I cannot give them my money, to watch it. I could wait a couple days for Netflix to mail me the DVD, but by then the impulse might pass.
TV is broken.
For instance, you could watch the West Wing Season 2 on iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/the-west-wing-season-2/... Or Amazon Instant Video: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0047N63NE/ref=tmm_aiv_titl...
If you want to make an argument, argue that distribution is broken. TV as a content production industry is still doing okay.
BTW - that was a good episode of the West Wing. While it was all done in flashbacks, you get to see the history of how people came to work in the West Wing. Donna's character particularly got more interesting after that episode. But you probably don't want to watch just that episode, it was the second half of a two-parter.
If the people who produce TV shows had good contracts, they could also sell me their content directly - with no middle men. Or at least, different middle men. There's no technological reason they couldn't.
I agree that you're right that it's a distribution problem.
But there's a supply of video, and a demand for video, and people standing in the way of that market. The people standing in the way are eventually going to go away.
...that's my belief, anyway. Until then, when I have money and want to watch a show, but can't, TV is broken.
How about watching something else while you order the DVD?