Is it just me or has TV gone to hell? There was a time when my frustration level with television revolved around the fact all the good shows were screening at the one time I couldn’t manage to tape them all. Now I struggle to find even one decent show a night to watch. Of course I could spend my evening doing something worthwhile like, you know writing that book I’ve been talking about, cleaning the house or learning to do something useful like sew. That way my daughter’s school uniform wouldn’t be creeping upwards to unacceptable levels because she insists on GROWING, or the hem of my second-best work trousers would no longer be dragging undone on the ground, tripping me as I walk.
But no instead I sit transfixed by the flickering light emitting from the box in the corner even though my choices are reruns or reality shows and I don’t really like either option.
What is this obsession with reality TV? For goodness sake it’s a custard tart it’s not worth crying over. Really, if I cried every time I screwed up dinner I would be a sobbing, hysterical wreck every night of the week.
I made it through a fair portion of The Block. Which was ironic really, watching others dealing with their renovation disasters while we sat in our own unfinished home. I could have just turned off the TV and set Mr Shambles to putting up the architraves while I argued with him, got the kids to tape it and created our own TV show.
The talent shows have come a long way since Bert Newton’s New Faces unleashed a funny harbour bridge rigger onto the world, hello Paul Hogan. Australia’s Got Talent has glammed up and repackaged the concept, but remains one of the few shows where even a stripper can make it to the grand final!
As for the singing shows, The Voice, X Factor – people if you sing and you can’t manage to get your head on TV at the moment you really need to reconsider your career choice. It’s helpful if you have a back story with a bit of drama that will make the sobbers in the audience (aka me) have a little cry and hope against hope you make your way through, it also means you get more air time than the talented one with a nondescript history. Strategy is important.
Then as a last resort you could tune in to Lara Bingle or The Shire. I’ve lasted about six minutes on each. You can’t be serious, THIS IS TIME YOU CAN’T GET BACK, do you really want to go to the grave knowing you devoted hours to watching these people debating their plastic surgery or dealing with angry calls from Nana about their nude photo opportunity for the paparazzi? Apparently we still have “fashion entrepreneur and social superstar”, Brynne Edelsten’s reality show to come. Is there no end to this madness?
Please Mr/Ms TV Execs tell me our insatiable appetite for watching others trapped in manufactured situations, unleashing their emotions from bitchy to manic to tearful, is almost over. What? You are bringing back Big Brother? God help us. Can we at least get some new episodes of NCIS just for a little bit of diversity?
i’m no help, janine – i don’t watch tv. except now that the olympics are going to be on – i’ll be right with you, eating popcorn and enjoying.
so, good luck with your challenge. best wishes, n
You have to cheer for James Magnussen in the swimming – he’s a Port Macquarie guy!
I agree with everything you say. Except your distaste for Big Brother 🙂 I am not sure why, but every year I devoted 3 months of my life to that show, and loved it. I’m excited about its return. There. I said it.
Now you have outed yourself, you Big Brother lover!
I feel like I’m turning into my parents. With the show that seems to holds my interest the most is the news and even that gets turned off after the first headline (mainly because I feel that my children will be exposed to enough violence in the world without having to watch it over dinner). I can recommend Death in Paradise on ABC. It is a bit of a corker. Happy viewing!
I think we are all turning into our parents Bron! Yes I don’t mind Death in Paradise – unfortunately we can’t get the ABC on the shiny, bright, expensive new digital tv, so it depends on how keen I am to move into the cold of the other lounge room to watch it on the old faithful 13 year old set which still has all the channels!
This is why I read.
I’ve always said you were a sensible woman Diana.
We gave up on TV last year, mostly because we’re too cheap to pay the $85 a month for basic cable here in the US. So we rely on Netflix DVDs and streaming, much cheaper.
I’m always looking for things that both my wife and I can watch together. We’re in the middle of Downton Abbey right now. Would you recommend McLeod’s Daughters ?
Wow $85 a month – my husband would never go for it! We would be doing the same as you guys. Re McLeod’s Daughters I didn’t get into it but it was hugely popular here when it aired. Any Aussie fans of McLeod’s that can add to that? Speak up.
I tend to catch up with things I like on IView or watch DVDs like Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Wire, etc, every night: there’s so much good TV coming from the States!
I am a sucker, however, for singing and dancing (call me an aspirational watcher) and I’m completely suckered into The Voice (now the US version). I prefer shows where it is about the talent (not about the competition). And I too get all choked up – the last episode I watched, the contestant’s father was dying that very day in hospital of cancer. I bawled. I know I am being manipulated but I can’t help it…
Yes I saw that episode, know you weren’t alone I was crying about her father too, while my family hurled their usual jibes about what a sook I am. I think I’m going to have to start doing the Iview, DVD thing. I just need to figure out how to get Iview up on this dammn new tv, know it can connect to the internet but struggling to get it to work, me and technology we are such friends!
It’s true – tv these days has gone down hill. Of course, 90s television in the US was really where it’s at in my head. I find myself enjoying some key sitcoms and a few teen dramas, and that’s about it these days. My two favorites are Big Bang Theory and New Girl these days.
Oh, and in my 4 years of high school I couldn’t convince my mother that I needed a new skirt and by senior year I was definitely wearing an inappropriate skirt. But we all had shorts on under our skirts anyway, so I guess it was alright 🙂
Yes my kids love those shows too. And what is it with wearing the shorts underneath? My eldest won’t leave the house without her shorts under her school dress.