by Jeffe KennedyI might be the worst possible Word Whore to kick off our week on most loved and hated TV shows, because this is my TV cabinet.
Oh, there's a TV in there, but it's usually hidden away unless we're watching a movie. We don't have cable, satellite or even an antenna. We not only don't watch TV shows, we really can't unless we get them from Netflix. Which we do from time to time, especially if people really wax on about one show or another.
I know this annoys people, when I say we don't watch TV. It makes us sound like douchebags. But we made a deliberate choice many years ago (around 15 years ago) to disconnect the cable and only watch what we made a considered choice to watch. I viewed it as breaking a habit. We were also paying off bills at the time, so throwing that considerable chunk we paid each month for TV at a debt instead made good sense. Without TV, we spent our time in other ways. We watched movies we rented and when they were over, we read or worked on projects. After a while, we didn't miss it at all.
We never went back.
This was a fairly easy choice for me because I'd been trained early on to minimize TV-watching. My mom only let me watch an hour each day, which I nearly always used up on the 4pm reruns of Star Trek. Oh yeah, baby. Star Trek and the later reboots will always be among my most loved TV shows.
So, now, we sometimes Netflix shows, which can be a funky experience because I'm always a season behind everyone else. When people are tweeting spoilers about this season's Castle (a show I do enjoy, thanks to sister Word Whore KAK's suggestion), we've just gotten last season's on disc. We followed Californication all the way through - David just loves some raunchy David Duchovny - and United States of Tara. We liked Glee, House, Nurse Jackie and The Tudors. A few others we've tried and bailed on pretty quickly. However, since I let all of you filter for me, I rarely see a show I hate.
Lately I'm hearing I should watch Downton Abbey, so it's in our queue.
So, you all tell me: what am I missing?
I tend to do the same thing, hardly watch the "real" TV much at all. I'm behind on series too so I'll watch what recommendations you get!
ReplyDeleteSo far I'm hearing the new season of Glee isn't all that great, alas.
ReplyDeleteWe have a gazillion tv channels, but to be honest: I only watch the History channel for Pawn Stars. I watch movies on DVD a lot and series once they're available on DVD. I hate watching a good movie or series and have it interrupted every 5 minutes for commercials.
ReplyDeletesome favorite series: Marple (the first 3 seasons with Geraldine McEwan), The Walking Dead, Twin Peaks, A Touch of Frost, Game of Thrones, Sons of Anarchy
Pawn Stars sounds hysterical! We watched an episode of Game of Thrones while on vacay and liked it. Waiting for that to come out on disc. I'll have to check out the others! Twin Peaks - you mean the old series, right?
ReplyDeleteNathan Fillion, FTW!
ReplyDeleteOh, Sullivan, I love Marple. McEwan adds just the right touch of cheek to Christie's "harmless" detective.
I have to recommend the "new" Sherlock with Cumberbatch. I can't wait for Season 2 to air.
ah, yes - I've been seeing things about Sherlock. We should check it out. Marple, too, yes?
ReplyDeleteYou probably aren't missing anything. Don't get me wrong, I watch a lot of TV even if I do sometimes I wonder why. I couldn't get rid of cable, though, because then I'd miss out on football and Hubs would miss baseball. I'm also into Biggest Loser and reruns of Grey's Anatomy. Both of which I could probably live without if I made myself.
ReplyDeleteI hear a lot of people like Grey's Anatomy. But yes - neither of us watches sports, which removed the main reason to have "real time" TV.
ReplyDeleteFor you, I might recommend "Coupling". It's a British sit-com that we have found very amusing. And I happen to know that Netflix offers it.
ReplyDeleteOoh - never heard of that one, Kev. Will add it to the queue!
ReplyDelete@Jeffe:you should definitely watch Marple.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes: Twin Peaks- series from the 90's from David Lynch.
Does it make me old that I watched Twin Peaks live when it first broadcasted? Would be interesting to watch it again.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason my owner didn't watch it 'live' was because she didn't have cable back then. We rewatch it regularly I'll confess and it keeps its charm.
ReplyDeleteGood tip! And now I'm wondering what David Lynch is up to these days...
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