I'm shrugging off the shroud of secrecy and coming clean:
I watch a lot of TV. And only one of my shows airs on PBS. I am a mass consumer of pop culture and like others before me who have confessed to hairy toes and regularly ditching church meetings (I'll skip the links to preserve anonymity), I'm going to air my business right here on my blog BECAUSE I AM NOT ASHAMED. (Really I'm not linking because I'm lazy).
I remember sitting in the staff room during lunch one day (in my former life as a middle school teacher) and realizing that every single TV show people brought up, I watched. And I felt kind of embarrassed. Then I got to wondering why. It's not like it's the only thing we do around here. My kids are involved in different activities, I limit their TV, homework gets done, and if housework or dinner don't happen, it's not because of TV. We go for family walks and bike rides, we exercise, we keep the TV off during dinner and talk to each other, socialize with friends, and have regular date nights. Since we have a DVR, it's not like our lives are hostage to TV watching. We don't even turn it on until 8:30 when the kids are in bed. So why is it so embarrassing to admit that we watch a lot of TV?
Without further ado, I present my list of TV shows for you to goggle at, all pop-eyed and wavering between sheer amazement and judgment:
Drop Dead Diva on Lifetime: Seriously stinkin' cute.
Heroes: We really should give this up, but we're convinced that it can't possibly get worse and we've already stuck it out this long.
House: I'm a recent convert but totally in love
Castle: Nathan Fillion. How can you not immediately love this show? He rocks.
So You Think You Can Dance: I'm not sure how anyone can watch Dancing With the Stars after watching this level of talent.
The Good Wife: Me only show. Brand new with Juliana Margulies. I was impressed with the first episode. We'll see if it holds up.
The Biggest Loser: Me only show. I clean during the commercials when I watch it on Wednesday afternoons. It makes me happy to see these folks changing.
Glee: I'm on the verge of giving this one up. I don't think it's held up to the promise of the pilot. At all. And I hate the lip synching. It's so distracting. Jane Lynch makes it almost worth it. But tonight may be its final hurrah for me.
Modern Family: Tied with Community for my new favorite. So stinkin' funny.
Top Chef: Me only. I have no idea why this show makes me so happy.
Survivor: Me only. I can't explain. I just watch.
Grey's Anatomy: I'm so ashamed. (Me only.)
Private Practice: I'm even more ashamed. (Me only.)
Community: F. F-. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Flash Forward: I think this is showing a lot of promise. I'm always down for some good sci-fi.
Fringe: This is on the verge of becoming a Kenny only show because it's too freaky for me. But it's good!
Project Runway: Me only. And I make it work. I loves it.
Psych: Totally underrated. So funny.
SNL: Habit, I think. But we're always hopeful.
Now, assuming I haven't forgotten anything and not counting shows not yet on like 30 Rock, Lost, Chuck, or summer shows like Leverage, The Closer, and Burn Notice, (or the times Cash Cab is on the background while I make dinner), or the episodes of the Ken Burns national parks documentary we're saving for Sundays, by my math I'm watching approximately 19 hours of TV a week. However, since I watch everything on the DVR and skip all the commercials, when you subtract commercials (8 minutes for sitcoms and 16 for hour-long shows [and yes, that's the actual formula--check it yourself), I guess I really only watch closer to fourteen hours of TV.
And yes, I can rationalize anything, thanks for asking.
Anyway, can anyone beat that? Or is this just me?
Posts
How to Decorate Your Home with Canvas Prints
1 year ago
24 comments:
So, I have two DVRs, and I record a crap load of TV.
Glee is funny, but like you, it's not AS funny as I had hoped.
And I wasn't really feeling Modern Family. I actually took it off my DVR.
I am loving Community, with my boyfriend, but my new favorite show is FlashForward. Love it.
Oh, and I also watch all the reality TV too. Survivor, Top Chef, etc.
Oh, and tomorrow, I will finally join the rest of the world and be watching The Office in real time. I literally finished the last season last night, and watched the first two episodes last night. I am IN!!
