Before last week, I never had any interest in watching So You Think You Can Dance. It’s not that I have any aversion to dance; in fact, I rather like it. However, when it first premiered, several seasons ago, I got it in my head that the show was the bastard love child of Dancing With the Stars and American Idol, and that just sounded like too much cheesy reality, even for my high cheese tolerance. Then the Emmy nominations came out, and EW Popwatch posted videos of the nominated SYTYCD choreography, and it was immediately clear that I was wrong, because these people can really dance. I started playing catch up, and now I’m hooked.
This got me thinking about other shows I’ve dismissed out of hand, and the reasons why. I watch an awful lot of TV, obviously, and enjoy different shows for lots of different reasons, but somehow, these five never even inspired me to sit through the credits.
5. According to Jim. Of course I’ve never seen this. No one I know has. No one ever wants to. And yet, somehow, inexplicably, it keeps getting renewed each year. Clearly someone, somewhere, is watching. I know why I can’t be bothered with it. From the ads, it’s another family sitcom featuring a buffoon-like man child who married a woman well out of his league, both in terms of looks and personality, and the wacky hijinks that ensue from his complete lack of emotional maturity. Still, The Simpsons managed to make that tired sitcom trope work, so why am I averse to giving this one a shot? Somehow, this show has become the poster child for everything wrong with network television. It lives while Deadwood, Veronica Mars and Firefly are canceled. Critics gnash their teeth at its continued existence, even though I’m not convinced any of them have managed to make it through the cold open, either. I worry that it’s a sign of television snobbery, that the educated middle class look down their noses at a show that is popular enough with middle America to stay on the air for seven seasons, but not worried enough to actually waste a half hour of my time trying to understand the show’s appeal.
4. The Apprentice. I know exactly why I never watched this one: Donald Trump’s hair. Donald Trump himself is a reasonably obnoxious businessman with an uncanny knack for self-promotion, but his hair…that’s a life form unto itself. I can’t see it without being drawn in, without finding myself hypnotized by the power of the comb-over that could eat New Jersey. Even if I could somehow get past the hair of doom, the show itself never called to me, and goodness knows I’m not above watching competitive reality shows. Hell, I still watch Survivor. This one, however, seems to embody all the things I don’t enjoy about reality shows. The very premise requires a certain amount of backstabbing and underhanded maneuvering from its contestants and, unlike Survivor, where those traits are demanded in an isolated game world that disappears the minute the show ends, The Apprentice applies those traits to the outside world — and rewards the winner with a job at the end of it. Perhaps I’m being unfair, and they are simply honest, shrewd businesspeople competing for the grand prize, but I’ve never felt the urge to find out.
3. The Closer. This is, according to press releases, the number one show on cable. It stars Kyra Sedgewick, who I enjoyed well enough as a film actress. At least, I thought I did, till I went to her IMDb page to discover that I’ve only seen two of her films. Well, she was good in Singles, right? And yet, this one, along with so many other procedural shows, just slipped right under my radar. A procedural, more than any other genre of television, has to work to be interesting and fresh. We have seen procedurals with cops, lawyers, forensic scientists, forensic anthropologists, diagnostic physicians, fake psychics, real psychics, serial killers, men trapped in comas and reliving the 70s…let’s just say that it’s rather hard to feel fresh these days. Although the cast of this show was strong enough to earn a 2008 SAG nomination for ensemble work, and Sedgewick is consistently nominated for best actress by just about every awards body, a show about a really strong interrogator doesn’t catch my attention. It’s quite likely I’m wrong, but for now I can’t be bothered to find out.
2. The Sarah Jane Adventures. This one still surprises even me. I love Doctor Who. I…am deeply amused by Torchwood. Why should I not watch this third show set in the Who-verse? My aversion is surely based on ignorance, because I’ve heard it’s really quite good, but the fact that it’s a kid’s show puts me off a bit. Let’s face it: Doctor Who and Torchwood are already plenty cheesy, and they’re meant to be watched by the grown-ups. Take that cheese factor, add in a talking robotic dog, an alien teenager, an all-powerful computer and several well-meaning inspirational messages, and I fear the cynical side of my brain would rebel and start demanding Dexter viewing marathons. I’m sure it’s a very good show. I’m even sure I’d like it if I ever gave it a chance. I just haven’t wanted to do so, yet.
1. America’s Got Talent. I like talent. I like America. Why, then, would I not like this? Of all these shows, this is the only one where I’ve even seen a minute of a single episode, when a YouTube video of Opera Guy made the rounds last year. While I think it’s awesome that Opera Guy won, suggesting that perhaps Americans actually aren’t a culturally ignorant mob happy to give prizes to those that do especially strong monkey impersonations, that still wasn’t enough to convince me to tune in for the following season. This was actually the number one show in the US last week, so obviously they’re doing fine without my support, but I’m starting to wonder, just a little bit, if this is another SYTYCD. Then I remember that this is a show that took a rapping granny to the finals, and I decide that I probably have other things I could be watching.
What about you? What are your television blind spots, and why?
