"Fool me once ... shame on ... shame on you ... you fool me ... you can't get fooled again."
That classic quote by marble-mouthed former U.S. President George W. Bush while trying to conjure the expression, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me," pretty much sums up my attitude toward 3D TV.
I already got fooled once, by HD TV. So I know better than to be dismissive this time about the latest "advance" in the viewing experience.
Talk about "back to the future," huh? Enjoy the wonders of 1950s technology, today!
Anyway, about seven years ago when I still was working in sports, a fellow sports writer came into the office having just been to some sort of media conference about this new-fangled thing called high-definition television.
The writer said the gushing dudes at the presser had gone on and on about how HD TV was going to "revolutionize" the industry, particularly when it came to coverage of live sports events, but also in a wider sense.
My reaction: Yawn.
Regular TV is clear enough now, I thought. How much of a difference could HD possibly make? And might this be nothing but a rich man's toy?
Back then I never could envision myself purchasing an HD TV, but we all know what happened in the ensuing years. The decision essentially was made for me: These days, you can't even buy a non-HD TV.
I suspect that's exactly what will happen with 3D TV over these next few years, too. Before too long, you won't be able to buy a TV that does not have 3D capability.
At the moment, to be frank, I couldn't care less.
Everyone looks goofy in those 3D glasses, no matter how stylish they try to make them.
And in this world of feverish multi-tasking, is anyone really ready to commit to a "TV only" approach, even for a half-hour? Remember, once you put those stupid glasses on, you can't do anything but watch TV -- no typing, no texting.
But my previous HD indifference taught me not to yawn at anything any more. Many TV networks made their first forays into 3D in 2010. There surely will be more in 2011 and beyond.
Leaving aside technology and looking back at 2010 from a programming perspective, the biggest deal in Canada, of course, was the coverage of the Vancouver Winter Olympics, anchored by CTV and its partners.
The tone of the coverage was more Canada-centric than in the past. At times it seemed as if no other countries were competing. But certainly from a ratings standpoint, the nation responded positively to the approach.
Would it have been such a feel-good story had Canada's athletes not gone on such an impressive gold-medal run? Well, no, of course not.
But that's the nature of covering sports, right? When things go well, a broadcaster gets to reap the benefits if it can capitalize, and in this case CTV did.
HARRIS' TOP 10 TV STORIES OF 2010:
1. Vancouver Olympics captivate Canadians.
2. Conan O'Brien/Jay Leno fiasco.
3. Simon Cowell departs American Idol.
4. Lloyd Robertson going; Kevin Newman gone.
5. Glee becomes cultural touchstone.
6. Lost finale prompts kudos, confusion.
7. 3D TV makes inroads.
8. Rookie Modern Family wins comedy Emmy.
9. Mad Men wins third straight drama Emmy.
10. Omnipresent octogenarian Betty White.
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