Hi, my name is Tim and I have a problem. I’m a TV-aholic. This past week I had a problem of a different nature, though. I call it TV OD. I’ve come to the realization this week that I’m already burn-out on TV this (incredibly overcrowded) fall season and maybe this writer’s strike isn’t such a bad thing after all. Wait; just hear me out, ok?
I work 9 hours a day with a 45-60 minute commute each way, so usually by the time I get home all I want to do is just veg out. You know, have a little dinner and curl up on the couch for a couple hours before going to bed. Lately though, I’ve been finding it harder and harder to do this. It has nothing to do with me being tired or having other things to do, mainly it’s because I can’t just sit in front of the TV anymore. I know, I know. You’re thinking, “What kind of TV addict are you, huh?” In all fairness I still love TV; I just need to do other things in my life. It’s like I suddenly have a case of TV-ADD or something. My brain screams for intellectual stimulation that shows like Bionic Woman and Cane can’t provide.
Case in point, after missing a few of my favorite shows last week, I hopped on the couch and stayed in Friday night to catch up a little. After watching Heroes, Pushing Daisies and Bones on the DVR, I couldn’t even bring myself to think about watching Men in Trees or Friday Night Lights. Yes, that’s how bad it was. I PASSED ON FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS! I’m starting to think there might be something wrong with me. Who in their right mind passes on Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton and Taylor Kitsch’s abs?!
Then on Saturday I worked my usual weekend job at a local liquor store. Sometimes I’ll bring my old little 12″ TV/VCR and watch some of the things that I’ve taped… What? Tapes? Well, they’re these cartridges that have magnetic film inside that you can record TV shows on. Kind of archaic, I know. Anyway, I’ll watch things that I have taped over the course of the week. After seeing the stack of things I had taped I got a nauseous feeling in my stomach and passed. I have something like 3 episodes of Gossip Girl, 2 Reapers, 2 Smallvilles, 2 How I Met Your Mothers, 2 Big Bang Theories, 2 Weeds, 3 Dexters all just sitting and waiting. It’s like they’re calling out to me, “Pick me, choose me, Watch me!” like some whiny surgical intern from Seattle.
So my reasoning goes, maybe if this strike does actually happen I’ll be able to catch up on shows at a more leisurely pace. I mean, I certainly have a stockpile of things to catch up on already. I think I’ll just save these for when the re-runs kick in next month regardless of the strike or not. After all, there’s a silver lining to everything, right? 