My drug of choice (and why it’s OK).

The other day I sat down in front of the computer to do something of vital importance (that I can’t remember) like pay a bill or register one of the Things in a fall activity or check out the fall boots at Zappos, and 30 (75) minutes later had produced this –

It’s the DVR schedule I made for the new fall season trying to see if the new shows I want to record will conflict with our old favorites…of which we may have just a few.  (Turns out Tuesday night is gonna be pretty rough on the DVR. Too many shows on too many channels.  I now have made a chart that rivals a Final Four bracket with which DVRs in this house will be recording what, and what shows we’ll have to catch up on with OnDemand. See? I’m totally good for more than scrubbing toilets and taxi-service.)
And if you’re wondering, the highlighted shows are ones we cannot miss.  The favorites of the favorites.  I know X-Factor hasn’t started yet, but we can’t wait.  It’ll be like driving past the accident that you cannot take your eyes away from and then realizing that Britney freakin’ Spears was the driver.

Looking at the above photo now, I realize I should be embarrassed about our viewing habits (and perhaps choices), but I’ve long since stopped apologizing for the shallow depth of my interests.  Whatever. We love TV. And it’s OK.

And what got me distracted from my Zappos shopping bill paying in the first place was a promo I watched for a new show on ABC called “The New Normal” which is created by Ryan Murphy, who also created “GLEE” (which Thing 1 and I never miss) and “American Horror Story” (which Husband never misses, but what he has to watch alone and with me 2 floors up) and which is creating quite a stir already.  
~ Apparently, some people find this show about a few people making decisions based on love and commitment and generosity offensive, but yet the Kardashians and the Jersey Shore idiots (who are such genuine contributing members of society) are acceptable and allowed to air in all 50 states.  ?? Confuses me.  And I can’t wait to watch.

So anyway, that got me started searching for clips of other new shows slated for the fall season, and then it was all over.  I started YouTubing every trailer for every new show listed (you can see how this took awhile…and how full my day is…and why the Things do not have any clean socks) and getting ridiculously excited for the new crop of shows. And then I remembered this.

Do you remember ‘The Playboy Club’?
No?
That’s because it ran for 3 weeks. 
After a full summer of hype, I just knew it was gonna be my new go-to show.  The one I couldn’t miss.  I watched one awful episode.  Curse you ABC and Eddie Cibrian for getting me all worked up and leaving me as disappointed as a girl who doesn’t get kissed after prom (but I wouldn’t know anything about that…).
It’s risky, dating a new show.  Especially if it’s up against one of your old favorites.  And committing takes literally half a season of episodes. Some shows hook and sink you right off the bat (‘Revenge’) and some are slow to warm up (‘New Girl’ certainly didn’t have us at “hello” but those kids definitely grew on us) and some shows are so awful right out of the gate you wonder how they’re still on the air (ahem…Two Broke Girls…cough…cough…). 
The new TV season is a lot like the new NFL season, if you think about it (which I am because Husband just planted the seed in my head.)  In the beginning there’s such hope! Optimism that you’re gonna capture that magic of the first season of FRIENDS or the 2009 MN Vikings’ season (at least the first part).  
You look at the new fall TV lineup the same way that you do the new season’s draft class of (insert your favorite team here).
And maybe the first few episodes are marginal at best, but like pre-season games, you stick with it and keep your fingers crossed that they’ll pull it together. 
And then, more often than not, like in the case of ‘Up All Night’ or the 2011 MN Vikings’ season, you reach the end of November switching channels….and teams.  
It’s a gamble, but we roll the dice every fall.   

What will be the new hits this year?  Any guesses?  There’s a bunch of new dramas with underlying themes of horror on the roster (thanks to the success of ‘American Horror Story’), and a bunch of new sitcoms with new parents and their adorable babies and friends who hang out in bars (thanks to…oh, yeah…every other sitcom that’s ever been written) and a bunch of shows on non-network channels that will be pushing the ratings limit and basically be about nothing other than sex and drinking and shocking language (HBO’s ‘Girls’ can’t return fast enough for me).

When the new season starts next week, we’ll be ready (thanks to my handy list. Btw – you’re welcome, Husband).  And it’s OK that we spend waste literally hours of our lives sitting in our chairs watching TV.  It’s our quality time.  Our ‘we’ time. We have wine.  We eat pistachios.  We I hit ‘pause’ on the remote occasionally every few minutes to ask a question or make an observation or tell Husband a story that the plot of the show reminded me of (that no, cannot wait).  From ‘Friends’ to ‘Mad About You’ to ‘ER’ to ‘Coach’ to ‘Ellen’ (nope, not the talk show – the sitcom.  Yeah, we’re that old) – the list of shows we’ve laughed at and cried with over the past 20 years have been some of our favorite ways to spend time together.

So I won’t apologize for being addicted to television.
Oh, but the drug of choice that I’m talking about in the title up there? 
Chardonnay.

Its Ok Thursdays

8 Comments

  1. Sarah Grace on September 6, 2012 at 1:48 pm

    that schedule is quite impressive! and i know i’m about to lose some cool points, but i really liked the playboy club! and pan-am, which got canceled too. o well,,,good thing i have a bunch of other new shows on my list to watch (thanks to your schedule!)

    happy thursday!

    xoxo, sarah grace

  2. Victoria on September 6, 2012 at 3:13 pm

    totally something i would do!!!

    love it πŸ™‚

  3. birchandlace on September 6, 2012 at 3:26 pm

    don’t forget about the voice!! sept 10th starts the blind auditions, my favorite part.

  4. Carolyn on September 6, 2012 at 3:26 pm

    OMG! I totally need to work on my DVR list. You’re a pro! Jake and I actually had to get a second DVR because we fought over what to record too much. LOL I am excited for Nashville… looks good! πŸ™‚

  5. JanM β™₯ on September 6, 2012 at 4:24 pm

    Oh, I’m the same way! I’m scared of Thursdays because from 8-9 there will be Vampire Diaries and from 9-10 Grey’s Anatomy. Looks like I need to make dinner for two nights on Wednesdays πŸ˜‰

    xo,
    janmloves.blogspot.com
    I’m having a giveaway on my blog if you’re interested πŸ™‚

  6. kyna... on September 6, 2012 at 8:53 pm

    LOL!!! My exact drug of choice as well…wine…it’s what keeps me sane! πŸ™‚
    ♥ Kyna

  7. Nicholl Vincent on September 7, 2012 at 3:35 am

    omg i was just saying that I’m freaking out over revenge and dexter being on at the same time! girl after my own heart!

    Hope you’ve had a great day! Drop by nichollvincent.blogspot.com and say hi!

  8. Sally on September 7, 2012 at 4:57 am

    You have some pretty sweet charting skills! Impressive. (Did you ever get to order anything from Zappos?)

Leave a Comment