The Crap We Watch

[slyc_willie]

This thread is for clips and comments about all the diverse things we watch on TV. I figure it's writerly because we can get inspiration from anywhere and anything.

Most of all, I would encourage comments about those obscure, strange, guilty pleasures we indulge in on the tube (I guess we can't call it the "tube" anymore, since most TVs are flatscreens these days, but oh well). I'm talking things like Ancient Aliens, all those weird "reality" shows (most of which, I am convinced, are scripted) and such.

To begin with, I'm a big fan of the UK show Top Gear. I know there's an American version of it, but I like Clarkson, May and Hammond as hosts better. Besides, they're usually terrifically hysterical, as wonderfully illustrated in this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCSNCs7bwCw

The funniest bit is at 6:10.

Design flaw, indeed.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I don't watch tv, and gave it up 100% a few months ago. The entertainment fare are shoddy goods, and the news are propaganda for one interest or another.

Newspapers and magazines I stopped reading a few years ago.

 

[oggbashan]

Extreme Sheep

 

[Bramblethorn]

I used to enjoy TG but over the last few years I've gone off it, because of the problems discussed here.

I still like what I've seen of May and Hammond's solo shows, though (Brainiac & Engineering Wonders).

Very fond of QI and Graham Norton. But my big favourite would be the Australian 'Gruen' series (Gruen Transfer/Nation/Planet/Sweat) - advertising execs explain how they sell stuff to us. So many good things about it but the dynamic between Todd and Russell really makes it work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc4mjlZlYSU

 

[slyc_willie]

Extreme Sheep

That was "brilliant." Sheep Pong. Gotta love it.

I'll check out Bramble's after dinner. Later, everyone.

 

[oggbashan]

Wombles

 

[oggbashan]

Boomers

 

[oggbashan]

Dogging

Bestseller

 

[Saxon_Hart]

I watch a few shows on Food network, and any show about drag racing. I used to be able to watch hockey, but now I only watch football, both college and pro. Network TV just plain sucks and every other show is a reality show or popularity contest.
Then you have the shows based on a profession...Like Operation Repo, and all of its likenesses. Shows about Pawn shops, duck hunters, auto parts sellers, dog walkers and plumbers. I am thankful for DVR, since I can record what I want and sit and watch it without commercials.

 

[MSTarot]

was a big fan of Deadwood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75M1szwu3Vg

Loved Al and Jane.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdOIUw-VIDw

 

[sr71plt]

As far as I can determine I don't get any of the premium channels that have the TV programs everyone goes ga ga over.

 

[slyc_willie]

As far as I can determine I don't get any of the premium channels that have the TV programs everyone goes ga ga over.

A lot of them you can catch online, through the various networks' websites. A lot of them show past seasons online.

 

[sr71plt]

A lot of them you can catch online, through the various networks' websites. A lot of them show past seasons online.

Sure, if you want to put the effort into it. I'll occasionally get a season's worth from Netflix. Did that with "Deadwood."

 

[slyc_willie]

I used to enjoy TG but over the last few years I've gone off it, because of the problems discussed here.

I still like what I've seen of May and Hammond's solo shows, though (Brainiac & Engineering Wonders).

Very fond of QI and Graham Norton. But my big favourite would be the Australian 'Gruen' series (Gruen Transfer/Nation/Planet/Sweat) - advertising execs explain how they sell stuff to us. So many good things about it but the dynamic between Todd and Russell really makes it work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc4mjlZlYSU

Haven't caught Top Gear's spinoffs although I've seen ads for James May's new one, and I may take a look at that.

The Gruen clip was funny. Morbidly embarrassing, but funny.

 

[slyc_willie]

Sure, if you want to put the effort into it. I'll occasionally get a season's worth from Netflix. Did that with "Deadwood."

We had an option for Netflix when we signed up with Dish. Opted out of it, though. I was afraid I'd watch too much TV that way.

 

[slyc_willie]

Dogging

I think I had seen this clip about a year ago. A little anecdote: years ago, when married to my first wife and living in London, we had a friend who was into dogging. She wasn't all that attractive, but she had a lot of admirers.

 

[Gaslamp_Society]

Vikings on History Channel
Hotel Impossible le on Travel Channel...I have a huge crush on designer Blanche Garcia.

 

[slyc_willie]

Vikings on History Channel
Hotel Impossible le on Travel Channel...I have a huge crush on designer Blanche Garcia.

See, I was interested in Vikings at first . . . and then, after watching the first several minutes, I realized it was basically Game of Thrones without the magic and monsters. I like Gabriel Byrne, though.

 

[slyc_willie]

Watched an episode of Stranded on the SyFy Chanel. It's produced by the same people who made the Paranormal Activity movies, which I liked a great deal.

The premise is pretty simple. Pick a supposedly haunted location, wire it with a dozen cameras or so, then pick a group of twentysomethings with nothing better to do than spend five days at said location with handheld cameras and some basic information on the place.

