So what’s a TV critic have to be thankful for on Thanksgiving 2006? Quite a lot, thank you.

When I tell people what I do for a living, many reply, “There sure is a lot to criticize!” Yes, people like to joke about the banality and vulgarity of television. And that’s all true. But I’m of the opinion that television has never been better.

Sure, it’s my job to help you avoid spending too much time with turkeys like “‘Til Death” and “30 Rock.” But do we give enough thanks for “Lost,” “NOVA,” “24,” “The Wire,” “The Shield,” “Frontline,” “The Office,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” “The Sopranos,” “Country Boys,” “Bleak House,” “Broken Trail,” Turner Classic Movies, “My Name is Earl,” “Adult Swim,” “Prime Suspect,” “The Simpsons,” Jon Stewart, Lauren Graham, Hugh Laurie, Keith Olbermann, Conan O’Brien, Jim Lehrer and too many others to mention?

I’m thankful for the writers who are thinking of new ways to keep me baffled about “Lost” and the camera operators who stay out of the frame on “The Amazing Race.” I’m thankful for (and humbled by) the journalists, their crews and translators who risk their lives to report from places like Darfur, Palestine and Iraq. I’m thankful those dreadful political ads are no longer running. I’m thankful for the NBC executives who decided to give “Friday Night Lights” a full-year pickup.

I’m thankful for the publicists who bury me in a mountain of tapes, disks, e-mails and all the information that goes into this column. I’m thankful for the postal workers and UPS, FedEx and DHL drivers who bring this cornucopia of information and swag to my door. I’m thankful for my cheerful syndicate editor, who points out all of my dumb mistakes. And, of course, I’m thankful for the newspapers that run this column and the people who read it every day.

Yes, this critic has plenty to be thankful for. And so do you. When it comes to television, there’s never been more of it, and there’s never been more to appreciate. If you’re confronted with something you don’t like, you can always turn it off.

Today’s highlights

¢ John O’Hurley hosts “The National Dog Show” (11 a.m., NBC).

¢ Howie Mandel hosts a two-hour “Deal or No Deal” (7 p.m., NBC).

¢ Tobey Maguire stars in the 2004 comic-book fantasy “Spider-Man 2” (7 p.m., Fox).

¢ Betty struggles on the day after Thanksgiving on “Ugly Betty” (7 p.m., ABC).

¢ Fresh murders may be linked to a bygone era on “CSI” (8 p.m., CBS).

¢ A car accident fills the hospital beds on “Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m., ABC).

¢ Abby attends to a bus crash on “ER” (9 p.m., NBC).