I used to put down the show as puff and drivel, utterly convinced that it was inane and directed completely at newbies.

But a funny thing happened along the way ... I started watching the show and liking it. GASP! At some point, I started to notice that I liked the halfway point they reached between total ubergeekiness and "let's explain it in words under one syllable" newbieisms. Besides, here was one computer show that didn't treat the Mac as a second-class also-ran. These folks run regular segments on Mac software, Linux apps, and other bits of cool stuff.

And to top it off, they had an extended interview with Steve Wozniak last week. The WOZ! How cool is that?

The coolest part about the show, though, and the real reason I have become addicted to it is for it's total Gonzo attitude and style. It's obvious there's no script and things don't always go right (just like in real life). Sometimes ... the software crashes.

Here's a perfect example: the show opened two days ago with a quick segment about CES. Martin Sargent started complaining almost immediately about the fact that he had a haircut that made him "look like Barry McCaffrey" (the former drug czar). So what did he and the other host start doing? They took an old Micron and started bashing the hell out of it. Right on camera! And then, because this is a show by and about geeks, they took the smashed PC and did everything possible to bring it back to life. Just to prove that yes, you could.

No, I'm not into smashing things. But just the idea that they did this right off the cuff, right on camera, live was just too much. And then the sheer delight in trying to put the pieces back together. Brilliance!

So mark it down. I love this show! I watch so little TV these days, but this is one show I make sure to watch.

And in case you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out their web site.

And no, I don't work for them.