Turns out it's not that bad. I rode for an hour and a half last night before going to the pool, including the above mentioned interval workout, and I'm surprised to say that I did not want to blow my brains out at the end of it. Without Barney Stinson there to distract me using his antics with the ladies, it was much easier to focus on maintaining a steady high HR during the intervals. I even thought more about the need to make sure that the rest of my body was relaxed and using energy efficiently.
I'm not gonna say that I loved it, but I think the absence of the TV made the workout a little more worthwhile. I'm sure two weeks from now when the novelty of the lonely ride wears off, I'll be begging for a distraction as I do my trainer workouts. But for those of you that swear by the TV as your sanity on a screen as you put yourselves through a borderline unhealthy dose of discomfort, I would encourage you to check in with your biomechanics on the bike every now and then. Turn off the TV, and focus on your form - especially on hard stuff. Form is just as important as conditioning, and you mind find as I have that things can fall apart a bit when you get tired. I promise the exercise won't be nearly as miserable as you expect it to be... well... at least not for a single workout.