Control My Remote
March 1st, 2007 | by Scott |I watch too much TV. It’s keeping me from watching movies 
(And there is a whole slew of documentaries I want to see. And yes, I am that much a nerd.) I also find myself overwhelmed with keeping up with them all and keeping the DVR at a manageable level.
So, I have to trim some shows from my weekly rotation. I only watch TV shows from the beginning. I won’t start watching in season 2 or 3. It has to be from the pilot or I’m not interested. As a result, I get attached to a show or at least I get too comfortable to just hit the delete button. And since we got the dual-tuner DVR it’s even more of a problem.
So, I need to trim a few shows. I’ve knocked off a few in recent weeks: Monk, Psych, Desperate Housewives (after finally admitting that the show is horrendous), Studio 60, and Brothers and Sisters.
There are some shows that are untouchable, that I am going to keep watching: NBC’s Thursday Night Comedies, Gilmore Girls, Heroes, What About Brian, Jericho, How I Met Your Mother and House.
Here are the ones that are potentially on the chopping block:
24–I hate the torture. It goes against everything I believe. But I’ve watched from the beginning and I like the nuance of Jack’s character this year and the realization that torture is not the answer. But I have a moral dilemma.
Prison Break–It’s extremely repetitive and Wentworth Miller whispers too much.
Lost–My issues with this show are many. First and foremost is the fact that they have no clue what they are doing. And the fact that I don’t really like any of the characters except Hurley.
ER–This is a hard one. A couple of summers ago I watched the first 10 seasons to catch up and fell in love with the show. It’s not the show it once was, however and I find myself plodding along a lot of the time. The one thing keeping me going is the realization that last year will probably be the last and I hate to bale so close to the end.
Yeah, I’m a dork. You don’t have to tell me that.
What you can tell me is which show(s) should I scrap? Which one(s) should I keep on with?
Control my remote.
33 Responses to “Control My Remote”
By len on Mar 1, 2007 | Reply
I love How I Met Your Mother. This show should be promoted way more than it is by CBS.
You can’t cut 24. It is the only one of the 4 on the chopping block that I watch, so keep it. At least hang around to see if Logan has truly changed.
By greg on Mar 1, 2007 | Reply
I’m still hanging with Lost, but last night was not much. They need a good followup next week. I like Hurley, but I’ve always like Sawyer the most.
I’m still digging Jericho, too.
I still love Monk, even though I think it’s run it’s course.
ER is still on the air?? I thought it died off years ago. Scrubs is the only hospital-based program I can watch. (Grey’s Anatomy causes nausea and vomiting.)
By Jonathan on Mar 1, 2007 | Reply
I’m been watching ER for many, many moons and also consider it to be a shadow of its former self…but am holding on with the expectation that the end is near.
Did anyone else watch The Black Donnellys in Studio 60’s time slot Monday? I liked it enough to keep the season pass active.
By Scott on Mar 1, 2007 | Reply
HIMYM is up there with The Office and 30 Rock as the funniest shows on TV. Great stuff.
Greg, you are right. I like Sawyer. But I have really begun to find the show insufferable.
And I, too, am hanging around hoping that ER will end. And with this likely being Kovac’s last season, it looks like next year is it.
I did not see Donnelly’s but it’s being reshown tonight. I might check it out. But I doubt it.
By KS on Mar 1, 2007 | Reply
Prison Break is too good to get rid of. If it tries to go another season get rid of it though. 24 is worth watching. I’d drop the other two. My wife likes Gilmore Girls, so of course I watch it with her. Surprisingly good show.
By jasonk on Mar 1, 2007 | Reply
Well, you know how I feel about 24. Best show on TV. And today I saw in the news that the Army has asked Keither Sutherland to speak to the cadets at West Point AGAINST torture as an effect and realistic means of dealing with prisoners. Interesting.
I was so into ER when it first came out, and for a few season into it, but as with many successful shows, the characters in the last few seasons are there because of the success of the show, whereas the ones in the beginning were there because they were venturing out and willing to take a gamble. I haven’t watch ER in years.
Lost is a premise I never caught on to. I thought it looked awesome at first, with the plane crash and all, but when they started finding laptops and Starbucks coffee on the island, it was too much.
