The TV Trap

There was a time in my life in the US where I didn't really watch TV, at all! But now, I just switch it on just because it is there! And boy oh boy, basic cable itself reels you in with so many channels and shows, I wonder what would be the state of affairs with more than 75 channels.

I am not a soap-opera fan. No tear jerkers for me, no thank you! Every time I'd visit home in India, there it will be, the inevitable array of soap after soap after soap. And each would be a melodrama at its best - long drawn out dialogues, music crescendo, a highly made-up female villain with the largest bindis and eyelashes, an avenged protagonist completely devoid of make-up (to throw in the sympathy votes), lots of family ties, and shady pasts.. Why do I not see things like Small Wonder, Friends, etc in the Indian context? Maybe it is because people keep dishing out the same old formulaic segments that are sure to get their ratings up.

Why I like episodes of Raymond, Friends, 8 Rules, and the like are because of one simple reason.. they need not be watched continuously.. week after week. You just catch an episode now and then, laugh over it, and just be! How cool is that? Though I must admit, I even watch re-runs of Friends episodes..

And now, its a whole new ballgame, the dawn of reality TV. Even better! The competitions and all the drama. I am more inclined to these things as compared to the TV shows of the old days.. (not that I'm THAT old!). But yes, I LOVE Project Runway.. why? I don't know.. I also catch a few episodes of Top Chef and America's next Top Model every now and then. There is something about these three shows that makes me want to watch them. Maybe its the fact that it is a competition of a different kind..

Oooh, and I love taking someone's side and seeing if they make it through to the final! Damn, I was rooting for Alyson, and finally, switched to Michael once she was out and he made the Pam Greer outfit. And how hilarious were some of yesterday's re-union clips! Tim Gunns's vocab sure made it fun ;)

But all said and done, the TV is a menace. If it just weren't around, I'd stick to renting some DVDs and watching them on my comp, and then, spend the rest of my time quite fruitfully. I would be roaming around downtown, window shopping of course ;) Else I would finally sit down to do my Oil painting of my interpretation of the Chicago landscape.. Hmm, its time to start it, but this weekend doesn't seem to be too promising. Too much to do, so little time..

Oh no, there is also my 2 credit project.. God save me!