I’m at the supermarket and, as usual, I’m looking at the cover of People magazine. Early in its run, I actually used to buy it, but I haven’t purchased it in well over a decade. I see the picture and I say to myself, “Who are Jon and Kate and why should I care?” The way they were referred to in the first person, like Brad and Angelina or Tom and Katie made me wonder how I managed to miss this power couple.
Then that very same magazine showed up in the breakroom in my building, so then I HAD to read it. Apparently Jon & Kate Plus Ei8ht is the TLC’s most popular show. (Probably doing better than NBC is on Friday nights.
I think it’s that there may be an article about “reality” programming in something I’m reading, but I’ll skip over it. (“Reality TV” – what an oxymoron; the most unreal programming on the air.) So that person who was on American Idol a couple years ago and now shows up on another show is a cipher to me. I have no animosity; I just don’t care. The brain actively doesn’t let me remember that stuff. I come across those those people from The Hills, and the only one I know is Audrina who gets mentioned in a blog I read; I mean I know there’s a Spencer and a Heidi, but wouldn’t recognize them if they walked into the room.
Fifteen years ago, I might do the TV Guide crossword and finish it in 15 minutes or less. Recently, I gave it another go; couldn’t even complete it. This is not a source of either pride or disdain, just the facts.
And it’s partly that I just don’t have time. Last weekend, I finally finished watching the inauguration. This weekend it was the two-hour series finale of ER from early April. And while I’m pretty current with the few dramas I watch, ever since my old DVR got fried in a lightning strike, it’s been difficult to catch up.
1/22 30 Rock
1/29 The Office
3/25 Scrubs
Those are the oldest programs on my DVR, and we’ve made a concerted effort with Scrubs. So no, I have no idea that Michael Scott started his own office on The Office or that J.D. loves Elliot more than Turk on Scrubs. So DON’T TELL ME.
And it is the reasons I miss the olden days when there were summer reruns. Fortunately, there’s so much “reality” this summer, I’ll still be able to catch up by the fall season. As someone tweeted yesterday, “Man, primetime TV really sucks during the summer.” I find that to be a good thing. With the exception of The Closer, plus the usual (news and JEOPARDY!), the DVR will slowly but surely be emptying out. Got to zero last September; I bet I can do it again this year.
ROG
