I was wondering when and where FOX would get into the legal download TV show market and it’s too bad it’s not download to the computer, but only to special set top boxes. How useful is that? Might as well just PVR it for free … or am I missing something here? They are hooking up with DirecTV (exclusively?) for a few shows. Yes, for 24, no on American Idol.

Fox will sell access to episodes of “24″ and “Prison Break” for six to seven days after the initial broadcast for 99 cents.

By the end of 2006 it sure seems like many TV shows will be available somewhere online legally, but the first step is getting downloads authorized from the studios period. It seems almost criminal for what we pay for television that we don’t already have more tightly integrated internet and TV. It’s good though that FOX is at least dipping their toes in the water.