Curious: who besides me doesn't watch TV? (Adults, I mean.)

[SKL]

So I never heard of that Lena person and I don't get half of what you guys are talking about on this board, but I'm OK with that.  I really dislike TV and never watch it except for rare one-time events.  I check the internet for "important" (to me) news.

 

Anyone else?  Or is this weirder than I thought it was?

[SKL]

I enjoy watching old movies on DVD, which I find time for maybe 10x per year, but other than that, the boob toob just holds no charm for me.

[FloridaLisa]

I just don't have time to watch tv.  It's never on during the day and after dinner, my kids might watch a show but I'm usually writing, reading, working. And when I finally do have an evening to sit down and watch, I'm sorely disappointed at the offerings!  If I didn't have boys that love sports so much, I'd cut tv out completely!

 

Lisa

[MistiDelaney]

I haven't been a TV watcher since 1974. We do "watch TV" by borrowing things from the library and watching DVDs on the laptop, but we're pretty selective.

[Kareni]

We don't have cable or any other TV service.  We did not obtain the gagdet that came out a few years ago so have no TV coverage at all.  We do have a VCR and DVD player both of which my husband uses.  I'm not a big movie viewer either.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[aggieamy]

I hate TV.  Seriously.  I think most shows are silly and there's so many other things I'd rather be doing.  Sometimes I feel like a grump.

 

Sometimes I will watch something on my computer from Amazon though.  A few weeks ago I watched Fiddler on the Roof.  Before that in March I watched Police Academy.  

[liber]

We have tv but no cable or satellite. I only watch Dr. Who after I buy it on Amazon. We have netflix but i rarely watch it. Hubby and the older boys watch Walkong Dead or crime type shows. I had no clue who this Lena chick was either. The sitcoms on today seem rather silly.

[Jenny in Florida]

I watch relatively little in the way of broadcast TV. I do love Netflix and pretty much always have a series I'm watching there. I have a couple of guilty pleasures that I watch primary online (but are still "TV"). Other than that, I watch things mostly to keep other family members company. 

 

For example, my DVRs Jeopardy and The Tonight Show. When I have an evening free, we catch up on two or three episodes of Jeopardy or watch the opening monologue of the Tonight Show and then fast forward through to any other segments that seem like fun.

 

Around holidays, there are sometimes special shows that we enjoy watching together. Recently, my husband and son and I watched this year's six-episode Halloween Wars series, in which teams of cake decorators, pumpkin carvers and sugar artists compete to craft Halloween-themed creations. My husband DVR-ed the shows, and we watched them together when my son was home for a weekend.

 

There are two non-negotiable events that we always watch: The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and the Tony Awards. 

 

We cut off cable for several months last year, and I found I didn't miss it. We turned it back on so we could watch the Tony Awards, and my husband was enjoying it so much that I left it on for a while. We already put in the request to turn it off again, though, on the Monday after Thanksgiving. When summer gets close and the Tony Awards are coming up, we'll have to decide whether to turn it on again or just find somewhere to watch that night.

[Word Nerd]

We don't have cable, so my TV viewing is mostly limited to shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and the PBS app. I've never seen Lena Dunham's show or even her SNL performance, but I know who she is because of social media, stories in my Facebook newsfeed, etc. She's everywhere.

[Muttichen]

I haven't watched TV since 1989 (when my first child was born!)

[amsunshine]

I don't watch network TV.  We watch a Netflix movie as a family once every week or two, but that's it.  I am still totally out of the loop as to who this "Lena" person is.

[freesia]

I don't. I watch the Olympics, sometimes the Super Bowl. O

[mathnerd]

I haven't watched TV since my child was born either. Life is too busy to waste any time on TV watching for us.

The TV is on in my house every day and my DH watches some sports channel or other (NBA, NFL) etc. But, both my child and myself ignore it. My son sometimes watches basketball matches when his  favorite payers are on, but most of the time, he and I are doing something else when the TV is on. I don't get the popular culture references either. I also only listen to classical music radio stations in my car or the NPR. But, I am up to date on headline news and important news because I am watching news on the internet and my phone. I do have Amazon Prime and watch documentaries and educational shows with my son sometimes.

[fairfarmhand]

No one watches broadcast TV here. The longest I can sit still for is a 1 hour dvd of Perry Mason in the evening, Even then, I sometimes fall asleep before it's over.

 

I have to fold clothes or something else to not nod off.

[trulycrabby]

I watch soccer, and occasionally a show that DS10 watches like Mythbusters, How It's Made, or iCarly, but very little else.

