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Badmovies.org Forum  |  Other Topics  |  Television  |  Wherein I've Pretty Much Given Up Watching Television « previous next »
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Author Topic: Wherein I've Pretty Much Given Up Watching Television  (Read 24625 times)
Killer Bees
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« on: March 24, 2008, 07:58:28 PM »

It all started when the writers went on strike.

I used to watch heaps of tv before that happened.  I had my fave shows I would watch religiously.  I'd get annoyed at the ads, annoyed at the networks switching show times and dates around without warning, annoyed at shows not starting on time and being finished abruptly to conform with arbitrary viewing schedules.

I put up with all that, just to watch my shows.  But since the strike happened, all the shows I love pretty much stopped and were replaced by repeats.  So I stopped watching for a while.  I bought DVDs, or read or listened to music or knitted.  Something else to while away my time.  And I discovered that I don't really care about tv any more - even my fave shows I'm just like, "meh".  Probably because I know that I can get them all on DVD and watch them at my leisure without interruption.

So now, I've torn off the shackles of the whims of network executives and advertisers promoting goods that are ecologically unsustainable (cars) or bad for my health (KFC) or just unnecessary (the seasons' latest must have clothing).

And I must say I'm much happier for it.  No longer is my daily schedule a slave to viewing timetables.  I seem to have more time to do everything I need to do.  I'm more relaxed when I come home because the house is quiet.  All my hobbies are getting more of my time and effort and the results are worth it.

I'm talking with my son more.  We spend more time bonding over the dinner table.  The dishes are getting done each evening.  There are actually clean clothes in the drawers and closets, no wet towels on the bathroom floor.  Floors are vacuumed, toilets cleaned.  Even beds are made.  All without rush or stress.

One of my new year's resolutions was to simplify my life.  I thought I was doing pretty well until I stopped the telly.  Now, the peace is amazing.  I highly recommend turning off the telly for at least a week.  You'll probably discover a wonderful life you never knew you had.
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Flower, gleam and glow
Let your power shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine
Heal what has been hurt
Change the fates' design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine
What once was mine.......
Oldskool138
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« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2008, 08:12:33 PM »

I stopped watching TV (with rare exception) a long time ago.  I only watch the news or sports.  I can't watch the garbage they're churning out.

Good for you.
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Zapranoth
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« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2008, 08:42:43 PM »

We don't watch TV either -- haven't for quite a while.   It's a good thing.   hot
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JaseSF
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« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2008, 11:02:41 PM »

Being a slave to tv timetables and schedules is a definite nuisance. I too found I could never keep up with it. That's what I think I love most about DVDs, it allows to me watch my favourite shows whenever I feel like it. And I've actually discovered by expanding my horizons and buying even more of the cheap DVD Classic TV collections that I actually like shows like Mr. and Mrs. North, Bonanza, The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. I still watch TV occassionally but my TV is almost always tuned into classic TV channels like Canada's DejaView, Prime and TVLand (we have about 6-7 channels here now showing mostly TV classics). These channels I can usually turn on whatever time I like and find something of interest on one of them anyways.
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Killer Bees
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« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2008, 12:58:30 AM »

Our networks have gone mad here.  Now they have sub channels to the regular free to air viewing.  It's called "HD TV" and you need a set top box to view them.  So it's kind of like cable but without the expense, once you pay hundreds of dollars for the box.

It's insane.  I refuse to buy one.  They are like highway robbers doing that.  It also seems like a half way house for all the z-grade "tv personalities" to go so they can still earn their undeserved huge salaries and still churn out mindless pap.

I seriously weep for our culture.  Buggedout
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Flower, gleam and glow
Let your power shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine
Heal what has been hurt
Change the fates' design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine
What once was mine.......
RCMerchant
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« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2008, 05:44:24 AM »

Welcome to the club!  TeddyR I've been without TV for quite awile now. Our satelitte was cut off sometime back.I watch dvds or vhs at just before bed...'bout it.
I don't miss it too much. I read (a lot!),read newspapers,listen to the radio,draw,walk ( a REAL lot!) and do work around the house. Never really watched TV too much in the last 10 years. If then...it was the news,documentaries and old movies.
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Jack
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« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2008, 07:44:14 AM »

I really should join you guys.  If it weren't for the wife and kids I think I would.  I never really "watch" anything on TV.  I'll record movies occasionally, but I find them impossible to watch because of all the commercials and the banner ads that pop up during the show.  Later I edit the commercials out, and add them to my collection.  And I almost never watch that stuff - I think I'm more interested in having a collection than in watching anything in the collection.  When you look at how much cable costs, I could use the money to buy DVD's and actually have a lot more to watch than I do now. 

