How do you choose/watch TV shows?

Black Eye Guy

Black Eye Guy

Taking over the World!
Joined
Aug 16, 2005
Messages
8,904
Age
39
Location
Ireland
Black Thorn
I would conciser myself a bit of a TV nerd, I like TV and love reading about the new shows that come out and choosing which ones to watch.

But I was wondering how other people choose what TV their going to watch?

I used to give pretty much every pilot a shot, I'd watch then determine if I'd continue watching or not, or choose to wait for a few episodes to build up then watch them back to back and see if I still wanted to watch them.

Or certain shows I will wait to build up a bulk of them and watch them back to back over the summer (Supernatural/Fringe) just cuz their ones you pay attention to and often have small bits that tie together.

I will watch pretty much any half hour comedy, just cuz you don't have to pay attention and can do other stuff with them on (This year: Whitney and That Chelsea Handler show) Others I give my undivided attention to, such as 30 rock, Happy Ending and Cougar Town.

Procedurals I'm weary of, but do like them cuz again you can do other stuff, but I'm hesitant to give them a chance,Some of the ones I watch are Castle, Bones, Mentalist. But I've found now that I tend to wait to see if a show gets a second season before I'll give it a chance, which kinda sucks cuz I may miss out, like I was really looking forward to Awake, but held off on watching it and now it's been cancelled I kinda dont see the point.

Other 40 minuet shows that wouldn't really be classed as procedurals I decide to watch if they sound interesting (This year was Revenge, which was awesome!)

So yeah was wondering how other decided on their TV viewing?
 
brinkster130
brinkster130
I've loved keeping up with Revenge this year! :)
S
Selfless705
Cougar Town/Happy Endings/Revenge karma ;)
VisionGirl
VisionGirl
I'm soooo disappointed about Awake. Really, really great show. :(
For those I watch every week, it depends:
-I got hooked to Bones when I learned it was based on Kathy Reich's novels (which both my mom and I love).
-I started to watch Castle when I learned Nathan Fillion was in it.
-I began to watch Vampire Diaries because I had read the first 3 books a few months before it started.
-As for Supernatural I watched the entire 6 1/2 first seasons last December after many "requests" from girls on a TVD forum who swore I would get addicted to it (which happened)
-I started watching Nikita after the 1st season was done and I loved it.
-I don't remember why I started to watch Pretty Little Liars... But I certainly got addicted as soon as the pilot began!

As for shows I watch during the summer or after it's done:
-I decided to watch True Blood when my mom wasn't home because she kept saying that there was too much sex in it. The reason I started watching was because it was about vampire 🙂D)
-Glee is all about music and I've always wanted to live in that kind of universe, where you burst into songs for any reason! XD
-I used to watch Gilmore Girls with my mom when I was younger, I did a marathon a few months ago to watch it all over again (and I still think my mom and I were rory and Lorelai in another life...)
-Same for Dawson's Creek... I had never seen the ending, so I did a marathon.
-Tru Calling starred Eliza Dushku, I couldn't not watch it!
-I have Serenity at home, so I had to see Firefly
-Dollhouse because it's by Joss...
-Lost because it was weird and Ian Somerhalder was in it 🙂
-Right now I am watching The Tudors. I used to watch it on TV, but then again my mom kept saying it had too much sex, so I am having a marathon.
-I am a big fan of anything related to Sherlock Holmes, so Sherlock was certainly going to be on my list.

Procedure shows are good, but not too frequently. My mom loves them and we've seen so many that we can make a list of the real potential murderers 5 minutes into the show... Usually, we know who it is for sure after 20 minutes...

If I don't see a pilot for a show on the internet (i.e.: Cult, that will be on the CW next January), I usually end up watching if I get recommendation from others (hence the "recommend a TV show" thread that I made in The Bronze). I am a Tv geek and when I have nothing to do - such as now - I can watch TV shows all day and dream about other worlds/lives/times...
 
