BY JIMMY PIRAINO
PRIDE STAFF WRITER

I can’t speak for the community at large, but I, for one, am sick and tired of commercials. But I often find myself in a bit of a pickle. While I may hold a deep-seated hatred for commercials, I have an even more powerful love of television.
For instance, take The Office. I have been a loyal fan since its inception. But I find it hard to justify allocating half an hour of my night to watch a 20-minute show with 10 minutes of commercials.
So herein lies the dilemma: How can I watch my favorite shows without having to sit through all the advertisements?
Luckily, we all live in a society full of technology that can help us avoid the over-saturation of commercials in our popular media. I feel it would be prudent to state at this point I will only be examining the legal ways to get around commercials, though I still acknowledge that there are alternative methods to access these shows free of advertising that are not strictly legal. You will just have to discover those on your own.
The first method I would highly suggest trying out is a digital video recorder (DVR), or Tivo device that is becoming standard equipment included in cable television packages. Not only does this free up time, but gives you complete freedom over when you view the show. But do not underestimate the power of your Tivo! I know a surprising amount of people who do record television shows, but still watch the commercials on recorded programs.
Another great service is Hulu.com. While many might be familiar with the website and its television offerings, Hulu has a premium service that expands its video library and adds several great features. The only downside to Hulu is that there are still commercials, though they average about four per episode watched, which is a far cry from the dozens on regular cable.
The premium service is called Hulu Plus, and it provided complete seasons of most shows currently airing on CBS, Fox, ABC, and NBC. With a Hulu Plus account, you can also watch episodes on your iPhone, television, or even Playstation 3, with support coming soon for the Xbox 360. Hulu Plus service is available for $9.99/month.
My favorite service for skipping commercials is Netflix. In recent years, Netflix has made a huge push towards its Instant Watch feature. While the Instant Watch program began with only a handful of television shows and old movies available, it now boasts over 100,000 different titles to watch instantly on various devices, including new releases and television series.
In the past year, Netflix has made deals with Microsoft, Sony, Apple, and Nintendo to release Netflix Instant Watch applications on hardware from the different companies. That includes the iPhone, iPad, Xbox 360, Playstation3, and Wii. And all devices are available to stream High Definition content as well. Netflix subscriptions start at $8.99/month.
While all of these methods are great ways to move towards a commercial free lifestyle, they all have their various pitfalls. But if you are looking for a new way to enjoy your entertainment, free from endless odes to McDonald’s McRib sandwich and whatever hideous shoes Sketchers is trying to sell to kids, just know you have a way out.