But, the wife and kids would kill me, so...   Question 

And don't even get me started on my cable company's HD lineup, it's pathetic.  They want $13 a month plus $50 installation, and they've got about a dozen channels that range from uninteresting to unwatchable.  Half of their "HD" channels only have one or two shows a day in HD.  One of them was just showing something called "Dan Rather Reports" over and over and over all day.  It was their entire broadcast schedule for that particular day.  There's no way in hell I'm going to spend a pile of money to sit and watch crap that I can't even stand just to say "Oh, but the picture quality is amazing".
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asimpson2006
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« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2008, 07:53:21 AM »

I've pretty much joined the club for the most part.  Most of the shows I liked where shows back in the late 80's and early 90's so I pretty much just don't care for it anymore.  The only thing I still watch TV for is sports and the news.  Other than that is it. 

Personally I would just get rid of the cable TV at my house, but I don't pay the bills, so I obviously can't do that.  If I was on my own I wouldn't even have it to begin with.  Just have cable as my internet connection and just use the TV for video games and DVD's.

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Zapranoth
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« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2008, 09:18:54 AM »

You can't readily get rid of the TV unless you and your wife are on the same page about it.

But if you and your wife agree, what can your kids say about it?  Naw-thing.    And I've got to admit, I'm glad my six year old doesn't watch TV.
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Derf
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« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2008, 09:20:48 AM »

I finally got around to cancelling our cable subscription yesterday. It wasn't a planned thing to stop watching, but the whole family just kind of stopped turning on the set in favor of reading, internet surfing, or other things. I can't say I really feel like I have more time since it was a gradual thing, but I certainly don't miss it.
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« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2008, 09:31:25 PM »

I haven't cancelled my cable yet, but, I will say that maybe, 90% of it I ignore.  I think I watch maybe ten shows on a regular basis.
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Killer Bees
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« Reply #11 on: March 25, 2008, 10:21:24 PM »

I really should join you guys.  If it weren't for the wife and kids I think I would.  I never really "watch" anything on TV.  I'll record movies occasionally, but I find them impossible to watch because of all the commercials and the banner ads that pop up during the show.  Later I edit the commercials out, and add them to my collection.  And I almost never watch that stuff - I think I'm more interested in having a collection than in watching anything in the collection.  When you look at how much cable costs, I could use the money to buy DVD's and actually have a lot more to watch than I do now. 

But, the wife and kids would kill me, so...   Question 

And don't even get me started on my cable company's HD lineup, it's pathetic.  They want $13 a month plus $50 installation, and they've got about a dozen channels that range from uninteresting to unwatchable.  Half of their "HD" channels only have one or two shows a day in HD.  One of them was just showing something called "Dan Rather Reports" over and over and over all day.  It was their entire broadcast schedule for that particular day.  There's no way in hell I'm going to spend a pile of money to sit and watch crap that I can't even stand just to say "Oh, but the picture quality is amazing".

Dan Rather - what a berk  *lol*

My son has a little tv in his room.  I only got it about 6 months ago.  Before that we only had the tv in the living room.  He's still not used to seeing me on the couch with the telly off, even if I'm reading or knitting. 

He'd still rather watch tv with me, especially if we're watching the same thing.  Last night he watched Sarah Connor Chronicles in the living room while I was knitting.  I've been spending so much time in front of my work pc that I can't watch another screen at night - I've been getting bad eye strain lately.
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Flower, gleam and glow
Let your power shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine
Heal what has been hurt
Change the fates' design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine
What once was mine.......
asimpson2006
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« Reply #12 on: March 26, 2008, 12:11:28 PM »

Since my rents are thinking of switching from cable to sat TV I told what I would do If I was the only one living in the house, and paying the bills, I told him I would just get rid of the cable and just keep our cable internet connection.  I told him since I can get the news online which I pretty much do now anyways, and if I wanted to watch certain sporting events, I could either watch them online, (Usually a NASCAR race or similar to that), or go to a bar that I know will have it on.
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JJ80
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« Reply #13 on: March 27, 2008, 02:49:52 PM »

Nowadays they seem to oversell T.V programmes as much as they do movies. The listings magazines talk-up some shows like they were the elixir of life!
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Killer Bees
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« Reply #14 on: March 27, 2008, 10:46:38 PM »

Nowadays they seem to oversell T.V programmes as much as they do movies. The listings magazines talk-up some shows like they were the elixir of life!

I agree JJ.  Burn Notice was billed as the answer to all mankind's ills when it first aired.  I saw the promos and thought it looked like s**te, so I didn't even bother.  And that Women's Murder Club.  WTF?  Talk about lame-o.  That chick still sounds like she's smoked way too many cigarettes in her life.

Any time a show is billed as "must see" and "critics choice" or "taken the US by storm" I deliberately don't watch it.  Everything is overhyped and underdone.  It's like the overuse of sex.  They use it sell EVERYTHING.  It's information overload for me.  I don't even bother any more.
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Flower, gleam and glow
Let your power shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine
Heal what has been hurt
Change the fates' design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine
What once was mine.......
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