Use the holidays to give your TiVo new marching orders! Here’s an overview of what to watch, and what to banish from your TV forever.

At the end of the year, after the presents are unwrapped and the tree starts dropping needles and the sugar cookies start to taste stale, most of us get a strong urge to engage in a little cathartic purging. Gazing out at the wreckage of the holidays, we’re seized by the impulse to rip down the lights and sweep the tree, the decorations and all the unwanted presents out the front door — along with our brothers-in-laws. Most of us fight off this urge, though, and spend the week shuffling aimlessly around the house in dirty socks, nibbling on stale sugar cookies and chuckling halfheartedly at our brother’s wife’s father’s stale jokes.

Rather than sinking into a post-holiday stupor this year, why not take some of that shuffling-and-nibbling time and dedicate it to clearing the detritus off your TiVo? You may not be able to return those unwanted gifts, but at least you can cancel your season pass for a few unwanted shows, and reassess your TV-watching priorities for the coming year. Remember, thanks to DVR technology, your TV is no longer in control of you, you are in control of your TV. Always remember that you’re the boss!

That means that you don’t turn on the TV "just to see what’s on." You don’t relax and waste a little time with your TV before dinner. You give your TV an inch, it’ll take a mile. That’s the way TVs are made — it’s their nature. They’re constantly trying to push your boundaries. "Oh, so you enjoyed ’Jeopardy,’ did you?" your TV asks, trying to sound casual. "Well, then, I bet you’ll enjoy ’Wheel of Fortune,’ too." Six hours later, you’ll regain consciousness, confused and soiled and halfway through your fourth "E! True Hollywood Story." Click Here!

Personally, I’m getting the upper hand on my TV this week, and I’m starting by ripping some of the old standbys of the reality genre off my top 10 once and for all. Because no matter how many times my TV lures me into watching another season of "Survivor" or "The Apprentice," I never really emerge a better, more satisfied person for it. In fact, after the second hour of the two-hour season finale, I want to hurl myself over the nearest cliff. Is my TV trying to kill me?

Remember, just because those reality shows suck you in, that doesn’t mean you really, really want to watch them. Maybe you just want to see who wins in the end. The key to taking back the power your TV has over you rests in recognizing which shows you watch only because you’re curious about what comes next. Like sitting through a "Law & Order" repeat to see who killed the girl or wading through your 100th episode of "ER" to see if the guy with the rare degenerative disease lives, sometimes you get wrapped up in the suspense but you still don’t enjoy yourself.

That said, with shows like Bravo’s "Project Runway," or CBS’s "Amazing Race," the scenery and the antics along the way consistently make the ride worthwhile. If you’re in the mood for something a little more campy and ridiculous, you’ll want to include either Fox’s "Skating With Celebrities" or ABC’s "Dancing With the Stars" on your short list. "Beauty and the Geek" and "American Idol" are also coming back in January, but I’d definitely classify both shows as the sort of serious time drain that your TV will kill you softly with, if you let it.

Finally, I have to admit that "America’s Next Top Model" has a permanent place on my season pass list, mostly because Tyra Banks is quickly transforming into an egocentric she-beast who threatens to swallow the known universe. It just seems wise to keep an eye on her right now.

Onward to the comedies. Ideally, we like our comedies to be funny. This means, by my calculations, that they should make us laugh out loud occasionally. If you’re smiling slightly throughout the show, but never laughing? Well, that means you’re mildly amused. Remember, if being mildly amused is your goal, you can always amble down to your local mall, sit on a bench, and watch. Mild amusement is just an Orange Julius, a mumbling bag lady and a gaggle of backfat-sporting teenagers away.

But if what you seek is hearty laughter, you’ll want to steer clear of most of the sitcoms your TV is currently foisting on you, with a few notable exceptions: NBC’s "The Office" is good for at least two big laughs per episode, which is exactly two more than you’ll get from the other sitcoms. "Everybody Hates Chris" and "My Name is Earl" are both solid, chuckle-heavy shows, depending on what you like better, smartass kid antics or broke degenerate antics. Just don’t let your TV convince you to watch NBC’s "Four Kings," a midseason show about a bunch of slacker guys who live in an inherited apartment. I know, I know, Seth Green is in it, but the pilot really isn’t good. The only sure thing, of course, is the measly four-episode return of "Chappelle’s Show," but that doesn’t even happen until late spring or so. Oh, Mr. Chappelle. Why won’t you compromise your artistic integrity for us? We need you, now more than ever!