Another Golden Age of Television

I’ve never been a big fan of many television shows in general. Most generally the plotlines of the shows either weren’t very interesting or they weren’t intended to require long-term investment.
Sure, there was CSI, Law & Order and a few other token shows that were known for their popularity, but other than the backstories of the cast that were so delicately woven into the storyline of each show there wasn’t really a story arch that spanned the show as a whole or even that particular season. Each episode was designed so any given person could start watching that evening and not feel like they had missed out on something. I wanted more story, I want to be invested in the characters. I wanted a TV show that was more like a movie cut up into smaller pieces.
I’ve found myself watching more TV over the last year and it wasn’t clear to me why my watching habits had changed. First it was Lost which I caught on the opening episode of season 2 and have been hooked ever since (and have since watched the first season on DVD). I also watched most of the show Treasure Hunters, which intrigued me when I first started seeing the promos. Add to that my yearly favorites like Big Brother and several other guilty pleasure shows that I enjoy during the summer hiatus and you’ve got a lot of time spent in front of the TV. Why the increase all of a sudden?
I’ve heard it said by various TV personalities in the last week that we’re in a new Golden Age of Television, and I would have to agree. After watching the Emmy’s last night it has become clear to me that we’re seeing a new level of quality from television shows that we’ve never seen before. Some believe that this new age should be credited to the rise in competition for TV writers but I believe we’re also seeing an improvement in the quality of the acting in most of these shows.
I’ve been seeing teasers for new shows starting this fall like Jericho and The Shark and I have to admit that I’m getting excited that I’ll be able to turn on the television on any given night and watch a quality show. I’ve also found myself wanting to catch up on a couple of shows that have already finished their runs on network television. I’m even thinking about trying to get caught up with the popular shows like 24 so I can enjoy the ride with everyone else.
So, do you think that we’re in another Golden Age of Television? What are some of your favorite shows on TV right now? How faithful of a watcher are you?