TV: Lover, Teacher, Friend

My wife always complains that I watch too much TV and maybe she has a point. I argue with her about it but, it is how I unwind and there are a lot worse things I could be doing with my time. Now, there could be better ways of spending that time as well however, I like what I like and I don’t think there is anything wrong with it. The thing is, I can list only a handful of shows that I watch on a regular basis. The Simpson’s, Arrested Development, Scrubs, Law and Order and I still catch ER. That is about it.

That amounts to only three and a half hours a week. If all I am doing is watching TV, you may ask what I am spending the rest of the time watching. The answer: nothing. Sometimes, I’ll catch a re-run of Seinfeld or a good movie will pop up on the dish. However, most of the time I am surfing, trying desperately to find anything watchable. When I moved into my house I dumped Comcast, which is the cable provider in our area.

It seemed like every month Comcast raised its rates without adding channels or improving quality. So, I went out and got a dish. The dish is much cheaper than cable and it came with a free DVR. A DVR is a Tivo like product, which digitally records shows for you. Its greatest feature is that is pauses live television. Often when I am watching a program like the Soprano’s, mid way through I will have to take a leak and now I can just pause the show and relieve myself.

So, I find myself on most work nights coming home and having only enough energy to put on the tube and vegetate out. Sure, I could do more worldly things like, read or plant a tree but I like to watch television and I am sick of feeling like a criminal because of it. I agree most network shows are crap. The recent wave in reality programming is only further proof of this. But to condemn all of TV because of American Idol would be the same as condemning all literature because of romance novels.

Watching TV is not hurting anyone and I am not ashamed of liking it. I cannot stand these people with their elitist attitudes who assume anyone who watches television is a drooling slob. There are plenty of quality programs out there if you look for them. Also, catching the Chapplele show or Family Guy can lighten my mood and only help in reliving any stress I may have had that day. So, I say stand up and admit your addiction to the tube. There are much worse things to be addicted to.