yellowpages

 

Television

Page history last edited by Anonymous 3 yrs ago

Add your comments by clicking Edit this page

 

 

In college, some of us watch TV all the time, but some of us hardly ever watch it.

  • In one of my dorms, I was the ONLY one with a TV in a house of 50 people. (In college, there are so many things to do and so many opportunities for socializing with cool people, that I averaged about 30 minutes of TV-viewing per week, if that)
  • I haven't regularly watched television since high school. Rarely in college ( I didn't have a TV) and now that I've graduated, I only use my TV for watching DVDs. I will say however, that I do rent or buy or borrow TV series on DVDs. This is a much better way to watch TV: no commercials, no week-long wait between episodes, I'll never watch real programming again.
  • I haven't watched TV for years at my place. I only do so when visiting my mom. However, I do use Netflix and watch 4-5 movies/documentaries per week.
  • College students are too busy to catch shows at certain scheduled times so if they do watch TV shows, they will buy it when it comes out on DVD. Also, cable is expensive at school so most of us don't have TVs. And I hate commercials so I hate TV and really only watch DVD sets of shows or movies.
  • I haven't owned a TV for a long time, why have one when everything is online or you have a life.
  • Maybe is a TX thing, but everyone I know owns at least 2 tv's. Not that we necessarily watch that much television, but they're there for when we want to use our DVR or TiVo to record a show while watching another. It's also great when we're throwing a party for the big game (this happens every weekend) and need the extra space or link them together.
  • If there was decent programming on, I'd be hooked. Fortunately for me, there's only two-three hours of shows I consider must-see's. I like turning it off otherwise.
  • In college I never watched television as I did not own one. I have one now and except for the shows I TiVo I mostly watch DVDs.

 

We watch lots of reality TV

  • Things like the Real World, dating shows, etc. But we stopped watching "Newlyweds" after the first season. (I am completely addicted to reality TV--one of my unofficial goals in life is to be on a reality show. I think that young people love reality TV because we can relate to the characters--the people are usually young, and aside from the extreme colorful personalities like Omarosa, we can actually find parallels between their lives and ours)
  • I like reality tv, too, but if I ever find a parallel between one of the idiots on those shows and myself, I'm going to shoot myself, which ironically would end up creating another parallel because those idiots should shoot themselves as well.
  • People, or at least my college-educated friends, have lost interest in Reality TV. I worked on a reality show for a little bit, I needed the cash, and the whole experience just grossed me out. I think we are going to see a rise in smart, drama series, hbo style, or at least that's what I'll be looking for.
  • Reality TV has become too ridiculous. I hate shows that are like fear factor, etc and the only reality tv i watch are shows that are molded into a story line so at least there's some sort of continuity and plot (although not much is needed, ie Laguna Beach). But shows like Fear Factor, Average Joe, Who Wants to Marry My Dad are just ridiculous.
  • I HATE reality tv! I think its just a way for people who have no lives to live vicariously through people who are cooler, smarter, or better looking than they are.
  • Reality TV kind of sucks. It feels so fake now.
  • I like some reality TV shows -- I know they're fake, but they're fun. My sister and I watch "The Amazing Race" together and my friends and I are all fans of "America's Next Top Model." Sometimes we just get together to make fun of the contestants, but hey, it's entertainment.
  • I just bought a TV for the first time this year. I watch slightly more TV than I used to, but most of the time I just have it on in the background.
  • As soon as I hear someone say how they love Reality TV/they think it's so great etc etc, I'm thinking "dim bulb" ;)
  • I think some reality shows are great (Frontier House on PBS, Meerkat Manor on Animal Planet, Deadliest Catch on Discovery) but for the most park they are mental chewing gum of little substance or sustenance.

