This is what I’m thinking:

*Time Warner Cable has done it again.

A local TWC spokesman said it doesn’t plan to make the Showtime Free Preview weekend in January available to local digital subscribers.

My memory is TWC wasn’t able to offer one preview this year because it didn’t do the paperwork in time.

This time, local spokesman Matthew Tremblay said the decision not to carry the Showtime preview was a regional one. He added TWC plans to focus on other promotions in January.

Sorry, I’m not fully buying the explanation.

Now that the pay-channel has received more Golden Globe nominations for series than HBO or any other TV channel, the free preview Jan.7-10 would have been must-see TV. Now it is No-See TV locally.

HBO actually has more Golden Globe nominations than Showtime with 12. But only four of HBO noms are for series – three for “Boardwalk Empire” and one for “Hung.” The rest are for movies and miniseries.

The Showtime nominees include Michael C. Hall and Julia Stiles of “Dexter,” Laura Linney of “The Big C,” Edie Falco of “Nurse Jackie” and Toni Collette of “The United States of Tara.” Additionally, “Dexter” was nominated as best drama and “The Big C” and “Nurse Jackie” were nominated as best comedy.

Showtime has more buzz than HBO at this point, but HBO has a huge advantage in subscribers.

Since HBO is owned by Time Warner, I can see some conspiracy theorists questioning why the Showtime preview isn’t on. Why promote something from a pay-cable rival?

The Showtime Free Preview includes the Jan. 9 fourth season premiere of “Californication” (starring David Duchovny) and the series premieres of “Episodes” (starring Matt LeBlanc) and “Shameless” (starring William H. Macy).

* Can’t we have a moratorium on the Sarah Palin interviews now that polls reveal that President Obama would hold a decisive advantage over the former Alaska governor if she got the Republican nomination for president in 2012?

This morning, “Good Morning America’s” Robin Roberts aired a soft, three-part interview with the reality TV star. How soft? It was from the Larry King School of Interviews.

Palin defended her shooting of a Caribou with a high-powered rifle on her TLC reality show. Aaron Sorkin, the writer-producer of “The West Wing” and “The Social Network,” was among the harshest critics of that scene.

Palin proudly asked Roberts if it was Alan Sorkin or Aaron Sorkin (see above). Once again, she revealed her depth of current events and pop culture. Roberts wasn’t much help, either, referring to Sorkin as a Hollywood “producer.” Sorkin is one of the best known television, movie and theater writers in the country.

* All right, I made it through all the tributes to Larry King on his CNN finale Thursday night. One had to leave his cynicism at the door as former President Bill Clinton, Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters, Katie Couric, Brian Williams, Bill Maher, Ryan Seacrest and many other celebrities celebrated the 50-year career of the radio and TV icon.

The highlights included Anderson Cooper explaining his bond with King because they both lost their fathers at an early age; Couric’s funny and moving rhythmic poem to King; and a King explanation of the Zipper Club of which he and President Clinton are members.  King explained that they both had heart surgeries, which meant they were stapled after surgery. Undoubtedly realizing that there are dirty minds out there, President Clinton thanked King for making the explanation.

* It must be a slow news time. On Wednesday morning, NBC’s “Today” led with the frightening scene in Florida in which a man started taking shots at School Board members before being shot to death. On Wednesday night – almost 12 hours later — the CBS Evening News led with the same story.

Now it was an incredible story with strong video. But I’m not sure it deserved to be the lead Wednesday night. It could have been played a little lower than that. But in TV, strong video is tough to beat.

pergament@msn.com

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