Remember the days when everyone used to sit round the TV to watch the same programme and then went to work the next day ready to discuss in great detail. You really felt like you’d missed out if you hadn’t watched Ken Barlow punch Mike Baldwin or Beth Jordache’s lesbian kiss.
Now apart from maybe the X Factor or Strictly final, collective national TV watching is a thing of the past. Everyone is either watching on playback, indulging in box sets or *whispers* illegally downloading. Young people in particular hardly ever watch TV in the way that we did and the concept of waiting to watch is beyond their comprehension.
Box sets and sites such as Netflix allow you to indulge in a whole TV series, almost in one go andbecome very addictive and you can find yourself saying “just one more” and before you know it, three hours have disappeared and you feel like you are actually married to Don Draper.
During my recuperation period in January I was averaging two to three episodes of The Killing a day and was beginning to think I could speak Danish.
Word of mouth has taken the place of the TV critic and everyone I know has a “must see” wish list of programmes to watch. Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Spiral, The Killing, Borgen, Modern Family and Homeland are just a few of those doing the rounds in my circle of friends and there really is nothing like knowing you have a whole 12 episodes of a captivating new series waiting to be viewed.
My current favourites are Girls (I know I keep going on about it, but I just can’t get enough) Mad Men Season 5, before season 6 starts in the US and Game of Thrones, which I have resisted up until now, but I’m fed up with absolutely everyone I know going on about it, so feel like I have to give it a go!
Also on my wish list is Nashville, which supposedly fabulously trashy and Parks and Recreation, a comedy series set in the parks department of a fictional Indiana town and made by the same people as the US Office. It looks hilarious in the trailer and is currently showing on BBC 3.
Let us know if you have any favourites we should know about?
I LOVE Nashville, it’s like Dallas with singing Ax
Nashville is increds. Country music, strong female leads and created by Callie Khouri, writer of Thelma & Louise, so pretty faultless in my eyes!
Try “Community”- set in a community college with an ensemble cast- pop culture references, multiple generations. We have watched the first seasons several times.
Friday Night Lights! Completed its 5th and final season in 2011 so all good to go! Set in a small town in Texas – the premise centers around a high school football team and the close-knit community that surrounds it. Such a moving and original series – a glimpse into Middle America – stars Connie Britton from Nashville!
I am addicted to Community and The Big C. Parks and Rec I’ve caught ocassionally on planes and really enjoyed.