 

I didn't know who Lena was, either. :o

[Pawz4me]

I watch the local news in the morning and evening, and CNN if there's any big news going on during the day.

 

But regular TV shows or movies?  No.  The last thing I can remember watching was the final episode of MASH.

 

We do have cable and Netflix, because DH and the boys enjoy watching.

[UmMusa]

We don't get cable but I will find shows I like and watch them on amazon prime or Netflix. Shows like 19 Kids, Downton Abbey, or Sherlock when they happen to be available.  Otherwise I am not up to date with current tv shows. I had no idea who Lena was either.

[gardenmom5]

I watch very little - and almost never live. 

[catz]

I don't watch TV at all, but I do watch netflix and movies/series on DVD.  I can no longer stand any advertising within programming.  I miss quite a few pop culture references too. 

[Anne]

I don't watch tv.  Except that sometimes I watch football or baseball games my husband.  I don't count those since I never watch them unless he's watching them.   I don't watch many movies, either - once or twice a year, maybe. 

 

In theory, there are some shows that I would like to watch - I watched Foyle's War on DVD, and really liked that.  I have a list of shows that people recommended based on the fact that I enjoyed FW.  However, in practice, I haven't gotten around to watching any of them. 

 

So, no - you're not weird!!

 

Anne

[Kathryn]

I don't. I'll get into a show on Netflix or Prime twice a year or so, but I'm done with it within a few weeks.

[Critterfixer]

We watch sports on the weekend when DH wants to watch something. Sound is off. He likes to watch television that way, and that's find by me.

Tonight is movie night. That's the one time a week when I borrow a movie or documentary from the library and we have that with some popcorn in the evening.

That's it.

No clue who the Lena person was, and after the little bit I read, more than happy to be in the dark.

[Slache]

I watch 3 things on the net. When they're canceled I'm done.

[ocelotmom]

I occasionally go on a binge of something or other on Amazon Prime (I'm almost up to Season 3 of Doctor Who), and the TV is often on (but mostly out of eyesight) at work. But I'd never heard of her or her show, either.

[TrixieB]

I don't watch TV.  There just aren't enough hours in the day for me to write "TV watching" into my schedule.  Well, there would be the option of trading forum time for TV watching (watching... what show?  no idea) but... no, don't want to do that!  :) 

 

That said, I do like Downton Abbey, but haven't had a chance to view the current season on-line.  Maybe next month, when co-op is on Christmas break... unless I get tapped for more hours at work.

 

[Guest]

I do watch some TV, but usually specific channels. I don't watch or follow any of the shows people are usually "buzzing" about. I have never seen Downton Abbey, House, The Office, The Bachelor, Orange is The New Black, Lost, Biggest Loser, etc. I despise any show that is meant to hook you in to watching every week. Consequently, I mostly watch home shows, cooking shows, news and some science or history shows. I do not have DVR, so if it doesn't come on after 9pm, or before 7am, it is very unlikely that I will ever see it.

 

P.s. My internet is also stuck in the Dark Ages, so I cannot stream anything. I can only get Netflix through DVD.

[MFG]

Can I admit that when I heard the name Lena Dunham I thought, "Is that Barack Obama's grandmother?" I checked. His grandmother's name was Madelyn Dunham.

[Guest]

I don't have a TV. We used to watch YouTube and DVDs of movies and old ('70s-'80s) TV shows until a few weeks ago, but I'm done except for documentaries now.

 

My family was TV free from 1996-2001. My ex bought my kids a TV and my neighbours were treated to a screaming yelling fight that included such choice lines as "I won't have you raise MY kids to be weirdos who don't even know what time the Simpsons are on!" and ultimately they did keep the TV but I did not pay for cable or allow it in the common areas.

 

I as an individual was TV free until 2006, when I had to take a job in home health care (kids living elsewhere and going to public school and community college) and the TV was going during all of my working hours. Although i didn't get off until midnight, i found that i had to force myself to stay awake for an hour or two longer to keep the TV from causing disturbing nightmares.

 

I started putting music videos on while I cared for my biracial son's hair in 2011 and eventually succumbed to the lure of the flickering blue babysitter a year later.

 

It gave me anxiety and I found we were never listening to music. I'm done except for special family movie nights.

 

Just not my cup of tea, although I will google up what everybody else is chatting about if I'm lonely and just want to chat. I know what hoarders are and that you're supposed to hate some little girl called Honey Boo Boo and i can pretty much fake it from there.

 

 

[Jenny in Florida]

So I never heard of that Lena person ...

 

 

I had no clue who this Lena chick was either.

