[ April 2020 ] Quarantine TV Habits: What are you watching?

[DaveNV]

Now that I'm retired, even without the quarantine, I'd be staying at home more than I was. So I'm trying to practice my new normal for day to day activities. A certain amount of TV watching was bound to happen, but lately, especially with daytime TV, I'm watching a lot more of it than I thought I ever would. (Lousy weather has helped a lot with that.) In addition to all the usual cable TV channels, network channels and so forth, we also have Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Apple TV Plus. It's a fancy TV smorgasbord in our house.

I thought I had reasonable TV watching habits before all this, but now? All bets are off. I'm watching an awful lot of the Science Channel, Discovery, History, Smithsonian, HGTV, and PBS, with a smattering of shows on weird other cable channels I never paid attention to before. Some of the channels I thought we used to receive seem to be subscription now, so watching old movies (AMC Channel) and so forth isn't an option. Oddly enough, the cable news channels I used to watch have little to no appeal to me anymore, and I rarely watch. I'll watch network evening news and a half hour or so of local evening news, but that's about it. Morning shows like Good Morning America and the Today show are just not interesting anymore, as are none of the follow-on chat shows. Too much drama and fear-mongering, I think, and pseudo-famous people marketing their latest project. I won't ever watch anything that preys on people's fears, is filled with political propaganda, and hatred thinly disguised as "news."

What surprises me about all of it is the amount of repetition. Even on the same day, it seems some shows are repeated, or within a few days it seems the same shows are on again. Some shows with new titles contain a lot of footage from previous shows with different titles. (Discovery is famous for that. I've watched the same tiger sharks eating fledgling albatross chicks on so many shows now, it's become something of a joke.) There is a woeful dearth of intelligent programming all over TV these days. I'm not a snob, and I'm relatively easily amused, but seriously? This is what we're spending so much money on every month?

When this is over, I'm going to seriously evaluate how much TV we need, and what we want to pay for. We're spending a lot of money for not a lot of product. It's almost like buying a timeshare from a Developer. (HAHAHA! See what I did there? )

So what are you watching? Anything interesting and fun? Tell me about it - I'm looking for something new.

Dave

 

[Luanne]

My television habits haven't really changed. I don't watch much television during the day, most of what I watch is news. I turn the tv on when I get up, mostly as background noise and "watch" GMA. During the day I may watch MSNBC while I'm sorting and folding laundry.

In the evenings I'll watch whatever show/series I'm watching at the moment. If there is nothing else on I'll watch Law and Order reruns. Then the evening news before turning out the lights and going to sleep.

And remember, I'm a "Survivor" junkie. Heard "Amazing Race" is coming back on May 20 so I'll be watching that.

 

[TravelTime]

I watched The Morning Show on Apple TV+. It was entertaining. I like the cast: Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carell, Billy Crudup. Dickinson was interesting too but might be more of a millennial show. I liked it but not sure it's for everyone. For All Mankind was good but a bit slow moving.

 

[Panina]

I decided to use the record option for That Girl . I remember watching the last few shows in my youth. It just started year one and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I appreciate seeing it in episode order.

When I am done with That Girl, I think I Dream of Jeannie will be what I look for next, then Gillian Island, the Muensters, Carol Burnett Show and Petticoat Junction, each in some way giving me a good memory.

I have been watching the Voice and Live it or List it. I often put on the Food Network to see if something is of interest.

 

[rhonda]

Strangely, I'm just not much of a TV watcher. I don't like having it on except when we intentionally sit down to watch something together on the weekends.

 

[PigsDad]

Sundance channel has been airing Hogan's Heros episodes that I have been recording. I never really watched it much in the past and it has been fun to see them now.

Kurt

 

[Quilter]

We’re at our DD with 8 mo in the house. We watch Baby Bum in YouTube. Every once in a while we get a big person’s program although we rarely see it all in one sitting.

DD usually starts day by asking Alexa to play Christian music through the tv.

The only piece of furniture in the living room is a giant U-shaped sectional. Baby Land is nestled in the center with baby fence going corner to corner.

When baby gets up from nap he’s very mellow and will watch a Grande Designs (Netflix) with us. That might last for 1/2 a program. I tried a new PBS series one day but you can’t concentrate. I found garden videos on YouTube channel.

It seems the 3 of us adults are always on the move.

 

[VacationForever]

We don't watch TV shows, just sports. We do watch alot of Amazon Prime and Acorn shows and this week we are watching an old British series called LoveJoy.

 

[spirits]

I have been watching a lot of CNN lately due to the Covid 19 happenings and the Trump factor. I actually enjoy listening to Chris Cuomo and find his closing monologues very uplifting. Not political here...it's just that I enjoy how he frames his arguments for a position.

Then for some levity my husband and I just finished watching Season 3 of Ozarks. OMG. The first two seasons were intriguing but this last one just blew me away with the acting. Wendy just stole the series...she is an amazing actress and in a show with 3 other strong female characters they tore up the screen with their outsized personalities. Lady Macbeth had nothing on these four ladies.

With our lives being mostly turned upside down with the social isolation and distancing my husband and I have been doing....Ozarks felt like we were just at home with normal mayhem and not the one that was just outside our doors.

