Something remarkable happened over the past nine months. I went an entire television season without wanting to break up with any of my shows.
This might not sound that remarkable, but I have managed to shed at least one show each of the past few years. Over time, I have found myself incapable of sitting through most one-hour dramas. That meant shows like “Desperate Housewives” and “Grey’s Anatomy” slid off my radar the past few seasons.
I tried to focus most of my entertainment energy on sitcoms. Thankfully, the networks have responded by cranking out more and more funny shows. That, of course, led to another dilemma. Will I have time for all these shows in my life?
Naturally, this doesn’t rank up there near the top of difficult life challenges. I know the fate of the universe does not rest on my television watching habits, but I also feel much happier when I have this aspect of living in order.
Some people try to criticize television in general, but I don’t understand why. It’s the medium of our times. I’m sure Shakespeare had to deal with people walking around talking about how going to the theatre was an unhealthy pursuit.
That’s not saying I compare “Community” creator Dan Harmon to the Bard, but you have to admit that Shakespeare would have a hard time writing an hour’s worth of comedy built around paintball the way Harmon did.
It’s just that people should just appreciate the entertainment available instead of making value judgments. Unless you know someone who watched “The Bachelor” and “Dancing with the Stars.” Those people must be stopped.
I did allow one drama on my schedule. I liked the new version of “Hawaii Five-O,” but kind of stopped watching halfway through the season when I got busy. But that doesn’t mean I have broken up with the show.
I have a bunch of “Five-O” episodes on TiVo and know I can chase the others down online or some other way before the new season begins in the fall. In fact, the whole change in how networks deliver shows made this one of the most stress-free TV seasons I can remember.
Even with one time conflict and some bizarre scheduling, I managed to keep up with all the comedies. Thanks goodness for DVR technology and the ability to watch episodes on the computer while eating lunch. I even added a new show – “Happy Endings,” which premiered late in the season on ABC.
We had recorded that show, which appeared at either 9:30 or 10 p.m., but rarely watched live. That’s pretty much past my bed time, so I knocked a whole bunch of them out when I had a free Saturday.
That’s what I love about the current situation. You can enjoy a show however you want. I know advertisers and networks don’t like that very much, but I tune in for the actors and writers, not the people peddling soap.
The problem is that I saw a few new shows for next season that I might want to give a shot. Looks like I need to clear room on my lunch schedule in the fall to see whether I can fit them in.