Lack of TV by Dru Ann Love
It had to happen to this TV addict. It had to happen to this award show addict. What has happened? Well for the award shows, they rarely nominated a show that I watched, so it was useless to watch the Emmys or the Daytime Emmy since I don’t watch the few soap operas still on the air. I stopped watching the Golden Globes and the People Choice award shows because I knew less than one percent of the nominees – okay maybe five percent. The Grammys – who are these artists that are half dressed – wait, hardly dressed. I think the only show I still watch is the Oscars and that is to see what people are wearing.
Oh, and let’s talk about TV shows. Back in the day, my whole week was taken over by the TV shows I HAD to watch. Now, I calculated I watch one show on Sunday (Equalizer), one on Monday (9-1-1) and two shows on Thursday (Young Sheldon and the new show, So Help Me Todd). Nothing else enticed me to watch. They need to bring back shows like Columbo, Murder She Wrote, Mary Tyler Moore Show, Remington Steele and so on.
So, what am I doing when I’m not watching these four shows, I’ve been reading. Post pandemic my book reading was 2-3 books a week, now it has picked up to 3-5 books a week. I’ve been reading a lot of advance reader copies, mostly non-cozy titles with a few cozies in the pack. Last week I read a historical thriller and enjoyed it. A few weeks ago, I read a book that took place in Ireland. Everyone who knows me know I do not read books where the location is outside of the U.S.A nor do I read historicals. But lack of TV viewing is opening me up to branch out my reading habit.
So, has the lack of anything caused you to increase other things?
Dru, I agree completely. I hope networks will return to story programing. I miss it so much. My go tos have become Ted Lasso and other Apple TV and Prime Video series.
I’m glad your reading rate has picked up. And historicals? Go for it!
I haven’t watched much TV in years. I sometimes watch a streaming show with Hugh (Anika, The Indian Doctor most recently), and otherwise wait for new seasons of Call the Midwife, the Crown, Grantchester, and the like. (Which, as I typed that, I realized all take place in the past except Anika.)
Dru, I don’t watch much TV because I’d rather do other activities. Sometimes I turn the TV on when I’m cooking, but then I get distracted and have to clean the stove after things boil over. I like the British series and some Netflix series too. But I agree with you that Columbo, Murder She Wrote, Mary Tyler Moore Show, Remington Steele, and similar shows were better than what they broadcast now! Are we showing our age??!!!
probably
LOL!
Loved the blog and all the reactions to all TV shows!
I used to always have the tv on in the background while I worked (if I didn’t have music when I was writing), but now, I rarely turn on the TV. We have a few streaming services, but mainly my husband watches those — though I admit, I was addicted to watching Wanda Vision (it was unique and was doing flashbacks to the shows we loved) and Slow Horses (based on an excellent crime fiction series – on Apple)
Dru, I think we were separated at birth. I will watch The Equalizer, but if I do watch TV which is rare, I’m turning to reruns. I think it also boils down to there is SO much streaming, and people don’t know what’s out there. Remember the days when you could open TV Guide? As for the awards shows I can tune in to news stories and social media to find out what everybody wore. Very interesting post.
Dru, I think we were separated at birth. I do watch The Equalizer. I think my problem is there is so much streaming, I no longer know what’s available. Unless it’s a show I want to watch, I rarely turn my set on. As for the awards programs I can see what they wore on the news/social media outlets later. :/ Very interesting post.
Except for Remington Steele, all the shows you mentioned are streaming in the US (Steele is available for purchase but if you’re going to buy it seems to make more sense to buy the DVDs than to buy from AppleTV). JustwatchDOTcom is a very useful site to see where shows are streaming in one’s country.
Columbo – Tubi (free but I think has commercials)/Peacock/Roku/Freevee/Fubo (don’t know this one)
Murder She Wrote – Peacock/Roku/Freevee
Mary Tyler Moore – Amazon Prime/Hulu/PlutoTV
There are channels/streamers for pretty much every genre of tv/movie – eg. Shudder for horror. I have IZZY for Israeli tv/ movies.
There are still a lot of shows I like. Did drop several this season but picked up 2 new ones – Monarch (love night time soaps about music) and Alaska Daily (good and I get to see Hilary Swank every week).
People may tell you to get a streaming service because “it’s only $$/month”. All those onlies add up. Most will give you a free trial. However, there is one I think you’d like – Broadway HD. Mostly Broadway shows, some British productions, some plays that were on PBS a long time ago (The Glass Menagerie w/Katherine Hepburn is there). Nothing that’s currently running on Broadway obviously but a lot of good shows (I recommend Memphis). A little pricey but less than the cost of one full price Broadway ticket.
Dru, you might enjoy some of the limited mystery series on PBS. Blackbird Murders is quite good.
Ack! That should have been Magpie Murders.
I miss Murder, She Wrote and Golden Girls. But I do enjoy Young Sheldon, and The Goldbergs, I’ve found the lack of good TV has brought me to audiobooks. Instead of cooking or doing chores while watching, now I listen. I go through at least 2 a week, it’s great!
Dru Ann, I’m with you on my TV watching habit. So many choices, and most of them not with the time.since I’m not a TV addict, there are enough exceptions to satisfy me. Lois’ suggestion for the PBS mysteries ins a good one. My husband likes The Equalizer, and I watch that one with him. Most of the time, when he watches other shows, I’d rather read!
We watch a lot of new…or maybe I should say the news is on a lot and I’m not really sure if you should call it “News” as so much is just talking heads now. We have a few streaming shows we watch at night, but day is filled with other things for me! It is so different from my childhood where that was such a prominent part of my life –now my memories.