The only show I watch is Parks and Rec. I tivo it because watching a 24 minute show with commercials is beyond annoying. It's really hard for me to watch shows while they're on t.v. I watched Ringer just for kicks and yeah...Parks and Rec is the only show that I'm committed to haha. Most of the shows I've seen, I've watched on Netflix. Desperate Housewives, Nikita, Ugly Betty, Dollhouse, and Angel seasons 1-4. I usually watch shows pretty late. I watched Nikita because it was recommended after I finished Dollhouse and I watched DH because I'd seen bits and pieces of it and I just...felt like watching it haha.

I'm not entirely sure what makes me decide to sit down and watch a show. Usually when I hear great things about a show, I decide to watch it. Which reminds me...I seriously need to watch Breaking Bad. We watched a little bit of the first season in my Chem class. Also, I've realized that I've never discovered a show on my own. The hype usually makes me just watch it, eventually...cause I want to see if it's actually as good as people make it seem. Yeah, I'm not sure if any of that made sense hahah....
 
Good question!

I'm really picky about which shows I bother trying to watch, in the first place, and even picker about which ones I end up following. There are very few shows that I've ever fully committed to, (ie felt compelled to watch every episode either while they're airing or after).
Honestly, there doesn't seem to be a specific formula with me; my likes are quite diverse! It's as if something just speaks to me and I can't really tell you why. I mean, The West Wing and Popular are two of my most favorite shows of all time and could they be any more different from one another?
More often than not though, I'd say that I prefer shows that are comedies, outwardly, but have a dramatic core to them that makes you fall in love with the characters and perhaps learn a few things about yourself along the way.
 
I hate procedural dramas like CSI, I find them boring, there is no emotional connection to the characters and no long arcs that lead to satisfying conclusions, so I avoid them lol.

I try to watch anything that is serialized. Stuff that requires you to watch every episode and they usually have better writing, characters and stories. Some shows of my favorite shows are RDM's Battlestar Galactica, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and Smallville.

Has anyone seen Spartacus? I bought Blood and Sand, and the Gods of the Arena on Blu-Ray (16.99 each on Amazon.ca!) because I heard there's lots of gore, violence, sex and nudity, which are all things I enjoy lol. It was also created by Steven S. DeKnight who frequently works with Joss, so i figured the storytelling would be good (and I've heard some comparisons to Game of Thrones).
 
I rarely watch TV shows as they air. I much prefer waiting until the season is over then watching the show at my own pace. It make it easier to keep up with the story lines and character development, I tend to forget details when I wait a week between episodes.The only show I've kept up with this year is Revenge, which I absolutely love.

When I am home in the evenings and want something on in the background I tend to gravitate towards Top Chef type cooking shows or old reruns of Friends, The Office, That 70's Show or Bones; which seem to be airing at all hours without fail.

As far as what draws me to a show, a few things, the first being plot and story line (does it interest me in anyway or sound like it could become interesting to me) and the second is the actors in said show; and the third is the reviews and buzz a show has received. Whether or not I continue to watch the show depends entirely on how much the show holds my interest; I can put up with mediocre acting and writing if I can still enjoy myself and get lost in the story.

Netflix has changed the amount of TV I watch considerably. There are so many shows available to watch that I would normally never watch but because it's made available to me I give it a shot and often become hooked. Recently I've given into watching The Vampire Diaries, Breaking Bad and Supernatural.
 
They have to not be stupid or lame. I don't know how I judge that but I seem to do pretty well on cutting down wasting my time on crap.
Lately I've just gotten into Game of Thrones, pretty much just from word of mouth. And also the fact that it's a HBO show gives it a big boost in my book. HBO and Showtime = win.
 
