Elvis Costello "Spectacle" Marathon Today

By Blurt Staff

Sure, we know that a lot of the programming on the Sundance Channel is, uh, kinda crunchy. But there's a lot of fine independent cinema as well, and there's also the occasional music-related anomaly that makes it a good bet a few times each day.

To wit: the recent Elvis Costello-hosted talk show Spectacle, which to date has featured EC kibitzing/schmoozing with Elton John, Lou Reed, President Bill Clinton, James Taylor and Tony Bennett. Sure, sure -- some potential MOR snooze amid all the schmooze. And at times there's a visible level of awkwardness that's either fascinating or cringe-inducing; the first segment, with series executive producer Elton John, almost had us laughing as the two men kept trying to get comfortable in their bizarrely-constructed modified wingback chairs.

That said, some good conversational gems as well as some solid performance nuggets (Costello does a song or two each episode) make it pretty close to must-see TV. What, you'd rather watch Rock Of Love?

Starting today at 5:00 pm EST, the first five episodes will be rebroadcast back to back, which sounds like a reasonable way to get geared up for your New Year's Eve festivities. Check your local listings....