Thursday, January 7

Am I Outside the TV Mainstream?

I was recently reading a copy of Entertainment Weekly and perusing the list of the top-rated television show, and it occurred to me that I may not be "with it" anymore (like I ever was). 

I am quickly heading near 50 after all -- it is just a little less than 19 months away.  I know there was a time that I was familiar with most of the top-rated television programs (like MASH and All in the Family), but I suddenly realized I had not seen any of the top 20 programs listed in EW.  None.  Nada.  Zilch.  In my defense, the listing was for the week of December 14-20, 2009--a slow TV week with lots of shows resorting to reruns. 

The number one show that week was NCIS.  Who watches that?  I have never watched that show and I likely never will.  More than 20 million people did watch it however, but not me.  I know that handsome Mark Harmon is the star, but I have no idea what NCIS even means.  I know it will probably be my final Jeopardy question someday, but I will lose.

Three of the top 12 shows listed were various versions of CSI.  I haven't ever watched any of them.  They must be good shows, because they continue to multiply like the Duggars, but I don't see the appeal. 

Three of the top 15 were related to Survivor.  I never got into Survivor this year.  I watched the first season, and I tried to watch another season once since then, but not this year.  One night, I saw a few minutes of the opening credits in high-definition and the tropic scenery did looked amazing. 

Number 19 on the list was a Saturday Night Live special called SNL Presents:  A Very Gilly Christmas.  I'm not a big Gilly fan, but I probably would have watched that if I happened upon it.  As anyone who saw my 12 Days of Christmas posts can attest, I like SNL.  I know it can be terrible sometimes, but it has always been like that.  There is occasionally a gem (very occasionally this season).


Anyway, I thought it was weird that I didn't see any of the top shows that week.  I'm sure I watched something that week. 
There are some "popular" show I like.  Really!  Here's a list of shows I usually record on the DVR--  Intervention, Hoarders, Modern Family, The Middle, Cougar Town, 30 Rock, Community, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Brothers and Sisters (Shane), Desperate Housewives (me), Nurse Jackie, Curb Your Enthusiasm, True Blood, Big Love, Glee, Saturday Night Live, The Suzi Orman Show, and Judge Judy

I had you until Judge Judy.  I had you until Judge Judy.

3 comments:

Bob said...

You had me all the way through Judy.
I.Love.Her!
And this NCIS CSI nonsense? No. I used to watch the Miami one when we lived there just to see how much they filmed there: none!

Mark in DE said...

You had me until Judge Judy!! ;-)

Don't feel bad. Just because shows are 'popular' does not necessarily mean they're good. Think of all the people in wildly different demographics who likely watch those 'popular' shows. Middle American farmers, tweens, Grandmas, thugs...

Mutty said...

It's a bit like that for me too. We've got 'Celebrity Big Brother' on the TV over here right now. I was hard pressed to name two of them without looking them up on wiki....

Personally I'm thankful I'm out of touch with the 'me me' culture these days....

Nice blog :-)