Looking on Amazon I see you are correct in part, you can order a season pass for the current season of, e.g., CSI NY. However, "TV episodes are delivered as so

Looking on Amazon I see you are correct in part, you can order a season pass for the current season of, e.g., CSI NY. However, "TV episodes are delivered as soon as possible after the episode is aired by the network (usually the following day)" (Amazon's about-TV-passes page). That's not at all the same as watching it in its "proper" time slot on CBS via DirecTv or Comcast. If Intel offered show subs only on the basis of a 24-hr delay they'd be at a big disadvantage. They could make up some of the difference by offering a really smart dvr-type system with a clean interface (pay for all the Tivo patent licenses and go beyond them), so their set top box knows what you want and gets it automatically with no fuss -- but they'd still be selling yesterday's TV today. And the cable and dish providers can play the smart dvr card as well, with current content. And in any case, there are times when you want this minute's content this minute: news, commentary, sports. When Intel gets a contract to resell ESPN or Fox Sports Net, live, I'll be a believer.