Vacation Views: Just-Missed TV, 'Big Love' and Porn

Spent a few days in the wilderness (actually, Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks in Utah) before the upfront mayhem officially began, which explains why I haven't posted anything in awhile. But even a fleeting respite from this blog yielded a few media and TV-related thoughts:

-- There's really nothing quite like being in a place where you get absolutely no cell/Blackberry reception for a couple of days. At first it was irritating and unnerving, then invigorating and relaxing. Right up until I got within eyesight of Vegas and all those messages started to suddenly pile upon each other.

-- Driving through Utah, it occurred to me that most of my current conceptions of the state are shaped by the HBO series "Big Love."

-- Although I didn't purchase anything (honest), the hotel viewing menu contained a feature that reminds us how much media consumption has changed. The pay offerings included "Just-Missed TV," which would have allowed me to buy key episodes that I had missed (including last week's two-hour "Lost" finale) and watch them at my convenience for a mere $4.99.

After some thought, I decided to wait and watch "Lost" when I got home, but it's just another variation on a spate of second-chance viewing options that are exacting a toll on network schedules. Why watch it live when you can tape it, or order it the next day? And in the gee-whiz technology dept., we actually found ourselves watching YouTube clips on an iPhone during the drive back. Amazing the things you take for granted these days.

-- Finally, yep, the hotel offered on-demand porn, even in redder-than-red state Utah. For some reason, I thought it would be nothing but reruns of "The 700 Club" and "The Osmonds."

I know, I really need to get out more.