I have a confession. I don’t really watch TV. There’s a variety of reasons for this – but the main ones are that I don’t like to sit still for any length of time and that I have better things to do. I have this problem with movies as well – I just can’t sit there and not do something else. It drives the Landsquid crazy.
I can occasionally pull up the motivation to follow a TV series (usually some scifi-related – the last two series were FlashForward and Warehouse 13 – oh, and Sherlock. Mmm, Sherlock ?) but most of the time I just can’t be bothered.
There is one exception. Mythbusters.
I am in love with Mythbusters. ? Science! And explosions! They get up to the oddest stuff and I adore them and everything they do. Have you seen the episode where they vaporize the car with the rocket sled? Best thing I’ve EVER seen in my LIFE.
I swear there is a point to this entry.
I will watch hours of Mythbusters. So why am I willing to watch it more than a scripted television show?
I have Theories. One is that I tend to be able to do something else at the same time and still be able to keep track of the show. Two is that I am Learning. Three is that there is SCIENCE.
I love stories. TV contains stories, but unlike a book or a game, it’s not interactive. (Although I admit I yell at characters during horror movies.) And more important than the story is the act of getting there. A television show will go on whether you’re paying attention or not. You have no control. With a book or game, nothing happens until you make it happen.
If you watch TV, what draws you to it?
(Also, it does not escape me that I have twisted a Simpsons quote for my title.)
I used to watch a ton of TV when I was younger. Now that I’m nearing *gulp* forty, I’m not too interested. I have too much to do AND I’d rather be writing.
I wonder, too, if you can develop ADD when you get older. I swear my mind wanders more now. Focus is hard. But I will tell ya, my family LOVES Mythbusters. I even have several episodes on my iPhone for the kids to watch when we go out and about. The love it. Those guys are hilarious. It’s great and the kids are learning as well.
I’m not big into TV either, but I do tend to watch it while I’m at the gym (all of our cardio machines have mini-TV screens attached). It’s multi-taking at its finest– I can work out, watch TV, and listen to my iPod. Best idea ever!
Until the other day, when they were replaying Mythbusters episodes and Car vs. Rocket Sled made me fall off the treadmill. O.o I’m also fond of the episode where they blow up the concrete truck. 🙂
Characters are what draw me into tv shows. I also have a penchant for watching mystery-related shows. Part of that I blame my grandmother for as she got me hooked on Murder She Wrote when I was quite young (I got her on Inspector Gadget, so maybe it is fair?). That morphed into watching Diagnosis Murder, then CSI. Then it was far too many. I like a puzzle and great interactions with characters. Of course, from student teaching and starting my new library job, I am now about a season behind on my favorites (Castle and the NCIS shows).