Maybe you're one of those people who adore winter and all the snow-kissed merriment that it promises. If so, go suck a ski. I'd like to speak to the true Rochesterians, the ones who keep themselves warm by complaining about the low temperatures and the high cost of heating. If there is a silver lining to be found in the frigid conditions, it is that the cold-weather months make us feel less guilty about staying inside. No one worries that they're frittering the day away on the sofa when there's 2' of snow knocking at the door. No one sane, anyway.

So how will you spend your long winter's nap? You could do something productive, like clean out the basement. But let's be realistic. Maybe, instead of wasting even more time on the internet, you could rekindle your 20th-century love affair with television. Quality has skyrocketed now that anything-goes cable is in on the serial action, plus the proliferation of TV on DVD means your instant gratification will be sated when the next exciting episode is at your fingertips. What follows are just a few suggestions for your Netflix queue, maybe even enough to get you through to when the snow finally melts, roundabout May.

"The Wire" (2002-2008): Yeah, yeah; the world totally needs another person waxing about how astonishing "The Wire" is, but not for nothing has it been hailed as the best series in the history of television. This flawlessly written crime-drama spends time with heroes and villains on both sides of the law, exploring a Baltimore in decline through the failures and successes of its police force, its press, its City Hall. Season 4, which tackles the education issue, is a heartbreaker.

"South Park" (1997-present): There is no question that this crudely animated show centering around a quartet of foul-mouthed fourth-graders features some of the basest humor imaginable. (Mr. Hankey, anyone?) But look closer, past the poop jokes, and you'll find satire so subversive that it practically demands multiple viewings. One episode in Season 12 juxtaposed our internet addiction against an homage to "The Grapes of Wrath," while another addressed the recent writers' strike via more giggling digs at poor Canada.

"The Kingdom" (1994, 1997): Known in its native Denmark as "Riget," Lars von Trier's eight-episode miniseries focused on the supernatural happenings at a Copenhagen health-care facility called Kingdom Hospital (that's the name Stephen King used for his subpar American remake). An outrageous mash-up of "ER," "Twin Peaks," and "The X-Files," von Trier brought his filmmaker sensibilities to TV with sepia tones and verité camerawork, the results of which are genuinely scary and surprisingly slapstick.

"New York: A Documentary Film" (1999, 2001, 2003): Out-Burnsing his famous brother Ken, Ric Burns' comprehensive nonfiction account of New York City chronicles its 400-year evolution from a remote Dutch trading post to the most important city in the world. Originally intended to be just seven parts, the terrorist attacks of 2001 forced a bittersweet coda to the 14 1/2-hour documentary series, while other highlights, like the city's role in the American Revolution and its immigrant experience, are beautifully moving.

"Band of Brothers" (2001): HBO turned the late Stephen Ambrose's account of Easy Company's participation in World War II, from basic training to the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest, into a gripping 10-part miniseries brought to life by one of the finest young casts ever assembled. Though the script takes some liberties in the name of narrative, each episode features interviews with the real-life counterparts of the soldiers being portrayed, with Episodes 6 and 7, taking place during the brutal Belgian winter of 1944-1945, the dramatic standouts.

"Chappelle's Show" (2003-2006): He'd been kicking around since 1993 with bit parts in movies, but it took just 28 episodes of his controversial sketch comedy show for Dave Chappelle to realize that superstardom just wasn't right for him. Before his well-publicized flight from the spotlight Chappelle left behind some brilliantly funny observations on race in America, especially the first-season bits about a blind white supremacist who doesn't know that he's black, as well as a Miss Cleo-type psychic who makes predictions based on racist stereotypes.

"Newsradio" (1995-1999): Dave Foley, Maura Tierney, Andy Dick, Stephen Root, and the late, great Phil Hartman led the cast of this underappreciated sitcom set in a NYC radio station, that featured guests from Jon Stewart to David Cross to, you know, Adam West. Both physical comedy and smart, surreal humor abound, with Foley gamely playing straight man to the rest, most notably Hartman's pompous newsman and Root's deadpan station owner.

"State of Play" (2003): Perhaps you saw the 2009 film of the same name, with Russell Crowe as a D.C. reporter? Well, forget that and go straight to the BBC source material, a crackling six-part thriller about a member of Parliament, an investigative journalist, and the mysterious death that unearths a conspiracy. Bill Nighy originates the Helen Mirren role here, which includes an intriguing subplot about his relationship with a young reporter played by James McAvoy.

"My So-Called Life" (1994-1995): Relive your Clinton-era teen angst with this sweetly observed series about 15-year-old Angela Chase (Claire Danes) and everything she learns through her pursuit of the dreamy Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto). It touched upon topics like homophobia and substance abuse during its 19-episode run, then frustratingly ended just when it looked as though Brian Krakow's patience would pay off.

"Arrested Development" (2003-2006): Another show whose wide acclaim was met with viewer indifference, this sitcom, starring Jason Bateman as a man trying to keep his selfish family together, somehow placed the nuttiest characters in the most bizarre situations and managed to find the heart therein. Of course, if you've already seen it, put on a pot of hot ham water and dig it again.