Patrick grew up with TV; I did not. In the almost 20 years we've been married, we've both moved toward the middle (but it never occurs to me to turn on the TV when he's not home).
The only show I ever watched with die-hard regularity was Firefly, and we all know how well THAT ended. I'm convinced the Powers That Be canceled it just to spite me.
I catch stuff if P is watching. We've seen the first two episodes of The Good Wife, and it is seriously tempting me to break our iron-clad 10pm-bedtime-during-Seminary rule on a regular basis (we don't have a DVR).
I'll have to look into Flash Forward.
Oh! And Dollhouse: I watched the whole first season on Hulu and loved it. I think I missed the season premiere last week; I'll have to see whether it's on Hulu yet.
I totally agree with your assessment of So You Think you can Dance vs. DWTS.
And I like Top Chef and Project Runway, but they're not in my new budget-friendly satellite plan.
But other than that, yep, it's just you. (wink)
I'm a TV prude, what can I say?
I don't watch a ton but my favs are:
Grey's Anatomy (I'm with ya, Melanie. My secret shame)
Medium
The Office
And that's my serious dedications. Anything else is just catch it when I can/if I feel like it.
I fear I'm about shed any and whatever good opinion you had of me by admitting that House and SNL are the only shows on that list I have ever even seen, and I can count the episodes of each with my shoes on and one hand tied behind my back.
I got me some serious pop culture gaps, I guess.
Almost every one and then some (namely some extra Food Network and Bravo shows). No Drop Dead Diva or Heroes and none of the summer shows you mentioned (though I have others instead). We also have 2 DVRs. Most of my shows go upstairs and I watch them while I fold laundry or put the little one down for nap, but it's a bit excessive right now with all the new stuff starting again and trying to weed it down to what doesn't suck. I'm way behind. Oh, I know what ones you didn't mention - the Monday night CBS comedies - How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang, and 2-1/2 - plus that new one with Dharma, though 2-1/2 and the new one are quickly losing me. I have the other new 1/2 hour comedies you mentioned DVR'd but not watched yet. I feel the same way you do about Fringe and Glee. And I watch next to nothing live. Psych might be my favorite (next to Grey's, shhhh).
With all that, we record NOTHING on Friday or Saturday nights.
I haven't been much of a TV addict in recent years since we don't have cable or DVR, although I more than make up for it with internet addiction. I'm also fiercely loyal to a few shows. And now that I can catch things on Hulu, that's upped my watching a little bit.
Being married to a scientist must have rubbed off on me because I can't watch Fringe; I really tried (made it through three whole episodes) but it was, um, I'm trying to avoid saying way too dumb--let's go with just too improbable. And the mad-scientistish character seems like the oldest stereotype in the book, to me. (Could be 'cause I grew up with a dad for a scientist who also fit the mad-scientist mold a little too well.)
I also gave Chuck a good college try, but the storyline was too static for me and it's again just too absurd for me.
We're still loyal to 24 but only for reasons similar to your Heroes loyalty.
I always catch "Lie to me" on Hulu. Dean doesn't watch it with me.
I think Community's been very funny so far. Here's an exchange I had while watching the pilot with my brother (and which is way too evil to put on my blog, but which I can hide here in your comments):
Me: "The Office exaggerates things that really happen, but none of that [stuff that happens on Community] would really happen. And they use stereotypes. The Asperger's depiction was kind of cruel."
Andy: "Yeah, because someone with Asperger's might see it and not get the joke."
Me: "And it's not realistic. They just turn him into a funny mascot."
Andy: "Yeah, and [in real life] they're usually not very funny."
Oh, P.S. I've watched quite a bit of Project Runway on YouTube (I think I actually watched more of the Australian one than the U.S. one) and I think it's fun and fascinating--even though I'm greatly annoyed by how they stretch out a little bit of content almost past its breaking point.
love Castle with a passion. Its one of my favorite shows.
Project Runway
Top Chef
Flipping out
And see, I am always embarrassed because we just don't watch TV. At all. Sometimes. But not a lot.
We don't even have cable/dish/whatever and now in Michigan you can't even use the digital boxes to get standard channels. I wasn't even sad when I found out. My husband was, because of football, but that's all.