Having said that....here in Canada we seem to be following established medical protocol and our world seems more or less sane. Keep calm and carry on...our British inheritance is our bedrock for social behavior. Boring never felt so safe.

 

[Paul_C]

I totally agree with you, @[mention]spirits [/mention] Ozark is one of my favorite series of all time! Laura Linney was phenomenal. Everyone in this season was exceptional! But I have to say that this 3rd season was the best ... so good that we binge watched the season in four days. Of course, we have nothing but time these days!


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[IuLiKa]

I do not watch TV usually but now that I am home I have more time. I just finished Schitt's Creek on Netflix.. Season 6 is on Amazon Prime for purchase. My husband watches Ozarks he is hooked on it.. can't do it.. I need happy stuff.

 

[Glynda]

We DVR a lot of shows on cable to watch later, fast forwarding through commercials. I only set it to record new episodes but like you, I'm finding the same shows I've already seen listed as new but changed in some way. Re-runs listed as Fan Favorites or such. We're watching lots of Netflix. Ozark now.

 

[Paul_C]

One more to see is Tiger King on Netflix. Hard to believe but it’s a true story. Has Anyone else seen it?


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[IuLiKa]

If anyone enjoys classical music, I recommend Mozart in the Jungle on Amazon prime. One of my favorite shows... I am thinking to watch it again.

 

[Glynda]

One more to see is Tiger King on Netflix. Hard to believe but it’s a true story. Has Anyone else seen it?


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I saw it. A train wreck but couldn't stop watching.

 

[Passepartout]

We don't watch a lot of TV. Between dog walks and the occasional quick dash into a store (masked of course) I listen to NPR (mostly talk- and I'm getting tired of non-stop CV19) during the day- then in the evenings it's usually PBS documentaries or travel/cooking shows. We have to get the travel fix vicariously now. We aren't movie buffs, and so there's a lot of 'it's on for background noise' going on. We have been teaming up in the kitchen and later in the evening we talk, call the distant 'kids', I spend waaay too much time on TUG.

Without TUG, I'd be a basket case! Might be one before long anyway! Oh, yes. Gardening. I'm hoping for a little warmer weather. Still below freezing early mornings so we can't put out the plants we brought in over winter and they've overstayed their welcome.

Jim

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

New shows, new to you shows (which may be old, but you've never seen), or tolerable reruns?

This is going to seem "old school" in current times, but maybe dvd block seasons of tolerable old shows?

Some examples from amazon:

All five seasons of Miami Vice - $35

Twilight Zone Complete series (156 episodes) - $53

Complete I Dream Of Jeanie - $20

 

[easyrider]

Mostly youtube. We dvr with a tivo the ota channel programs we like. Netflix and Amazon streaming. I tend to re-watch a series a few times. Currently we are watching Hell on Wheels for the second time. I watched Lilyhammer 3 times now over the years. Dexter was twice. Sapranos twice.

Playing more online Texas Holdem. Not really watching the news that much for the last few years except the local news. Yup, its you tube most of the time and the videos are all over the place. Travel, fishing, cars, jeeps, motorcycles, economy, covid 19, pawn stars, fights, history, stocks, disasters, my resorts, interesting people , interesting places, Candy Rat Records acoustic guitar, other music videos and on and on it never ceases to be amazing.

Bill

 

[JudyH]

We have never watched much TV. DH has some game shows he likes in the late afternoon and Johnny Carson reruns late at night.
we watched The Five on Netflix. Interesting light who dun it.
Now World on Fire and Baptiste on PBS.
Survivor and the newWho wants to be a Millionaire Show on network.

We just started reading Hilary Mantel. I am on the third book and he is starting Wolf Hall.

 

[heathpack]

We are currently watching Deadwood on HBO and are really enjoying it.

 

[SmithOp]

I just discovered Get Shorty on Epix and binged all 3 seasons.


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[pedro47]

I enjoy watching the local early morning news shows. Then the three (3) major networks news shows. Later in the day the History, PBS, and HGTV channels.

 

[Bucky]

Have always been a sci fi fanatic. Just watched the CBS All Access show Picard. Waiting for the season return of Star Trek Discovery next. Bosch, another of our favorites, returns to prime tonight. The weather has finally started to get nice here so we will be spending much more time outside now.

 

[mav]

We rarely watch TV, but now watch about 30 min. of CNN every day, and the 6:30 news. I did watch a few movies, the Sound of Music, My Fair Lady and Fiddler on the Roof. . I love musicals.

 

[klpca]

I do not watch TV usually but now that I am home I have more time. I just finished Schitt's Creek on Netflix.. Season 6 is on Amazon Prime for purchase. My husband watches Ozarks he is hooked on it.. can't do it.. I need happy stuff.

If anyone enjoys classical music, I recommend Mozart in the Jungle on Amazon prime. One of my favorite shows... I am thinking to watch it again.

Lol. I could have written exactly what you wrote. Even the part about Ozark. I tried but it's just too dark for me. Schitts Creek is one of my all time favorites. The characters are just perfect. I will leave you with this gem. A montage of Moira saying bebe.