 

 

 I've never seen Lena Dunham's show or even her SNL performance, but I know who she is because of social media, stories in my Facebook newsfeed, etc. She's everywhere.

 

 

I didn't know who Lena was, either. :o

 

I believe her show is on HBO or one of the pay movie channels, which we don't have. And it doesn't sound like it's my kind of thing, anyway, since I'm an old fogey. However, she has been interviewed on a variety of NPR programs over the last couple of years, and I know who she is because of that. 

[LLMom]

I don't watch it either.  With a large family, I am so busy.  With my free time, I'd rather be on the internet anyways.  

[Upward Journey]

We don't have any TV reception, but do watch Netflix. I've never watched a reality show, don't watch sports and have only seen SNL maybe 3 times in my life. If I didn't have teens in the house, I'm pretty sure that the only actor/actress names that I would know are those that were popular when I was a teen myself ;)

[Southern Ivy]

No cable or "tv" per se. However, I watch my shows on Netflix or Hulu Plus. That's about it.
My husband is the non-watcher in our home, though. He gets his news from CNN or some other website. He'd be perfectly content to never have the tv on. 

[Peaceful Isle]

My kids watch Netflix cartoons here and there. Not a lot though. We also buy whatever "new" animated movie comes out (frozen, Peabody, etc..)

 

We don't have cable, just Amazon prime and Netflix, which are used most of the time for my three year old and the occasional animated family movie.

 

We don't watch TV, as in sitcoms, series and reality shows hardly ever. My life is too busy. My best friend loves different shows, and TV is her way to relax at the end of the day. Its awesome for her, but it would stress me out.

 

We get our news online.

 

So no, OP, you are not weird :)

 

Who is Lena???

[Excelsior! Academy]

Another person who doesn't have cable nor has heard of Lena. We do have Netflix. It is primarily used for documentaries or babysitting on date nights. We also have Amazon Prime but can't get it to stream. Not sure why as we have a pretty fast Internet connection. We are fairly up on modern culture. My kids actively campaigned, we knew who we were voting for in the recent election, and I just finished up my subscription to the Wall Street Journal. My kids have seen most of the newer movies, sometimes at the dollar theater, every once in a blue moon at the mega $ theater. Dh and I have already pre-ordered Mockingjay tickets, and I may or may not have watched or *ahem* owned a particular movie series about some other worldly creatures and some Swan of some sort. I don't tie my percieved knowledge of popular culture or the world to my refusal to pay for mindless drivel streamed through a cable box.

[Amy in NH]

We watch some things on Netflix, but my family watches a lot more than I do.  I am more likely to very occasionally seek out a particular BBC program for myself, or a documentary to watch with the kids when it supplements our lessons.  If I find something I like I'll go on a marathon and watch it all up, and then not watch anything again for a long while.

 

Never heard of Lena before the talk here.  I do listen to a lot of pop-culture interviews on Fresh Air and read Yahoo News, so I usually have a sense of what's going on culturally in the wider world.

[Kalypso]

We don't watch TV here. We will watch or stream a movie occasionally.

[flyingiguana]

We no longer have a TV.  I thought I'd miss it, but I don't.

 

If I have any desire to watch something, I can always turn to the web.  I get news through web news sites.  If anything is really "breaking", I tend to watch on the BBC.   The ONE thing I miss is the lack of tornado coverage.  Seems the radio stations around here are all kind of 'la la la' when the tornado sirens are going off.  We had a TV in the basement for awhile, so we could watch if we ended up hiding down there.  But then someone got rid of it because it was taking up room.  So now, I don't know.....   Maybe there will be coverage streaming on the web and we can watch on a laptop that we might or might not remember to take with us.

 

Yesterday, my daughter was in her college class and they were watching a clip from broadcast news.  She thought maybe she remembered the anchor.  Or maybe not.  But she found it interesting that the content was so diffuse.

 

At one point, my daughter did fill me in on Lena Dunham (?), but only because she was reading a lot about her on reddit or tumblr or some place like that.

 

eta: ok, if I'm at the gym and my piece of exercise equipment happens to face the TVs I end up watching CNN, weird shows on NBC, and the I-want-to-buy-a-house network, cause that's what they have on (they have the stations locked now).  But I can't hear what they're saying and it's hard to read the captions when I'm going up and down and up and down.  Still, it's enough to know I don't need CNN in my life at home.  (They also have sports on, but that's even harder for me to figure out with no sound and while moving up and down.  CNN, at least, is pretty static -- they have the same story on for SO LONG that there's time for me to figure out what they're talking about.  But I already read about it on the BBC.  Unless it wasn't important.)

