NBC is simultaneously the best and worst network on television. I was just thinking last night that NBC is the only network with an evening of shows that I enjoy watching. With the exception of 30 Rock, Thursdays are fantastic. I love Scrubs and this last season wasn't great, but it is still an enjoyable show. My Name is Earl always makes me laugh. Jason Lee is a Scientologist, but he is really fucking funny, so I can get past that. The Office is one of the best comedies on television and probably the best show on network television. Those three shows alone are enough for me to proclaim NBC the best network. No other network can even come up with a decent show and have instead resorted to formulaic medical and crime dramas that are as interesting as they are intellectually stimulating. There are other good shows, House and Lost, but neither are good enough to get me to watch every week like NBC does.
However, NBC is also the network behind To Catch a Predator. TCAP is by far the worst show on television. Not only is it fear mongering and disturbing, but possibly unlawful. Esquire (the only commercial magazine I read) has a very good piece this month entitled "Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die." Chris Hansen is horrible and the show certainly doesn't abide by the innocent until proven guilty ideal. Dateline and their partner in this Perverted Justice disgust me regardless of whether their claims that their actions are lawful are true. Clearly, I think child sexual assault is wrong, but I think luring a criminal to a location, interviewing them on film, and then turning them over to the police is a violation of their civil rights. People should not be treated like that. Teach your kids to behave online and not to meet strangers. Be responsible on your own. Don't count on some shitty, possible illegal television show to protect you. The whole world doesn't need to revolve around keeping your kid safe. Keep your own child safe. You also don't need signs put on the lawns of people convicted of sex crimes. It is called personal responsibility. And if you are really concerned about keeping sexual predators away from children, don't send them to prison, send them to therapy. Teach these people to stay away from children, don't send them to jail for uncontrollable sexual urges. People need to be more proactive. At very least, don't delude yourself into thinking that shows like To Catch a Predator are going to save you or your family or by watching that show you are helping in any way. The only thing you are helping is the degradation of people's rights. So way to go NBC (and all you people that watch that horrible show).