Matthew C. Nisbet, a professor in the School of Communication at American University, uses a recent study from the American Journal of Bioethics as a jumping-off point for his theory. The AJB study showed the effect that television medical dramas had on medical students, which turned out to be more than you may be comfortable with, if you've seen an episode of Grey's Anatomy. Nisbet's point, however, is that this isn't an isolated incident; the same type of thing happens to those who watch science fiction shows:

What we find among the general public is that fictional TV portrayals of science are not currently turning the public off to controversial biomedical research, at least among regular consumers of these programs. To the contrary, science fiction may in fact be preparing viewers for some of the real-life ethical and moral policy debates that are likely to arise in coming years, preparing audiences to think through the implications of startling new discoveries or research initiatives rather than react in an immediate "yuk factor" response.

What's interesting about this theory - backed up by Nisbet's own study - is that it takes into account many different variables that you might have imagined would skew the results:

This relationship stood even after controlling for education, gender, ideology, religious orientation, general support for science, science knowledge, attention to news coverage, and science documentary TV viewing (i.e. Nova, Discovery etc.)

On the one hand, I'm not too surprised by this finding; science fiction is a reasonably progressive genre, and definitely one that focuses on the illusion of new ideas, and so the idea that its fans would be open to new scientific breakthroughs makes sense. But on the other, the fact that fans were polled on "controversial biomedical research" and responded positively across religious and age lines is interesting. Do fans seek out science fiction because it fits with their worldview, or does science fiction reshape their worldview after they've become fans?

The House Debate: Can a Jerk Doctor Teach Ethics? And What about the "Gattaca" Effect on Perceptions of Medical Cloning? [Framing Science]

Re-Enact Your Favorite TV Show, All The Way From The Beginning
Sure, anyone can spend the day watching every episode of Buffy on DVD, but it takes some real stamina and dedication - the kind of dedication that you possess, dear reader - to take it that one step further. You can't do it alone, of course, but that's just one of the many benefits of this unsung pasttime: Being a community organizer didn't hurt Barack Obama's Presidency chances... and he never organized a neighborhood recreation of the scene where everyone gets shot at the end of Blake's Seven.

Write That Screenplay/Novel/Comic Book That You Know That You've Always Had In You
It's the perfect time for it; you're inside, you have all manner of sandwiches awaiting you so food isn't a worry, and television is going to be pretty much uninvolving for the entire day. What better opportunity will you ever get to flex your artistic muscles and open the faucet to let your particularly creative juices flow free? (Unless, of course, your day job is being a writer. In which case, never mind; it'd be too much like every other day. You should just pay more attention to acting out the entire first Rose McGowan season of Charmed or something).

Invent Some Scientific Breakthrough That Will Revolutionize The World And Make Your Name Known In Every Household Across The Planet
I know; you're all about starting small. But look at it like this - No-one is expecting anything like this to come from you today, giving you not only the freedom from expectations, but also the element of surprise. And just think of how wide a field you have to chose from to invent within! The only limit is your imagination, which means that you already have more chance of success than the people writing Sanctuary.

Consider The Evolutionary Potential For The Perfect Turkey That Comes Pre-Cranberried For Next Year's Thanksgiving
See previous point, but also consider this: If you could make this happen, but manage to patent the genetic code required, you wouldn't have to avoid next year's sales because you can't afford to buy anything. And when we come down to it, isn't that really the point?

Spend The Day Online, Reading Blogs, Looking At Porn And Then Playing Video Games While Thinking About Ordering Pizza Or Something
When it comes down to it, Black Friday isn't even a real holiday, so why should you spend it any differently than usual just because you're not at work (Unless you are at work, in which case... Well, we feel your pain, to be honest)? Just stay in that chair and keep reading us and maybe catch up on those episodes of Knight Rider that you've been secretly hiding on your TiVo. No-one needs to know. They're all out shopping, after all.