The only drawback is that what you end up with is a bunch of hysterically screaming people who, by day 5, all want to leave. And while some interesting things happen -- doors and windows opening and losing, lights coming on, phantom music, etc. -- you know there isn't going to be anything really juicy.

It's just Paranormal Activity without the dead bodies and CGI.

 

[D_Lynn]

To begin with, I'm a big fan of the UK show Top Gear. I know there's an American version of it, but I like Clarkson, May and Hammond as hosts better. Besides, they're usually terrifically hysterical, as wonderfully illustrated in this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCSNCs7bwCw

I'm convinced that everything is funnier in a British accent. This was highly entertaining.

Extreme Sheep

Wow, I mean WOW! Awesome. I own herding dogs so this was really entertaining for me.

Very fond of QI and Graham Norton. But my big favourite would be the Australian 'Gruen' series (Gruen Transfer/Nation/Planet/Sweat) - advertising execs explain how they sell stuff to us. So many good things about it but the dynamic between Todd and Russell really makes it work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc4mjlZlYSU

This one got me laughing pretty hard.

Dogging

I have to admit, this one made me cry; I laughed so hard. I might not get off YouTube today, thanks to Fascinating Aida.

I've realized through all this that our selections are boooorrring. I'm afraid to admit to the few television indulgences we have, but here goes: The Mentalist, Game of Thrones, I Survived, and ... oh, this one is especially hard to admit to ... Spartacus.

We occasionally catch episodes of Bar Rescue and the pawn shows. We keep our subscription to Netflix to watch comedian specials, mostly.

Great thread, Slyc.

 

[lovecraft68]

I hardly watch any TV except for sports.

After hearing everyone rave about it and tell me I would like it I watched the first season of Game of Thrones.

Its pretty good, but one thing really stuck out. Incest

We have not one, but two sets of siblings fucking(although one non consensually) and I found myself laughing at the hypocrisy of people.

I wonder how many people watching that show would point their finger at a lit incest story and say "That's sick" or how many of them would have "boycotted" amazon if they continued to carry incest books, but are sitting back watching this show going "Ohhhh, that's sick, but ohhhh...."

Funny amazon has no problem selling these dvds and books.

People kill me.

 

[oggbashan]

Deutsch

Granny knickers

Bayernmadels

Why on roller skates?

Yodelling Abba

Stage hands?

Bubbles?

Yodelling with cows

WTF?

 

[SecondCircle]

I hardly watch any TV except for sports.

After hearing everyone rave about it and tell me I would like it I watched the first season of Game of Thrones.

Its pretty good, but one thing really stuck out. Incest

We have not one, but two sets of siblings fucking(although one non consensually) and I found myself laughing at the hypocrisy of people.

I wonder how many people watching that show would point their finger at a lit incest story and say "That's sick" or how many of them would have "boycotted" amazon if they continued to carry incest books, but are sitting back watching this show going "Ohhhh, that's sick, but ohhhh...."

Funny amazon has no problem selling these dvds and books.

People kill me.

I would recommend reading the books. The show can be difficult to follow, and in the books you get a lot more insight on the world, the customs of the people, and the importance of everything that's going on.

One thing Martin does extremely well is develope his characters. You see the world and learn about it through their eyes, and throughout the series, you grow to love characters you absolutely fucking hated. He's notorious for ripping reader's hearts out when he suddenly and heartlessly kills a character that everyone grows to love. And it always fits in the overall plot.

As far as the incest stuff, that's a pretty big deal, but it's got a good story behind it.

The books are really good. Its been a while since something I read hooked me in, drowned me in suspense, pissed me off, shocked me, and kept me worrying about what was going to happen with each character. Its almost a LOTR, except with the politics and human avarice of the real world. If I read a section centered on King's Landing, where much of the backstabbing happens for a while, I'd eye people suspiciously in real life all damn day wondering who they really were.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I hardly watch any TV except for sports.

After hearing everyone rave about it and tell me I would like it I watched the first season of Game of Thrones.

Its pretty good, but one thing really stuck out. Incest

We have not one, but two sets of siblings fucking(although one non consensually) and I found myself laughing at the hypocrisy of people.

I wonder how many people watching that show would point their finger at a lit incest story and say "That's sick" or how many of them would have "boycotted" amazon if they continued to carry incest books, but are sitting back watching this show going "Ohhhh, that's sick, but ohhhh...."

Funny amazon has no problem selling these dvds and books.

People kill me.

You seem to have missed the point. The incest is not glorified or approved. When it was revealed, it started a civil war that has engulfed an entire continent and killed thousands of people. The consequences have been devastating.

 

[lovecraft68]

You seem to have missed the point. The incest is not glorified or approved. When it was revealed, it started a civil war that has engulfed an entire continent and killed thousands of people. The consequences have been devastating.

But it is still being glorified. The effects further the plot, but I'm talking about audience reaction and there are people watching it thinking, ohh that's kinky!

That's my point read it here, its sick, get it on the main screen and ohh, that's kinky!