TV and Me: Not Meant to Be

[moonshayde]

I've come to believe that I'm just not a TV person. When I was a kid, I watched TV alot. I always finished my homework quickly and I never had to study much, so I had a lot of time on my hands. And I played outside like a normal kid. So, how I managed to watch so much TV is a mystery to me.

It was great. I watched so many shows that I can't count them all. That started to change when I hit high school. I didn't watch as much since I was busier, but I still managed to find some shows I'd stay with, such as Sliders and The X-Files. But even those shows were hit and miss. It took me two tries to get into X-Files.

I believe college killed my interest in TV just as it hindered my interest in reading liek crazy. I've since recovered and read again, though I am more likely to pick up a nonfiction book in my field over some fantasy book that sounds like it bought cliches by the dozen.

I didn't have a TV my freshman year of college and missed most of Season 4 of The X-Files. But it didn't bother me much. I watched a lot on repeats and I had a TV the following year so I kept up with the show that way. But I really just became a casual viewer of everything else, even catching a SG-1 episode here or there. You usually had to pull my teeth to get me to watch anything -- my brother got me into Smallville and I happened on Firefly by accident. I got into SG-1 while on a relaxing vacation and I watched repeats. I've watched it religiously ever since. It was all about timing and at the time, the show worked for me.

I've tried to get into different TV shows but it's just not my thing. I haven't gotten into Lost. I tried to watch House. The acting was pretty good and some of the stories were fine, but it's not my thing. I think the ship stuff on that show killed any and all interest I might have had for it. I casually watch Farscape when I can and I still have Dr. Who to watch. (But they don't count. If I have access to DVDs I'm more likely to watch a show -- something about the convenience of having it at my fingertips when I want.) I never liked Friends or ER. I barely watch SGA. I casually watch Eureka. I only casually watched TNG. I tried Threshold and it didn't grab me. I have no interest in the new Nightstalker repeats on SciFi and I quit watching BSG. The only show I don't watch casually right now is SG-1. And that's ending so...

My TV days might actually be going on a full hiatus soon ;)

Comments

[whisper99.livejournal.com]

I used to watch Buffy, Angel, Fraiser, SG1 and one by one, everything just dropped away and I never added anything new to fill in the available TV hours. So now all I have left is SG1...I do wonder what my TV life will be like after that one is gone.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

DVDs! ;)

[whisper99.livejournal.com]

Yep. *sigh* I'm gonna rent farscape and firefly for starters.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

I didn't watch that much TV until University, because mum was very strict about what we were and were not allowed to watch, so I didn't really have the opportunity. I can, however, pin point the exact moment I fell out of love with TV (I still like it, I mean, but I am nowhere near as obsessed as I used to be....probably because none of the shows I watch are on Canadian TV): it was during "Grace", when Sam was hallucinating, and I suddenly got *really* sick of UST, which is pretty much what TV is all about. Which might be why Farscape is so nice...

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

You know, I'm pretty sure that's what did it for me. Not the same example, but the sentiment. Every single show is all about the UST. I don't mind when the UST sort of naturally fits into the whole scheme of things but that can just be said to be natural chemistry. Chemistry is good. But when show after show demonstrates that the driving force of the story is UST and the whole willthey/won't they, I get bored and annoyed. Even if it's just a subplot, I get annoyed. It's why I can't watch a lot of TV. I don't tune in to see the angst of, OMG will they get together??? I find it kind of childish. But apparently lots of people like it and I'm in the minority.

[superbadgirl]

I watch mostly for my TV boyfriends...if I ever got a real boyfriend (or, y'know, any other kind of life), I'd probably watch a lot less TV.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

Heh heh. TV boyfriends aren't even enough for me. I think there are a lot of nice looking actors out there and characters that I enjoy. I just cannot force myself to sit down and watch TV. Especially shows that find UST to be the central theme. It gets old fast and it's so overdone it gets to be more than cliche.

[amycooper.livejournal.com]

I don't have cable. I don't watch TV other than dling SGA. I think I see where you are coming from.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

Wow, you watch less than me!

[betacandy.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty much the same way. I've gone years without watching any shows at all. SG-1 dragged me back, but it took a long time before I could watch anything else.

The reason in my case, though, is that I'm a very critical viewer (suppose Hathor might clue you into that, LOL). Watching shows that are already canceled on DVD appeals to me because it's like viewing a historical event rather than a train wreck in progress, if it jumps the shark.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

I was having a similar conversation with someone the other day. It's much easier to jump into a show after it's run is over. I do it all the time. I am more apt to tune into something in syndication or something on DVD or repeating somewhere else than to watch a show during its run. And if I do start watching a show while it's still on the air, it's usually late in its run. That saves some of the angst, but not all of it. I jumped into SG-1 midway during Season 7. I watched Seasons 1-4 (S5 had not yet started repeating on Scifi at the time) with relative ease. I enjoyed the show so much that I looked for the fandom online. That's when my stress began.

It can be argued that fandom is what started me on a downward spiral with a running show like SG-1. And in part, that is true. But it can't take the complete blame. When something is new, it's a hot topic. Emotions run high. You're in the moment. I was with X-Files from Season 2 onward so I know kind of "stress" accompanies a long running show, especially near the end off its life when it inevitably starts to unravel. So I'm reliving that with SG-1, just magnified by fandom even when I am barely involved in fandom anymore.

But when you watch a show that is over and done, then you don't have that same pressure. Sure, you lose the anticipation of new episodes, but the trade off is enough for me.

[betacandy.livejournal.com]

Fandom is very stressful, but it's my responsibility as a viewer not to let it get to me. Easier said than done.

I just didn't even venture into online House fandom, because the first thing I saw was a House/Cameron icon - way too Sam/Jack. So I watch the show without much emotional investment, and avoid the fandom like mad.