Audio.File.

About the time I was in 9th grade I began to break my TV addiction. I say that for the benefit to anyone at that age who has one. Breaking it is a great way to see more of the real world and less of the "reality" (or non-reality) world. (If you say you don't have one, let me just say that these days the addiction is disguised by calling it interactive, i.e., video games, iPods, Facebook).

Since my formal education ended several comedies and dramas have found their way to my "can't miss" list. If I had to file them, they would be in the folder Loosely Political ("The West Wing", "24") or Barely Medical ("M*A*S*H", "China Beach", "ER", "Chicago Hope", "House", "Grey's Anatomy"). But then there is another file - the Audio file!

Two that go into that file are "Ally McBeal" and "Cold Case". I know; you cynics are going to say it isn't audio but the visual, particularly Calista Flockhart (as pictured with "Indiana Jones") or Kathryn Morris.

Both shows took a variety of music - one by a singular artist who became part of the cast - and established it as a storytelling elements of the show. More shows do it now ("Grey's Anatomy" is one, and it's a way to hlep sell the music on iTunes as well), and maybe these were not the pioneers. But to me, "Cold Case" really does a great job of using music to set the stage at the beginning of the show, and then tell the story at the end of the show.

If Sunday night football doesn't grab you on NBC, cruise on over to CBS (especially if there is no CBS late game that pushes everything off schedule) and grab an episode.

What does this have to do with marching music? Not much, I guess. Unless you are an audio.visual.file.


(Another recent mold breaker was "Criminal Minds". However, I claim an exception - its first star was Mandy Patinkin, you see. You may have seen him act. But have you heard him sing? If not, all I can say is get "Sunday in the Park with George" and listen to that voice, particular the duets with Bernadette Peters! And about the Kathyn Morris link: I have no clue who Amanda is, but she has an interesting hobby.)