A system and method for automatically loading, with minimal input by a user, programming data of a show to be recorded by a home entertainment system. Upon receipt of a first command, the home entertainment system produces an electronic guide screen for display. The electronic guide screen displays (i) a first plurality of shows currently being broadcast, and (ii) a second plurality of shows to be broadcast at a future time. Thereafter, upon receipt of a second command when one of the second plurality of shows has been selected, a screen menu is generated. If an option grid of the screen menu is selected to record a future-broadcast show, programming data associated with that show is automatically loaded into a memory configured to contain shows scheduled to be recorded.