About this time last year, I found myself developing a character trait I did not like. Something that violated everything I learned growing up was happening.

I found myself disliking television.

At first, I wondered if I had changed. Had parenthood softened me? Did I develop too many outside interests? Had I become old?

Then I realized that I didn’t have the problem. Television did. The people in charge of the shows churned out so much garbage, I had started to reject pretty much everything.

We hardly had more than three hours of appointment television last season. I used to be able to watch that much in one night.

We would find ways to fill the time with other shows, but they didn’t speak to me the way I had hoped. We have never gotten into reality shows or some of the offerings you can find on cable.

One of the best developments was when we found reruns of “Magnum, P.I.” deep into our channel lineup. They made us laugh, but didn’t scratch the itch that a new network show does.

As the summer schedule took over – and our favorite shows disappeared for a few months – I worried about what would happen during the fall. I knew I could rely on a handful of programs, but wished that I could find myself excited about some new shows.

Commercials late in the summer gave me some hope that I would have more entertainment this year, but I worried that they would put all the funny moments in the advertisements to fool us into thinking that they actually made something worth watching.

Happily, I was wrong. I cannot believe that I have actually found four new shows that I liked to watch this season. That almost doubles the time I had planned to spend in front of the TV this year.

That might not sound like the most productive statement, but I don’t buy that bunk that TV destroys minds. Sure, if you watch bad TV all day, every day, but there is nothing wrong with enjoying some compelling drama or clever comedy. Remember, Shakespeare was criticized by some for pandering to the lowest common denominator in his time.

That’s not saying that the new shows “Modern Family” and “Community” rank up there with Shakespeare, but they make me laugh, which is all I ask for. In fact, the addition of four new comedies to my viewing schedule has me considering a very drastic action.

I might break up with “Grey’s Anatomy.” I have managed to put aside all the jokes about losing my status as a man because I watch the show, but I have started to consider cutting the cord.

We did the same thing with “ER” a number of years ago and never regretted the decision. I usually stick with shows to the bitter end, but I don’t like over-the-top drama in real like, much less on the TV.

When I turn on the television, I just want to laugh. I want to keep thinking and emotion to the bare minimum. I’m just glad to know that if I do drop Grey’s, I have lots of new shows to help me accomplish that.