I watched the first two episodes of Glee online, and I think I'm done. I had high hopes, but oh well.
I will be watching Amazing Race online, also. I don't miss that show. Loveitloveitloveit. In fact, I better make sure to watch tonight.
I love tv and I LOVE dvr!! I watch quite a bit too, not all the same shows as you, but a LOT. (I feel exactly the same way about Heroes) Add in there America's Next Top Model (I LOVE THIS SHOW!), The Rachel Zoe Project, Design Star, and The Avatar (see my list is MUCH more embarassing than yours!), I'm down with that. :)
DWTS,SYTYCD, Idol, Biggest Loser, Office, Glee, ANTM, Project Runway, Grey's Private Practice, Smallville, Cougar Town. Also Daily Show, Colbert Report, Real Chance at Love, My Antonio, Tool Academy, ABDC, Kourtney and Chloe......I think that's about it.
I need to watch Top Chef and Flash Forward.
And I have no DVR. A technicality which I hope will shortly be remedied.
Have to put in a plug for my fav: Pushing Daisies. Luuuurve it.
We cancelled our cable and use the money to rent and buy full seasons on dvd. Then we do major marathons where our house slowly falls apart around us because some shows are more addictive than chocolate.
And I'm totally one of the ones with hairy toes.
I have wanted to watch Flash Forward. Has it already started? I really need to start.
I can't believe Office isn't on your list!!!!
But I love Project Runway too!!!!!
LY Melanie J.
I've got eleven of them, and I'm totally into The Good Wife right now. I do not watch DWTS, lame lame. And we love Modern Family (even thought One Million Moms made me send a letter saying I think it's a bad show, I still watch it.)
Well, thanks for that. I watch more tv than you do. Sort of. If there are no football games on then it is 16 hours (minus commercials, blah, blah, blah).
I suppose I should mention I only follow 2 football teams so I don't watch all day Sunday and then Monday night - but that is still 6 hours if there is no overtime and they finish the game on time.
So without football it is 16 and with football . . . more than that.
I am so ashamed.
You've given me a few to check out. Thanks, like I needed more stuff on the DVR. We can record on two TV's and so I record on the kitchen one and Phil records on the Family Room one. He watches dumb stuff. I watch interesting stuff which he thinks is dumb. Many of your choices are also mine.
I thought Modern Fam last week was so so endearing. I am excited about it. And I totally agree with you on Glee. I had high hopes, but it is trashy and cheesy. Not my fave combo.
If you like Nathan Fillon, you should check out "Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog". It is a TV/movie episode(not sure which) made just for internet. Nathan Fillon is "Captain Hammer". Neil Patrick Harris is "Dr. Horrible".
I'm guessing you'll like it by the list of TV shows you list.
I started watching Castle because of the above show. I love the Office, and started watching Community. I'm more of a if it's on, maybe I'll watch it. But I don't miss an episode of The Office, even if I have to watch it on Hulu the next day.
I started watching Psych and the Man joined me, only because I stole the remote and he didn't want to move off the couch. Now he's the one that gets all excited when a new show is on. AND he's critiquing the Project Runway clothes right along with me!
WOW. I don't have cable (which means no TV for us) but my husband is a TV junkie who downloads shows or watches them on Hulu.
I do like Chuck, Heroes, Smallville, and American Idol, but haven't seen any of those shoes in over a year.
Maybe I should rejoin the world of entertainment. :)
I used to watch a lot of tv, but as the kids noise level increases, my desire to fill the quiet hours decreases. Psyche... is one of the few that sneak into my quiet hours no matter what. I love that show.
I just had to come back and say that last night's episode of The Office sucked. Boo. Not funny, and they are starting to make Jim and Pam unlikeable.
I watch all of that stuff.
For the record, I grew up without a TV and it has made me a TV addict in my old age. I read, watch movies, but I also engage in television-related activities. There is such good stuff out there, and with a DVR there is a lot less wasting of time mindlessly watching whatever is on.
Have you tried out Vampire Diaries? It's actually pretty good.
Post a Comment