Confessions of a TV Addict

About 4 years ago, my television viewing habits were much different. If I were home and in the house, the TV was on, but it was usually set to Tech TV, the History Channel, The Discovery Channel, or something like that. It provided background noise and occasional entertainment to my life. I worked nights, so most TV held little interest. The only "regular" shows I made an effort to keep track of were Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and South Park. Then I met my wife.

Now I worked nights, so I saw her mostly in the daytime hours and on weekends and we were always doing something. Little did I know about her night time activities. You see, where I kept track of only a few shows, she had actual viewing schedules. One thing I found about her and her family, they take movies and TV seriously. Where I might use the TV as background noise while working on the computer or reading a book, they gave any Television or Movie their entire, undivided attention. I have been known to talk to a friend while "watching" TV, especially if the show was boring. Not them, not ever.

My personal taste in television tended to run to half-hour sitcoms, old movies, educational stuff, and some action, horror, and mystery. My wife prefers drama. To give you an example here is a list of shows I am fond of: Veronica Mars, NCIS, South Park, Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Eyes, Numbers, Supernatural, House, Bones. A list of hers: Grey's Anatomy, Lost, E.R., Heroes, Survivor, Crossing Jordan, Charmed, Amazing Race, Smallville. On overlapping shows I either tape mine, or go to the bedroom to watch on the small set. Her shows of course take precedence over mine. This is not an exhausting list or a current one of course, it is just an example of shows we view.

I have watched TV change over the years and many or the trends seem good, but many bad. For instance, why are shows taking long breaks with reruns in the middle of the season? This causes them to extend too long into the spring/summer. There are several shows right now that I really like and really want to see the season end, but I've really lost interest. The weather is good and the days are longer, and I need to be out working in the yard, and doing other stuff, not sitting on the couch watching TV. I am taping more to watch on later, but I am getting way behind. It sucks.

Another thing, who decided to stick so many crappy "reality" shows and contests on? I realize they are easy to make and cheap, but do people really waste their lives watching that crap? I realize everyone has different tastes. If everyone had mine, Eyes and Firefly would still be on the air, Veronica Mars would have already been renewed, and all CSI shows would have to have over-caffeinated cute Goth Chicks doing the forensics. I want imagination and an interesting story, not a bunch of dumb people trying to outwit each other. Of course, I am a probation officer by profession, so I guess I get enough bad behavior, back-stabbing and melodrama at work.

I can remember when Fox was a collection of crappy shows, cable TV was all reruns of Clint Eastwood movies, and network TV was bland imitation vanilla shows. Then Fox did something amazing and started given a chance to very different types of shows. We wouldn't have had the Simpsons, The X-files, or Married with Children if it had been left up to the Big Three networks. Of course the WB network came along. I remember it mainly as a collection of Kid's afternoon shows and really bad half-hour sitcoms. The UPN soon followed, except it had wrestling and Star Trek to add to the mix.

The WB had its version of a breakthrough with teen drama. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was the first time I took notice of the mini network. There was also Felicity and Dawson's Creek, ect. But Buffy and the spin-off Angel were more my cup of tea. My wife would later try to interest me in Roswell, and there were a few other show on there I watched, but Buffy and Angel were my mainstays. The UPN flew under my radar until Veronica Mars. I don't remember how I found it, but I was hooked. Currently only Veronica and Supernatural keep me tuned in to the CW. Even my wife is about to give up on Smallville, which has really lost any appeal it ever had other than the abundance of attractive people.

Fox currently has me with House and Bones, but I really wished they had pulled a rabbit out of their old hat and given Firefly a longer run. They really need to stick with their new series a little longer and stop hopping them all over the schedule so much. Give the show a chance to build an audience. I don't know if Drive was any good or not, because it started while I was on vacation and by the time I knew it was on the air, it wasn't anymore.

I have the same problem with NBC, ABC, and CBS. Give new shows a chance, make more innovative shows and stick with them. We don't need anymore Law and Order or CSI shows. Josh Wedon needs a new show, too long without him. Sign him to something, someone and get Nathan Fillion to star, maybe with Charisma Carpenter and Summer Glau, Adam Balwin, James Marsters, and Amber Benson. Couldn't help but not suck. We need more dark comedy/drama shows. Stop making stupid reality shows and lame game shows. Someone use some imagination.

But wait until fall, the weather is nice and I plan to spend my non-work time taking nightly walks, floating in the creek, and doing outside stuff. I'm not that big an addict yet.