Talent homepage. His older brother isn't great but who cares. I'd pay money to watch this kid play.

2. Deadwood. This is one of the most violent shows ever but it is a fantastic story that is powerfully told. The fight scene last week was one of the most brutal but compelling scenes I've ever seen -- although I had to cover my eyes for part of it and I never have to do that. It is unfortunate that HBO is pulling the plug next year on this Gem (pun intended.)

The two other shows that, for my money, are the best on television are both on late in the evening so I don't always get to see them. Those are Late Show with David Letterman and Charlie Rose.

Letterman is simply one of the best variety show hosts in television history. Watching Letterman makes watching Leno painful. The difference between the two is that Letterman can actually conduct an interview. Leno is a brutal interviewer. Letterman can do funny interviews but his best are when he gets serious. His interview with Rudy Giuliani after the September 11 attacks was the best post-September 11 interview I saw. It was emotional and raw. Letterman got Giuliani to let down his guard and talk about the attacks and their aftermath in a way no other interviewer was able to.

Charlie Rose is great. He simply offers compelling conversation. I really enjoy watching him visit with people. If Charlie has a flaw, in my opinion, it is that he sometimes too much of a broadcaster. I seldom watch his shows when the interview subjects warrant less than a full hour of his time. Those interviews seem to lack the depth that I think is the hallmark of his show. I was also surprised to learn that he wishes he could take viewer calls. Philosophically I understand that he likes the idea of a great American conversation but there are plenty of shows that take viewer calls. I believe that viewer calls tend to interrupt the conversation. I like the fact that Charlie conducts an interesting, well developed conversation uninterrupted by commercials or calls.