By Tracy on Mar 1, 2007 | Reply
Cut all 4.
By Belinda on Mar 1, 2007 | Reply
We now watch three shows on a regular basis: 7th Heaven, House, & Monk. I really used to like The Apprentice, but Donald Trump has gotten a little too full of himself. Now for sure everyone is going to think I’m nuts, but I love those judge shows! I think they’re hilarious. We tape Judge Alex and People’s Court. That Judge Alex is hot! And if you get Game Show Network, watch Love Connection sometime.
By Greg Brooks on Mar 1, 2007 | Reply
Drop all four like a bad habit. Or like 4 bad habits.
24–the writers quit in the middle of season one and their duties have since been delegated to Wooden Dialogue Generator 2.1 (Al Gore used version 1.0 in the 2000 election. John Kerry used the version 1.8 upgrade). The only thing good about 24 is Dave Barry’s commentary on his blog.
Prison Break–people watch that?
Lost–when you say “they have no clue what they are doing,” I assume you mean “the show’s creators have no clue what they are doing.” NOTHING EVER HAPPENS. I’m convinced the writers are just phoning it in–”OK, make it so there’s been people, like, living there a long time but they’re all, like, crazy or something and there’s a capsule that beeps.”
ER–come on, man. That show jumped the shark when Carter was a junkie. When he went to Africa it jumped down the shark’s throat. It’s time to ram a scuba tank down there and shoot that sucker.
By justin on Mar 1, 2007 | Reply
Black Donnely’s should be a miniseries… not a tv show. And honestly, it doesn’t ring true without HBO only language. I mean, you really think Black Irish guys are running around killing people and not dropping F bombs all over the place?
I say scrap everything but ER. I don’t watch it, but I have in the past. Its depressing, but at least its not people killing folks all the time.
By Lane on Mar 1, 2007 | Reply
2 words for you Scott… John Stamos. Come on, you can’t cut 24 for ER. Keiffer is such a better actor than Stamos.
That being said, I respect your viewpoints on the torture issue. Prisonbreak is indeed repetitive. I don’t think I could give up Lost just because I’ve invested so much into it, and if you miss one episode, you truly are…pardon the pun…Lost.
By Amy on Mar 1, 2007 | Reply
How do you even have time for t.v.? Don’t you read like 10 books a day?
By Scott on Mar 2, 2007 | Reply
Amy, it’s not quite that much. I’m reading some “church growth” books right now and I want to throw myself in front of a bus. Seriously to Christian publishing houses cut costs by not keeping editors on staff? A little trimming won’t hurt.
By Scott on Mar 2, 2007 | Reply
Greg Brooks gives the best solution but I don’t know if I want to be that extreme yet. At this point, here is the order of most likely to be deleted:
1. Lost
2. ER.
3. Prison Break
4. 24
By len on Mar 2, 2007 | Reply
Hate may be too strong a word for church-growth books, but I sure don’t like reading them. I’d be interested in hearing your recommendations.
As you are nearing 40 (like me!) do you find yourself wanting to distance from the numerical growth mentality? I think numbers matter, but a pastor needs to primarily concentrate on feeding and shepherding his people, and leading them to make an impact in their corner of the world.
By greg on Mar 2, 2007 | Reply
did you delete a post? my bloglines showed a post, but it’s not here…
By Scott on Mar 2, 2007 | Reply
Len, read “Simple Church.” It’s outstanding. It makes the contention that we do too much and we view only the bottom line.
Greg, yeah. I had a youtube clip of John McCain on Letterman saying that troops lives are being wasted in Iraq. I figured I didn’t need to point out the irony.
By Amy L. on Mar 2, 2007 | Reply
My latest addiction is “Deal or No Deal” - I am always amazed at the thought processes of the contestants and the genuine fun Howie Mandel shows while doing the job of host. It’s a good study of human nature and greed.
By matt elliott on Mar 2, 2007 | Reply
I’ve read “Simple Church,” and now we’re studying through it as a church staff. It’s outstanding. I hope big, simple changes are coming!
Finally read “The Time Traveler’s Wife” (on your recommendation) and loved it.
