I Love Television
Matt Seinberg

When I was a kid, I watched television. Maybe, I watched too much television. I don't know, but I enjoyed watching television.

I remember "I Dream Of Jeannie," "Gilligan's Island," "Green Acres," "Beverly Hillbillies," "Petticoat Junction," "The Andy Griffith Show," "Mayberry RFD" and "F-Troop." Fred Silverman cancelled many of these shows, in the early 1970s. He wanted to develop more urban content for CBS. Of course, there was "Star Trek," the smartest decision NBC made, every.

As a child, I liked cartoons shows, too. "Gigantor," "Tobor," "Top Cat," "Magilla Gorilla," "The Flintstones,", "The Jetsons," "Bugs Bunny," "Mighty Mouse," "Huckleberry Hound" and "Mickey Mouse" were among my favourites. I loved watching television.

I discovered television at an early age. It was when we moved from Jackson Heights, Queens, to Poughkeepsie, in Dutchess County, New York. I was in the second grade, about 7 years old.

Television was still mostly black-and-white. We had two television sets in our home. One was in our finished basement, the other in the dining room. I spent too much time in front of those one eyed monsters.

I had my favourite spot, in the dining room, to watch television. It was up against the buffet, with a pillow, and about two or three feet from the television. The television was only a 19" by the way, not a big console or high definition as we have now.

In the basement, my spot was on the couch, usually with my pet hamster, asleep on my chest. My mother hated cats and dogs, but that's another story.

It's the stupid, little details you remember when you put pen to paper. A flood of memories comes gushing through your memory dam. Some memories are good, some not so good.

Remember the outfit that Barbara Eden wore in "I Dream of Jeannie?" Barbara Eden, as "Jennie," didn't show much skin. Her belly button covered by order of the NBC censors! Still, for a young boy it was fun to imagine what was underneath.

"Star Trek" debuted, on NBC, in 1968. This made 1968 a historic year. Instantly, "Star Trek" hooked me. I loved the continuing adventures of the "Starship Enterprise" and her crew, which everyone should know by now. To this day, I am still a "Star Trek" fan.

When I was in junior high school, I was the "Star Trek" trivia expert. All my friends knew it: "Don't get Matt started," they'd whisper. You could ask me any question about that show; I always knew the answer.

Now, I watch much less television. Age, responsibilities and most other grey matter clutter has taken over. I know about the current television series. I know who's on what show or in what movie. I know the movies. I own all the movies on VHS and DVD. I have more books than I can count.

My concern is I cannot remember many of the trivial details. I wonder if this is good. I'm not sure.

My wife and daughters don't like "Star Trek." I'm alone, at home, with that interest. My nine-year-old daughter, Melissa, did watch the new "Star Trek" movie with me and enjoyed all the action, even if she didn't understand the storyline. This I know is good.

What started me writing this column was watching the television show "Castle" on ABC-TV. The show revolves two characters: "Richard Castle," a writer, portrayed by Nathan Fillion, and Detective Kate Beckett, portrayed by Stana Katic. As for all good cat and mouse, that is, female and male, television teams, Castle and Beckett are secretly and madly in love.

Do you recall "Scarecrow and Mrs. King," "Remington Steele" or "Moonlighting"? Each show involved a cat and mouse detective team, of one sort or another, secretly in love with each other. Admitting their love was tantamount to canceling the show because the underlying friction and fiction, which made the show work, evaporates.

I hope the producers, of "Castle," don't hook up its cat and mouse team. The show is good. I enjoy it, but let me know when they're about to go public, with their lust or love, and I'll find a new favourite show.