must see TV

Yesterday I heard a friend of mine say, "I wish TV shows didn't affect me as much as they do." The more I thought about it, the more I realized that TV shows will always affect us...that's why we watch them, right? If they didn't have an effect on us then we wouldn't be watching them. Whatever the affect is, it is what drives us to watching it every week....or non stop if you buy the DVD's.

I'm not one to be obessed or become addicted with a TV show like others I know (certain teen angst love triangle dramas that are now off the air excluded). I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I'm just saying it's been hard for me to do. I've watched LOST and I enjoy it when I do, but I go weeks without seeing another episode. I am thoroughly entertained by 24 and think it is a great show but I'm good to just catch an episode hear or there. I bought the first season of Arrested Development about 3 months ago because I fell in love with the show but have yet to finish the second disk. I like TV though. I probably watch too much of it, we probably all watch too much of it, but it's fun, right? It allows us to escape reality and hear other say the things we've always wanted to say. To watch people accomplish tasks we will never be able to. To meet a variety of people in various situations.

Good characters...that's what affects us. It's the same with books, movies...it's about the characters. If you don't connect them then you aren't affected and thus you probably won't enjoy it. So if it is all about character development....why am anxiously awaiting May 31st when the new season of celebrity poker showdown starts??? you all figure that one out! All this to say....I don't think we should feel ashamed if TV shows have an effect on us. I would say there is line that one can cross to where it becomes unhealthy if your own demeaner and outlook on life is completely changed after a show. For instance...if you happen to catch an episode of Boy Meets World and it is one where Corey and Tapanga are not together, things are still ok in the world, life will go on, rest assured that they do get married. It's all about perspective I guess. Everything in life will influence us...the good, the bad, the untruth, friends, family, jobs, etc. The scale to which you let the small things in life (tv shows about people who aren't real) affect you is maybe something to consider.