 

 

We watch lots of sports

  • Coming from a foreign country I'm surprisingly addicted to college football and basketball. (Even girls love watching sports--at least the cool girls. Every year I become obsessed with a few sports team in various sports, and while I won't plan my day around watching the games on TV, if I should happen to serendipitously catch a game on, it will totally make my day)
  • Amongst pro sports, NFL football is probably the best sports product on US TV; because each team plays relatively few games a year (only 16 in the regular season, compared to 82 for basketball and 162 for baseball), games tend to have more meaning, and it's easier to follow the league as a whole. NBA basketball is next, since basketball has a better flow, and often games have exciting finishes. I'm not sure anyone watches MLB baseball on TV, and I feel sorry for them if they do.
  • College sports are of course popular, and perhaps the very best annual sports product on US TV is the NCAA tournament, in part because the tournament features well-known teams and almost unheard of teams alike, everyone revels in the opportunity for a major upset in the beginning rounds. It is also probably the sporting event on which the most bets are placed in the US, vis-a-vis office pools and such for predicting the tournament bracket.
  • ESPN Classic is AMAZING and so is SportsCenter.
  • Sports is 90% of what I watch on TV. NBA, NFL, Ultimate Fighting, WWE, and Arena Football
  • I watch 12 - 40 hrs of sports a week. The 40 is during the fall, when college football has just begun, and baseball playoffs are getting good. (PS - I'm a girl, and every girl I know is a huge sports fan. Maybe this is a TX thing too)
  • I've become re-hooked on the NBA, I can watch a four-hour baseball game and be happy about that, Nike is making soccer relevant to the point where I'd like to watch it more.
  • None. Unless it's a PPV fight party at a friend's I never watch sports. Poker/Spelling/RPS are not sports.

 

 

All the shows that everyone is talking about...we probably watch them.

  • I have no idea what is on TV!!!
  • This season, it's Lost, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy...
  • We used to watch The OC, but that's over now
  • Some of us watch the Simpsons, but we do it in secret
  • Lots of people still watch the OC. And 24. While fewer people watch new episodes of the Simpsons, it's still seen as a classic that most people love.
  • The OC is definitely still popular - for those of marooned on the East Coast, it provides a warm reminder of better weather.
  • Let us also not forget The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.
  • Jon Stewart is a god to many young people.
  • There is a reason that people love shows like 24, The OC, West Wing, Alias, Lost, Desparate Housewives, etc: it's all about the content. If content providers spend a little more time making a show really good, we will watch. Why do you think movie ticket sales have gone down in the past few years? Hint: it's not the pirating.
  • As I've gotten older, I've realized that my time is very valuable. I try not to get involved in any new shows, even if I hear they are great.
  • I can't remember the last time I watched a show as it was broadcast. I wait a season or two and then if I'm interested get the box set from Netflix. I don't care how good a show does or doesn't look from its own advertising, either; I decide whether to give it a try or not based on the attention it receives after it's had a chance to establish itself.
  • The Office, Scrubs & Lost are the must-see's. Solid stories, character development, single camera comedies are the way to go. Plus, they don't dumb it down or underestimate the audience. My friends are nuts about 24 as well. If I've got the time, My Name is Earl, Family Guy, Robot Chicken (all of Adult Swim for that matter), South Park, and the Daily Show are worth my time. Sopranos used to be the best thing on TV, but this season has pretty much stunk.
  • The Daily Show and The Colbert Report!!
  • Daily Show and whatever shows are on for the season. Summer: Entourage, The Closer, Deadwood - I pile them up for a day and just watch them all while I am doing other things.

 

None of us cares about the network.

  • You'll NEVER hear someone saying "I think NBC is really kicking ass this year!" Nobody cares. It's about the shows, not the network. Every once in a while, a show will come along that will completely ensnare me, like HBO's Sex & the City, and for these shows, I will actually plan my day around them. Otherwise, TV is secondary to anything remotely interesting going on in my life.
  • Well, certain networks are predicable in the content they produce, and that does matter. For example, ESPN has sports, and so when I want to watch something about sports, it's a good place to look. Similarly, Comedy Central is good for comedy, etc...
  • Monday night Football is moving from ABC to ESPN this fall. Come football season, I will think about it for about 2 seconds before I say to myself, "Oh, the game is on 52 not 3," and change the channel. And yet, ESPN is hyping this move every single day. If you're a fan of football, you'll know what station the game is on.
  • I worked in a television station for 3 years, and still don't care about the network. Its not like it was 6 years ago, when only NBC had good shows (except the Simpsons - they're an exception to everything). Now you have networks competing against cable shows (FX is kicking major primetime butt) and pay channels. Plus with all the digital programming packages available, there is little reason to be loyal to one station.
  • I care when it's premium cable because if the lineup sucks I won't pay for premium cable.

