I so rarely see rivers on the TV show, I'm not sure. By the time it gets to the river, someone's usually gone all in and the cards are turned up in anticipation of the river.

That's what sucks about the TV shows. All they ever show you are the big hands. You don't ever see the smaller hands where the players are feeling each other out, which makes following what's going on nearly impossible. (Like, the "why would he ever do that" moments. He did it because of traits he saw in his opponent in the omitted hands.)