Of TVs, DVRS, and Other Initials
We got a DVR last year, and my TV watching has thus increased dramatically. The odd thing is, though I am a writer, I find myself watching more reality shows than scripted ones. Here is a list of my current shows:
Sunday -- Kerry Shook
Monday: The Closer
Hell's Kitchen
Treasure Hunt
Tuesday: Rock Star
Last Comic Standing
Wednesday: Rock Star
SYTYC Dance
Thursday: SYTYC Dance
Friday: Stargate Atlantis
Saturday: Nothing
Two scripted shows. TWO. (Three, if you count Kerry Shook -- a local pastor.) Out of ten. Now, during the reglar season, it's not so bad. I watch Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives (yes, i AM a heathen), Without a Trace, House, and Numb3rs, with the reality shows being confined to Survivor, and Amazing Race.
You'll notice among the list, tho, not a single sitcom is featured. I like comedy -- I like to laugh. What I dislike, above all things, is that blessed laugh track. DON'T tell me when to laugh, especially when most of the laughs on the laugh track come after something that's not particularly funny. Spend the money on a studio audience. They'll tell ya when something's funny. Plus, half an hour. It's not worth it to sit down and watch for a measly half-hour. Give me a nice 42 minute long show, with some funny parts and some not-so-funny parts, not a 22 minute show, when I can tell you from the get go, once I see the set up, what the plot is going to be, and what the jokes are going to be. Humor comes from the unexpected, and most sitcoms are tired retreads, IMHO.
Now, while I do like reality shows, I do not like ALL reality shows. I don't like freak shows. I don't like shows where the whole premise is to deceive someone (Joe Millionaire), or treat someone badly for humor's sake (Viva La Bam), or dating reality shows (Elimidate), or, really, shows where the contestants are in a confined space prescribed by the producers (Big Brother). I realize this includes Survivor, and as the seasons go on and on, I find myself increasingly bored with Survivor. I much prefer The Amazing Race, as there are so many variables. It's not a controlled environment. There was one season, one of the teams on TAR put gas in their diesel gas tank. Who could have predicted that? Whereas, on Survivor, you've got the bickering, the complaining in confessionals, the water challenges, the fatigue, the hunger, the chickies in skimpy bathing suits, blablabla. I don't care anymore. Call it the ER syndrome. Too much of the same thing.
Sunday -- Kerry Shook
Monday: The Closer
Hell's Kitchen
Treasure Hunt
Tuesday: Rock Star
Last Comic Standing
Wednesday: Rock Star
SYTYC Dance
Thursday: SYTYC Dance
Friday: Stargate Atlantis
Saturday: Nothing
Two scripted shows. TWO. (Three, if you count Kerry Shook -- a local pastor.) Out of ten. Now, during the reglar season, it's not so bad. I watch Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives (yes, i AM a heathen), Without a Trace, House, and Numb3rs, with the reality shows being confined to Survivor, and Amazing Race.
You'll notice among the list, tho, not a single sitcom is featured. I like comedy -- I like to laugh. What I dislike, above all things, is that blessed laugh track. DON'T tell me when to laugh, especially when most of the laughs on the laugh track come after something that's not particularly funny. Spend the money on a studio audience. They'll tell ya when something's funny. Plus, half an hour. It's not worth it to sit down and watch for a measly half-hour. Give me a nice 42 minute long show, with some funny parts and some not-so-funny parts, not a 22 minute show, when I can tell you from the get go, once I see the set up, what the plot is going to be, and what the jokes are going to be. Humor comes from the unexpected, and most sitcoms are tired retreads, IMHO.
Now, while I do like reality shows, I do not like ALL reality shows. I don't like freak shows. I don't like shows where the whole premise is to deceive someone (Joe Millionaire), or treat someone badly for humor's sake (Viva La Bam), or dating reality shows (Elimidate), or, really, shows where the contestants are in a confined space prescribed by the producers (Big Brother). I realize this includes Survivor, and as the seasons go on and on, I find myself increasingly bored with Survivor. I much prefer The Amazing Race, as there are so many variables. It's not a controlled environment. There was one season, one of the teams on TAR put gas in their diesel gas tank. Who could have predicted that? Whereas, on Survivor, you've got the bickering, the complaining in confessionals, the water challenges, the fatigue, the hunger, the chickies in skimpy bathing suits, blablabla. I don't care anymore. Call it the ER syndrome. Too much of the same thing.
posted by 1anonymousmom at 8:50 PM
1 Comments:
I remember when there used to be NOTHING in the summer to watch except repeats! Unfortunately for me, now I am a reality TV junkie! I think the attraction is seeing how strangers get along, watching the deceptions unfold, and observing how confined quarters make people deal with conflict. The embarrassing thing is that we tape (not DVR or TVO) most of these shows and my kids have really gotten into them just as much as me! CMgirl
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