[Stacia]

I don't really spend time watching tv. My family likes tv, so once in awhile, I'll sit down & watch a show with them (NCIS, Big Bang Theory, or something similar). We have Dish, but just a basic package, no Netflix or other extras like that. My parents often have the tv on when I'm over there, so I'll sometimes see Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy or a house-hunting show. My non-tv-watching even extends to dvds, as I don't tend to sit down to watch them either. I do love to go to movies in the theater & go fairly often. However, if I don't end up seeing something in the theater, it's likely that I won't end up seeing it at all.

 

I do become a tv couch potato during the Winter Olympics & for the Oscars. The family knows the tv is mine during those times. :lol:  And, I'll also turn it on when the tornado sirens are sounding so that I know the latest info on storms coming through....

 

I listen to lots of interviews & shows on NPR, as well as skimming The Daily Mail (online) fairly often, so I've actually heard of/know of quite a few tv people, even if I've never seen their shows. Lol.

[GailV]

Dh likes to watch sports, so we have cable for that. Other than that, no. Amazon Prime, DVDs, some hulu, but no actual television shows.

 

Except, CRAP, dd is going to be on live tv tomorrow morning, and I just realized I have to figure out how to watch it. Seriously, I don't even know what station is what, and am vague about how to do anything with it other than tune in Amazon or show a DVD. Ugh, technology is hard, especially when you don't usually care about it.

[Butter]

We don't have cable/satellite.  We have rabbit ears that we'll hook to the TV for the last game or two that the Spurs play or the Olympics.  We don't get very many channels with that and they don't come in super clearly either.  We do have Netflix and Amazon Prime.

 

I had never heard of Lena.  I've never heard of her show either.

[Wilma]

We've not had a TV for the last twelve years... which is the whole life of our family.

[flyingiguana]

I have to admit that I've gotten really impatient with news.  If I'm looking at the local news on the web and I click on an article, I expect TEXT people.  DO NOT make me sit through your chit chat.  I want to skim and move and on.  Ten seconds is usually all it takes to imbibe most news stories.  I don't have 3-5 minutes to listen.

 

I'd rather watch cat videos.

[T'smom]

I watch a ton of TV- all of it Netflix streaming- and I had no idea who Lena Dunham was either. I can't say that my life has improved with this new bit of knowledge though. I am pretty happy to stay ignorant of most pop culture. One time, I had to ask my SIL who the Kardashions were. But I LOVE to watch shows on Netflix. I usually watch one or two while cooking dinner/doing dishes or folding laundry. Then I watch another after the kids are in bed and I can unwind.

[Desert Strawberry]

We have Netflix. I will watch a show from beginning to end, then start another. I watched Murder She Wrote, then Criminal Minds, now Leverage. 

I did watch a few Good Eats with my kids. That's a nice way to spend a rainy afternoon. 

D and I will watch an episode of something together for date nights. Last time it was Walking Dead, other times Master Chef or Hell's Kitchen. 

So, kind of? I'm not up on most things, as we don't watch a lot. 

[ocelotmom]

I have to admit that I've gotten really impatient with news.  If I'm looking at the local news on the web and I click on an article, I expect TEXT people.  DO NOT make me sit through your chit chat.  I want to skim and move and on.  Ten seconds is usually all it takes to imbibe most news stories.  I don't have 3-5 minutes to listen.

 

I'd rather watch cat videos.

 

Yes. Chit chat is why I tend to not like videos and podcasts. Ten minutes of unnecessary banter for 30 seconds of useful content is not my thing, especially when I could have read the useful content in 10 seconds. If they could just get to the point and be done, I'd be more likely to listen, though reading is still faster.

[Heidi]

I haven't watched tv for at least six years now. I don't miss it.

[gingersmom]

I watch tv and still have no idea who she is.

[regentrude]

I have not had a TV since 1990.

 

I watch a few select shows on Netflix though.

 

I have no idea who this person is.

[lovinmyboys]

I have never really watched tv. Then, my dh talked me into watching blacklist with him last year and I admit I got hooked. It's kinda fun to finally have a show I watch.

[JennyD]

 

I do not watch TV either, although I know who Lena Dunham is because I read a profile of her in the NYT Magazine a few weeks ago.  I find that I am perfectly capable of mindlessly frittering away plenty of time right here on the intertubes, thank you very much.  

 

Every now and then -- e.g., we are at a hotel or visiting family -- I turn on the TV and am sorely disappointed by the offerings.  Is it that television has gotten worse or that I am more impatient?  No idea.