I have nothing to add about television. I think I’m done with it for the most part.
By Scott on Mar 2, 2007 | Reply
Welcome Amy. I like “Deal” but there is a technique in this new rash of game shows that I hate. The “WWTBAM” concept of dragging out the answers.
Bring back the style of Jeopardy. Just let us know if the answer is right.
By Scott on Mar 2, 2007 | Reply
Matt, glad you liked “Time Travelers.” Just a beautiful story.
I’m trying to figure out how to implement “Simple Church” here. I don’t see how yet. But it’s one of the best things I’ve heard in a while.
By greg on Mar 2, 2007 | Reply
I see. Okay, I looked it up on youtube. He said the same thing Obama said a couple of weeks ago. I noticed he’s already “corrected” his remarks, much as Obama did. They both should have just let it stand, though.
By Scott on Mar 2, 2007 | Reply
I agree. I find nothing “offensive” about either remark. But the conservative bloggers are awfully quiet about this gaffe.
By matt elliott on Mar 2, 2007 | Reply
I was a little put out that it was the DNC was who actually drew attention to McCain’s “gaffe”. And I was pleased to see Obama defend McCain.
By len on Mar 2, 2007 | Reply
Agreed that way too much was made about these comments. In this day and age you can’t make any kind of statement without being ripped to pieces.
Scott, don’t know where else to put this so I’ll go here. Awhile back you did a post about favorite blogs. I regularly visit many of those sites. Have you ever done a post about your favorite podcasts, if you listen to them? IF not, I’ll suggest that for a future day.
By Scott on Mar 5, 2007 | Reply
Len, I haven’t done anything about podcasts. I honestly don’t listen to them all that often.
By Les on Mar 7, 2007 | Reply
For what its worth, I read an article in Entertainment about 24 (In fact, Sutherland was on the cover) and how they are cutting a great deal of the torture scenes due to the influence this has on our troops in gaining intelligence by inappropriate means. It wasn’t just 24 either that is being pushed to make this change, there are others as well, though I can’t remember which ones. I want to say that LOST was also on that list. In any case, I would hang with it and see if there is adecline in torture after ths magazine article.
By len on Mar 7, 2007 | Reply
Jack used a cigar cutter on a man’s little finger Monday night. That’s not quite as bad as a drill into the shoulder, but it still make me cringe.
By Dan on Mar 7, 2007 | Reply
I’m astounded at the glee with which Christians can throw themselves into a television show that features (underlined) torture and violence, yet scream bloody murder (pun intended) if something resembling nudity is televised. Never could understand that.
By Scott on Mar 7, 2007 | Reply
Could it be the culture of violence that we have cultivated within the church.
By Len on Mar 8, 2007 | Reply
Here’s a moment of confession for myself. I am not going to go out and put a drill bit into someone’s back, cut off his finger, etc. I can see that stuff and move on. However, if I see lustful images or nudity it stays with me, and can be a serious stumbling block for me. That is why violence has never bothered me as much as nudity.
I don’t have a problem with sin being portrayed in the arts. That portrayal doesn’t mean my endorsement, or anyone else’s, of the action. I do have to watch how that portrayal affects me and my walk with God.
By Dan on Mar 9, 2007 | Reply
Here’s where I have to disagree, Len. If you can watch violence and not be desensitized, good for you. It’s not happening for the rest of TV-Land. And they’re not going out and killing and maiming, but they are a little less concerned about the value of human life. Just as you, viewing nudity, could potentially be less concerned about the value of your chastity.
And note, here, that I am playing devil’s advocate - I’m a huge proponent of free speech in just about all forms. But let’s not just dismiss one form’s impact out-of-hand because “it doesn’t affect me.”
By len on Mar 10, 2007 | Reply
Dan,
And sex isn’t getting out of hand in our culture? Actually, I think we both probably feel the same way. My comment wasn’t intending to say that violence is OK, but to offer a viewpoint as to why some cry out against nudity. We do need to be concerned against the violence portrayed in the media. A classic example would be The Departed winning the Oscar. While I haven’t seen it, the violence is reported to be over the top. That goes beyond tolerance of violence to wholesale endorsement of violence.