Oh, dear. After all these years, it's finally happened.

After swearing off being a regular watcher of any particular TV program since about 1996, I finally have a show I hate to miss.

It's not my fault. Meerkat Manor is freaking addictive. That, plus the "cast", a group of wild meerkats being studied by scientists, are collectively the cutest li'l fuzzy things on TV.

[HEY, we thought we were the cutest! -- Captain and Stanley]
[You're the cutest li'l fuzzy things NOT starring in a TV series, how's that? -- Meowmy]
[Purrr, that's better. -- Captain and Stanley]

Unfortunately, Animal Planet puts Meerkat Manor on at a time that I'm normally busy: Friday evenings. But the good news is, they replay their programming multiple times during the week, including at least one late--night rebroadcast on Friday night/Saturday morning. So if I'm not in front of the TV during the original showing of the program, you can bet I'll be glued to the set during one of the repeat showings.

This week's ads have been giving me a nervous breakdown. They're making it sound like one of the important male meerkats is going to head to Meerkat Heaven before the episode is out. :o( It wouldn't be the first time we've seen a familiar character go to meet its maker -- this IS the wild, after all, and longevity is the exception, not the rule. But geesh, I hate when that happens. You get to liking the little fuzzballs after watching them, ya kinow? Yeah, I know, I'm a big softy and I'd like them regardless. Still, Mother Nature is one tough cookie, and I can't help but feel sorry for them when misfortune strikes.

If I had to guess as to which of the three characters might be at the greatest risk, it'd be Carlos. He's the alpha male of a newly-established, very small family group, which hasn't got a fixed territory and keeps trespassing on its neighbors' feeding grounds. His whole group could end up getting their tails whooped if they get caught poaching, particularly since the neighboring family groups all significantly outnumber Carlos's little gang. Plus, Carlos already has a nasty bite from a previous clash with another group's dominant male... if that gets infected, it could spell disaster; Mother Nature doesn't exactly hand out antibiotics to injured critters.

Plus, the other two males named in the ad, Zaphod and Houdini, are referenced in the opening credits. If one of them is the unlucky meerkat, the opening credits will have to be re-edited accordingly.

We'll all find out soon enough. I'll probably be sitting up watching the late-night rebroadcast tonight, if I know me.