When DVDs hit the market a couple years ago, I was pumped. As a movie fan, I was looking forward to clearer resolutions and additional room for behind-the-scenes features that would hopefully enhance my viewing experience.

Little did I know that it would be the television-loving side of me that would most benefit from the advent of DVDs. I'm sure you noticed this past holiday shopping season that complete seasons of dozens of television shows are now available on DVD. Popular shows like Friends, The Sopranos and The Simpsons are just some of the programs you can now pop into your DVD player, and I believe this is the best way to watch TV shows.

The appeal of this is obvious, at least when it comes to diehard fans of a particular show. What's better than being able to watch episodes of your favorite TV show, without commercials, whenever you want? And much of the time, television shows on DVD offer longtime fans some other special goodies, such as behind-the-scenes features and deleted scenes.

Sci-fi fans who buy The X-Files - The Complete Fifth Season, for example, get not only the episodes but also a documentary about the show, as well as deleted scenes and promotional TV spots. Family Guy, Vol. 1 (Seasons 1 & 2) provides fans with six commentaries from the actors, as well as a behind-the-scenes feature.

But what if you're not a die-hard television fan? Television shows on DVD may still work for you. Suppose you've seen a show once or twice, liked it, but for some reason didn't have the time to watch the entire season. Thanks to your trusty DVD player, you now have a chance to see the whole thing. Hey, you never know: You might find yourself a new favorite TV show.

This has happened to me twice in the past year and a half. A little over a year ago, I rented the first season of 24 on DVD, and I instantly became hooked. Since the show is a spy drama with weekly cliffhangers, having the whole season at my fingertips allowed me to enjoy the series without driving myself crazy every week. Subsequent seasons of the show, which I had to watch from week to week, have not been as fun.

My second "DVD discovery" was the British comedy series The Office. I received the show's first season as a Christmas gift this past year and spent hours laughing hysterically at my TV screen as a result. If the show had not been available on DVD, I probably would never have seen this comedic gem.

Now, of course, being on DVD will not make a bad TV show good. If you didn't enjoy the Anna Nicole Show when it was on E!, you're not going to like the DVD. Still, there are a ton of good shows out there, ready to serve you quality TV, without the commercials.