How I pick what series that I watch is a total mystery to me. Sometimes it's because I see a trailer that interests me:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UxDvW-1ZMk"]Moonlight TV Trailer - YouTube[/ame]

or because there's an actor/actress in it that I like, such as the new "Hawaii Five-O," or because the series is based on a subject or genre that I am particularly interested in. Or maybe the TV spinoff of a movie or previous series that I particularly liked, like "Highlander" or "Star Trek."

But just as often as anything else, it's because that's what comes on just before something that already is a favorite.
 
Usually I watch the previews/promos and if they don't convince me, I wait until someone else sees it. This past season I had over 20 shows I followed week to week. So I watch A LOT.

I tend to really hate procedural shows. So I only watch them if someone I love is involved or someone I trust recs it and tells me about something special in it.
 
H
Hale Caesar
[No message]
I usually pick shows that are strongly recommended by people I trust, or that have people I love in them. For example, I kept up with Scandal this season and absolutely LOVED it because I adore Kerry Washington AND it turned out to be an incredible show. I highly recommend it, btw! 😉

It's hard for me to sit down and watch half-hour comedies just on a whim. I usually just don't get the humor and I end up being frustrated that I wasted my time. I ended up watching Parks and Rec, Up All Night, and Don't Trust the B based on people's recommendations this season and I love all of them.
 
Black Eye Guy said:
I would conciser myself a bit of a TV nerd, I like TV and love reading about the new shows that come out and choosing which ones to watch.

But I was wondering how other people choose what TV their going to watch?

I used to give pretty much every pilot a shot, I'd watch then determine if I'd continue watching or not, or choose to wait for a few episodes to build up then watch them back to back and see if I still wanted to watch them.

Or certain shows I will wait to build up a bulk of them and watch them back to back over the summer (Supernatural/Fringe) just cuz their ones you pay attention to and often have small bits that tie together.

I will watch pretty much any half hour comedy, just cuz you don't have to pay attention and can do other stuff with them on (This year: Whitney and That Chelsea Handler show) Others I give my undivided attention to, such as 30 rock, Happy Ending and Cougar Town.

Procedurals I'm weary of, but do like them cuz again you can do other stuff, but I'm hesitant to give them a chance,Some of the ones I watch are Castle, Bones, Mentalist. But I've found now that I tend to wait to see if a show gets a second season before I'll give it a chance, which kinda sucks cuz I may miss out, like I was really looking forward to Awake, but held off on watching it and now it's been cancelled I kinda dont see the point.

Other 40 minuet shows that wouldn't really be classed as procedurals I decide to watch if they sound interesting (This year was Revenge, which was awesome!)

So yeah was wondering how other decided on their TV viewing?
Click to expand...


I'm like that with a lot of shows. I'll let the episodes build on my DVR and then watch many of the episodes in a row.

I've found that I've been getting into more sitcom, 30 min shows. For that reason. Just because you don't need to know what's going on in each episode like you would in a 42minute show.
 
I. Loathe. Procedurals. I don't need to see another CSI: Dallas. Give me something with substance, you know? Something I can take into my own life, and that genuinely means something.

But anywho, I tend not to look for shows, I just sorta fall into them. I was channel surfing when I found the love of my life....well actually I was at a vending machine, but we're talking about Buffy here! 😛 Buffy was the first show I'd ever really gotten invested in, and it set the template on how I want my shows to be like: with smart writing, subversion of cliches, character development, and emotional resonance. That doesn't mean I have to relate to what I'm watching, just give me a reason to invest in these characters, like Breaking Bad. God, that show is brilliant.
 
H
Hale Caesar
[No message]
Usually if the trailer looks good then I'll watch it. I only really watch 2 channels though so I tend to miss some stuff. I don't really take it that seriously to be honest, I'll watch anything.
 
I don't like starting to watch a new show, there are shows I think if I were to start watching them I would most likely enjoy them, like Dexter.. but I never feel like actually doing it.. The shows that watch and like are shows that I've seen trailers and clips of, and finally after a long time decided to give it a chance..
 
