Austin360 blogs > TV Blog > Archives > 2004 > December > 27 > Entry
Watching TV for Fun …
I recently came to a stunning realization: I watch almost as much television when I’m on vacation as when I’m not.
In defense of myself, let me point out that I didn’t actually go anywhere. I was home nesting and lolling, which I love to do in December. If I had been skiing in Gstaad or surfing in Maui (fat chance), I’m sure my TV time would have been zilch.
I’ve always assumed that I watch hours and hours of TV a week only because I have to. I always look forward to vacation, in part, so that I won’t have to keep up with popular programs, search hundreds of channels for new ones or take notes on dozens of mostly horrid previews.
But over the past few weeks, I not only kept up with a few series, I watched a couple of midseason previews. Let me stop right here and tell you that NBC’s heavily hyped “Medium,” with Patricia Arquette as an overwrought woman solving crimes with ESP, is awful.
Surprisingly, however, CBS’s “Numb3rs” is pretty good. There’s not a TV listing in the world that’s going to spell that squirrelly title with a number. It looks too much like a typo, and I just tangled up the fingers of my left hand trying to render it. Nevertheless, Rob Morrow and David Krumholtz are enjoyable as brothers busting bad guys for the FBI.
And I watched three episodes of the new season of “24,” which has its implausibilities but kept me riveted for three straight hours. Jack Bauer, mulled wine and a roaring fire go very nicely together, thank you.
The anti-TV folks among you will say I’m addicted. I watch so much (too much?) TV because I can’t help myself. I don’t think that’s true. I don’t don’t watch everything when I’m on vacation.
I pick and choose and watch only what I like. I never just sit down and start punching the remote because I’m bored with life. I’ve been known to go for at least a couple of days without turning on the TV. With the exception of the three-episode marathon of “24,” I rarely watch more than a couple of hours at a time unless it’s for work.
And I’m choosey about what I watch when I’m watching for fun. Before they started their holiday reruns, ABC’s Sunday faves “Desperate Housewives” and “Boston Legal” had terrific episodes, by the way.
Now that I’m back at work, I’ll dive into the dreaded reality sludge, watch more news programming and tackle all the midseason previews that have piled up on my desk while I was gone.
Oddly enough (and this is perhaps an even more stunning confession), I’m looking forward to it. I’m glad to be back!
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