 

Not many of us have TiVo, maybe 10%, but those who do swear by it

  • My friends who have TiVo tell everyone about it ALL the time. For most young people, TiVo is still an expensive luxury and is perceived as a gadget for hardcore TV viewers. My parents have two in their house, but that's because they are bored and have run out of things to say to each other after 25 years of marriage.
  • Apart from sports telecasts, I only watch DVR / On Demand movies and television series (Ever since I got a Netflix subscription, the only movies I watch are DVDs instead of movies on TV--I hate for movies to be interrupted by commercials. For TV shows, commercials are acceptable)
  • I think on-demand services from digital cable will supplant Tivo. Tivo is good, but the fact that it doesn't really integrate with digital cable (which can provide on-screen listings, on-demand movies, etc...) leaves something to be desired. Companies like Comcast are offering DVR services along with digital cable, which I think makes for a more natural viewing experience. Also, you don't have to worry about upgrading the DVR or other services since the service provider will do it for you.
  • My parents have a media center; I just catch up on TV whenever I go home. I've pared down my shows to West Wing and Lost. I've purchased several episodes from the iTunes Video store; episodes I missed in the first season and then epsidoes that weren't recorded for whatever reason. The Video Store is great; when you have a show you care about and you've missed an episode you think nothing of plonking down $2.
  • Many college students I know download shows using bittorrent if they missed it or forgot to tivo it.
  • I don't have a Tivo, I have a DVR from Time Warner. I can record 2 shows and watch a pre-recorded show. Why can't Tivo do this? Aren't they the supposed leader?
  • I have a DVR from Dish network, and my boyfriend has TiVo. Neither of us will ever go back to normal programming. There's no point - digital recorders let us have active lives and come back to watch primetime shows late at night. Its my opinion DVR is better than TiVo, and my boyfriend agrees (darn contracts).
  • If I had digital cable, I would love TiVO. I just can't afford it. I have to choose between that and high-speed internet, and I choose the internet.
  • My parents have a TiVo, so when I go home I use it all the time. I would love to have one, but they're expensive! I'll bittorrent a show if I want to save it, typically.
  • TiVo drastically changed my viewing habits. I only turn the TV on if there's something specific I want to watch. No more flipping channels. No more leaving the TV on when I'm not actively watching. (Why did I used to do that? I guess I was afraid of missing something / hoping to catch something.) No more rushing home (or just indoors) to catch a primtime show. Since I skip the commercials, I can watch 50% more in a given time. Since I got TiVo, I watch much _less_ TV.
  • I have Comcast DVR w/ HDTV and it has changed my life by freeing it up! As a die-hard 24 and Sopranos fan I used to block off those show hours as busy in my schedule. With the DVR service I catch the show whenever I get a free moment. I also find myself watching far more TV than before because of the service. A 60 min show now takes 45 minutes to watch and thus I can watch say an episode of 24 and The Daily Show which would normally take 90 minutes in close to an hour. HD DVR service is incredible but I wish that my box had a larger hard drive and networking capabilities found in TiVo.
  • It used to be that at certain times, a TV show could dominate a social event, but thanks to TiVo it can now be any time. I remember trying to throw my old roommate Praveen a going away party, and it very nearly got canceled because half of the guests, including the guest of honor, had planned on watching "The OC" that night. Ugh. The only TV shows I watch are sports and HBO comedy series "Curb Your Enthusiasm". Sports are only worth watching live in most cases, so I'm forced to be selective, which is good, and "Curb" is available on DVD, saving me the burden of premium subscription prices or having to be present when an episode airs. I would say that overall, recent technology has improved my TV experience without increasing its frequency, except when certain friends get their way.
  • I loved my TiVo but when I realized that I was not using any of the special features that separate TiVo from the standard homemade DVR I realized I just need to build my own. I'll likely ditch TiVo before the year is out.

 


Comments (0)

You don't have permission to comment on this page.