Black Eye Guy said:
I would conciser myself a bit of a TV nerd, I like TV and love reading about the new shows that come out and choosing which ones to watch.

But I was wondering how other people choose what TV their going to watch?

So yeah was wondering how other decided on their TV viewing?
Click to expand...

I'm a TV nerd too, and have watched a pretty large amount of television! I'm usually watching one or two shows. Right now it's Dexter and BSG.

How do I choose? Well, I read what people are saying online, careful to avoid spoilers, or by word-of-mouth. Or, I usually will watch another show by the same writers/directors/actors if I enjoyed their work on another show. For instance, I watched Dexter just because I liked Micheal C Hall, and BTG because Jane Espenson wrote for it, or True Blood because the same producer did Six Feet Under, or whatever.

I rent most of my TV from the library, or buy the DVDs. I hate commercials, so I never watch on-air which means I usually am introduced to a show years after others are.

I've found that genre simply is not a good way to decide if you're going to like a show. For instance, I'm not in general crazy about fantasy - in fact, I avoid it - but I love Buffy of course, which has a large fantasy element, although at its core it is horror of course. Also, i'm not big on Science Fiction, or thought I wasn't, but I love BSG. That said, I always saw myself as a Drama person, and darker ones at that, like Six Feet Under, Nip/Tuck, Dexter, etc.
 
I don't watch a whole lot of TV. I will give a show a chance if the plot sounds really really good to me, or if their a particular actor/actress that I love in the show. Sometimes if there's a lot of hype around a show I'll give the show a watch, but only if the plot sounds interesting as well; I won't watch something just because other people are. I also go off the advice of close friends/family. If someone I share the same tastes with tells me something's really good, I may try it if I think it sounds cool...
 
I pick shows on a whim more or less. Sometimes those whims are influenced by an advice of a friend. Sometimes by something I have read in the internet (especially TV Tropes and the Television Without Pity forums). Sometimes it's totally on a whim - I saw a promo pic of Pretty Little Liars, then I thought "Dude, those girls look gorgeous!", saw that holly Marie Combs has a role and decided to watch the pilot. And sure enough, I am now obsessed with the show, so hurray for pretty promo pictures! 🙂
 
I watch way too much TV, most shows I think I have a chance of liking I will watch the premiere of, and that means a LOT of tv shows in the first week of premieres!!! But usually after a couple of weeks that will get cut down by either myself or the tv companies.

Shows I will always and forever watch though are:
The Mentalist
Revenge
Bones
2 Broke Girls
New Girl
Happy Endings
Survivor
30 Rock
Parks and Rec
Vampire Diaries
Community
ANTM
Leverage
Drop Dead Diva....


of course thats just current tv shows, over the summer I plan on re-watching Buffy/Angel, Desperate Housewives, and catching up on Nikita, Parenthood and The Office


OH, and then there are british tv shows.... Miranda OF COURSE!!!! A little bit of Not Going Out, and White man van... basically all the british comedies 😀
 
I also hate procedural shows. The types of shows that the big networks seem to concentrate on (Cops, Lawyers, Doctors, etc) bore me. If I do watch something with those elements, then it needs to have a bit of a "twist" to it or a fantasy element as a part of its makeup. Shows like "Angel," "Chuck," "Supernatural," and "Roswell" are good examples of what I'm talking about.

But I rarely watch TV shows that are currently on air. I hate the week to week wait and sometimes the month to month wait between episodes. I prefer to wait until a show has either been on for several years or is completely off the air. That way, I can check out the first few episodes to decide if I like it, and if I do, I can watch them all in a long marathon. To me, that's the best way to watch TV shows.
 
How do I pick?

Interesting trailer or description.
Are actors I like involved?
Created or written by Joss, Aaron Sorkin or J.J. Abrams.
Word to mouth.

To watch at least one episode that is. After that who knows what'll get me to watch more.

I actually like discovering a show late. I always like it best when I can watch seasons at a time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom