Underrated/overrated

UNDERRATED

HDTV: Like many viewers, we looked at this as a pleasant but boutique extravagance. After a post-holiday splurge, we have to admit: It kind of rules. The trick will be keeping this from making our burgeoning TV habit a crippling disorder, but with choices like seemingly 3-D reruns of the BBC’s “Planet Earth” and mind-bogglingly sharp sporting events, consider us hooked again.

Blue Note: Jazz may not occupy the same prominence it once enjoyed, but we’re grateful this label has remained a constant for going on 70 years. New signees such as the Bird and the Bee and Aaron Parks show it will keep evolving beyond what traditionalists consider jazz, but this is a perfect month to revisit its remarkably deep and influential back catalog as well. Jazz still rocks.

--

OVERRATED

“30 Rock” guest stars: As the awards add up, we’re not alone in saying we like this show. And we get that it’s been struggling for ratings, but surely there’s a better way than stunt-guest-casting every episode with Steve Martin, Salma Hayek and Jennifer Aniston. Hey, NBC: The rest of the inmates at this workplace asylum (Kenneth, Frank and Pete) kept us coming back too.

Animal Collective: Most haven’t even heard of this yelpy cult rock band, but those in the know bought its critically acclaimed new album, “Merriweather Post Pavilion.” The vinyl pre-release cracked the Billboard charts, but we fear this emperor still has no clothes. The live shows are messy atonal workouts, and past albums hit us as uneven takes on inscrutable art-rock. What are we missing?