Don't foul the air with the worst of overseas TV

Glassy-eyed and mindlessly content, I've spent more than my fair share of evenings sitting and staring at cookie-cutter sitcoms on TV. At least, I did, before moving to Beijing.

Since the great leap East, I've ignored the urge to plop down on the living room couch and catch a few hours of mind-numbing entertainment. The endless chapters of epic kungfu soap operas and anti-climatic dramas simply don't hold the same alluring grip as classics from back home such as the Sopranos or South Park.

Instead, I've grown accustomed to the liberating feeling of casting a quick glance at a television set and seeing nothing more than a box of useless electronics.