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August 1st, 2008 at 1:01 pm
I had absolutely no desire to watch another game show, especially as I’ve been away from teevee for like three years. But my first weekend here at home, the Notorious C sat me down and MADE me watch all of the earlier episodes of So You Think You Can Dance she’d recorded and yeah, I was hooked. I love Cat Deeley, I hate Mary Murphy (shrieking harpy of nonsense); but man, what a fun show, with actual DANCING.
I will state now that I love The Closer, love it. Its first season premiered just before I left the country and I’ve been catching up since I’ve been back. I’m a big fan of procedurals (I blame ABC and their Friday night [I think] rotating detective series: Columbo, McCloud, et. al.) and The Closer appeals to me on many levels. That it has Kyra as a really strong lead is just icing on the cake for me. Sure, having been a lifelong viewer of procedurals there are some things which I go, “Oh right. Nope.” but I can overlook them in my happiness to see a strong female lead on the teevee.
That said, my teevee show on the same network that I’ll probably never see is Saving Grace. Despite my great love for Holly Hunter, every ad for this program turns me off — going back again to the “personality QUIRKS” instead of actual personality.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:09 pm
The Sopranos. I know it’s supposed to be the best show ever (according to a lot of people) but I totally missed it and don’t feel remotely bad about it.
How I Met Your Mother. (Wait, does half an episode count?) I think this is one of your faves but I saw a bit of the pilot and promptly switched it off. I’ve heard very good things about it but just cannot make myself bother trying again. Sorry.
I also haven’t seen any of those you’ve mentioned. And I’m ok with that.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:10 pm
You must watch the (first season at least) of the Apprentice! It gives a unique view into that kind of business-like teamwork mentality. Also, you must watch it to fully understand how loathsome Omarosa is.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Oh and Family Guy! It could be the funniest thing on TV for all I know but whenever I see it’s on I groan and quickly flick past it.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Zoje George, I will trust you on The Closer. Maybe I’ll put it on next summer’s “catch-up viewing” list.
Carrie, I did watch the first season of The Sopranos, but didn’t care about any of the characters enough to come back for the second season. Saying this is practically blasphemy amongst some television critics, but the show just never worked for me.
And M, I already have to tolerate enough reality show villains in my current viewing. I’m not going to seek more of them out!
August 1st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I watched part of an episode of SYTYCD last night and my reaction was the same: They can dance! They’re precious, too.
Of course, I watched more than one episode of Step it up and Dance with Elizabeth Berkley, so I may not be the best judge.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:01 pm
P. S. I have never, ever watched more than thirty seconds of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” which looks exactly like “According to Jim” to me. I have a huge aversion to the whole schlubby, assy guy who is supposed to be funny but is really just assy has pretty wife and family genre.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:02 pm
I absolutely LOVE The Closer. Brenda Leigh Johnson is a great, great character. She’s a hardass, but she’s not afraid to be feminine; she’s great at her job, but sometimes her personal life is a mess. And as a Carolina girl I have to really, really appreciate a character from the south who is neither a drooling redneck nor a quirky Steel Magnolia stereotype. The supporting characters are great too - the actors do a lot with limited screen time.
My blind spots are ANYTHING having to do with dancing. SYTYCAD or DWTS, haven’t watched them once. I’ve also never seen a single episode of Prison Break or 24, which seems weird to me. Don’t know why I’ve avoided them.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:52 pm
KristinKay, Brenda’s personal life isn’t that screwed up really, and that’s one of the things I liked about it. The writers allow her and Fritz to have realistic sounding arguments and last week, I loved that they were in bed talking about her case, just like two professionals in a personal relationship who work in related fields would at the end of the day. The only thing, well there were two, that rang wrong to me in that scene: 1) his little off the cuff remark about “arresting them all”? I totally didn’t buy that Brenda wouldn’t have thought of that herownself already, and; 2) no way, NO WAY would she let him see confidential materials from her evidence file.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:58 pm
I am exactly the same with Sarah Jane Adventures (well, actually I’m exactly the same with the entire post, not having seen even a minute of those 5 shows, and admiring the fact that they can actually dance on SYTYCD). And the bit of her and the computer and the talking dog that showed up on Doctor Who didn’t do anything to make me interested, either. It’s just not for me, despite my love of Doctor Who and Torchwood.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:33 pm
I have never seen a single episode of the Sopranos, nor do I have the desire to do so. Not interested.
August 2nd, 2008 at 6:35 pm
I have never seen a second of Battlestar Galactica and I have to say the more people tell me I HAVE to see it, the less it makes me want to check it out.
August 7th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I have had the misfortune to see a few minutes of According to Jim (although I didn’t know that’s what it was called) and yeah, it’s everything you think it is. Ugh. I’m not really a fan of sitcoms anyway.
Agree with zoje_george & co. on The Closer. I like it, although not enough to actually sit down and watch it regularly. The only show I watch every week is In Plain Sight. It makes me laugh out loud and tackles some interesting moral questions, and (again) has a strong female lead. Although I’m getting suspicious that she’s more of a caricature. I still like it though.
August 25th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
American Idol, Canadian Idol, The Sopranos, Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives… there’s a lot I’ve never seen. (I’d like to say I’ve never seen any “date a celebrity” shows, such as Flavor of Love or Shot at Love with Tila Tequila, but unfortunately, I’ve seen bits of both of those. URG.)