What a boring start to a year

@Asylum (47893)

Manchester, England

January 1, 2016 8:08am CST

After looking through the list of available television shows today I have decided that there is virtually nothing that appeals to me. When I was young there always seemed to be something worthwhile over the Christmas and New Year period, despite having only 2 channels to choose from. Now I have a choice of over 70 or 80 channels and struggle to find anything worth watching. The major channels seem to be offering a few old Carry On films, old reruns of Morecambe and Wise shows etcetera and the usual abundance of soap operas. All that I ever seem to find worth watching these days are repeats of shows like NCIS or Doctor Who, with nothing new available. It looks like I may spend today reformatting my laptop instead.

28 people like this

31 responses

@boiboing (13153)

• Northampton, England

1 Jan 16

It's astonishing that the more channels we get the less there seems to be to watch.

6 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

This seems to have been the trend over the years and then we end up paying more for the service as the quality diminishes.

3 people like this

@ramapo17 (30441)

• Melbourne, Florida

3 Jan 16

Isn't that the truth @boiboing

1 person likes this

@fishtiger58 (29820)

• Momence, Illinois

1 Jan 16

It seems the more channels we have the less there is to watch. Many cable channels here in the States run the same program all day long, just different episodes. I really hate that.

5 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

We have had that syndrome here as well. Of course out of that large number of channels we have many themed programs, such as religious channels, shopping channels and pop music channels.

4 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

@fishtiger58 I have often considered Netflix, but never actually got around to trying it.

3 people like this

@fishtiger58 (29820)

• Momence, Illinois

1 Jan 16

@Asylum Yea and that's a huge reason I dropped cable and will never subscribe again. I prefer Netflix, I watch what I want when I want, no commercials, and I'm not paying a 100 dollars a month for it.

4 people like this

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@GardenGerty (160998)

• United States

1 Jan 16

This is why we are not television watchers.I hope you and your computer have a great day.

5 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

My computer and I always enjoy our time together.

1 person likes this

@ramapo17 (30441)

• Melbourne, Florida

3 Jan 16

@Asylum Mine too. We are BFF's.

2 people like this

@patgalca (18394)

• Orangeville, Ontario

1 Jan 16

I've watched some of the marathons the specialty channels run over the holidays, actually a good portion of the month of December. Unfortunately I missed the Ghost Adventures marathon but have had my fill of Tiny Houses and now the last 3 days of Big Bang Theory.

5 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Jan 16

I would consider watching an episode of Big Bang Theory to be a complete torture.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Jan 16

@paigea I absolutely hate the outrageous level of acting. The characters seem incapable of walking into a room with it being displayed as a grand entrance.

3 people like this

@paigea (36315)

• Canada

2 Jan 16

@Asylum my husband may agree. But I have enjoyed that series from the start.

3 people like this

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FreebieJunkieWV

• United States

1 Jan 16

Nothing good over here either. I've got some DVDs from the library. I'm going to get some chores done, run out to pick up a few groceries, and then watch those.

4 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

All the festive shows seen to be reruns from the 1960s and 1970s.

3 people like this

Bhaskar jyoti Hawborah

@Bhaskarjhborah (735)

• India

1 Jan 16

I dont watch TV shows generally but can spend days with a PC with good Internet connection

4 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

I tend to spend far more time on the computer than watching television.

3 people like this

@mommaj (23112)

• United States

1 Jan 16

Today is going to be a day to be productive. I have 300+ channels and there really is nothing on. That's okay. I probably shouldn't spend the day on my bottom anyway.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

It really does seem impossible to have so many channels and not have a vast choice to choose from, yet the program schedulers manage to achieve this with ease.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

@mommaj Yers, we jhave a few channels here that seem top show programs for about 2 hours and then repeat the same over and over again.

3 people like this

@mommaj (23112)

• United States

1 Jan 16

@Asylum What I think is more ironic is when the same channel shows the same movie repeatedly. You would think with so many years of television they could at least have a variety.

3 people like this

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@valmnz (17097)

• New Zealand

2 Jan 16

I spent Christmas night watching the Sound of Music. I hadn't watched it since I was 16

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Jan 16

I actually considered that, but decided against it since I have seen it several times.

2 people like this

@marlina (154130)

• Canada

1 Jan 16

Most of the time, TV is very boring, so I end up working on my computer or reading at night.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

Television seems to become worse day after day. It surprises me that they can can find so many poor programs to transmit. Not only that but as the shows depreciate the cost keeps constantly rising.

4 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Jan 16

@marlina I get the impression that they were produced for morons as well. At one time I was a great fan of comedy programs, but these days they try to explain even the slightest humorous comment to the audience. As you say they treat us as morons and the shows end up boring.

2 people like this

@marlina (154130)

• Canada

2 Jan 16

@Asylum Some of the shows shown on TV now are for "morons".

3 people like this

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@LadyDuck (472121)

• Switzerland

1 Jan 16

I completely agree, when I was young we only had two channels and I was busy watching the TV during all the Christmas holidays. In our days there is nothing worth watching.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

It is quite an achievement really to manage to transmit nothing of any interest for 24 hours across 70 or so channels.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

@LadyDuck The modern idea of comedy is the most depressing to me. They seem unable to walk into a room with making a grand entrance and every minor joke is a pronounced punchline.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (472121)

• Switzerland

1 Jan 16

@Asylum All the shows are boring, the actors all look alike, I do not like the modern TV.

3 people like this

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@Sheilamarie78 (2586)

• Canada

2 Jan 16

Watching TV is overrated. Get outdoors or read a book. That's what I'd do.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Jan 16

Outdoors is not so enticing at winter in England.

2 people like this

@garymarsh6 (23412)

• United Kingdom

3 Jan 16

Thank the lord we were out celebrating on New Years day. Although I did manage to catch part of the Sound of Music.I love the sound of music 50 years on and it is still popular!

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

3 Jan 16

They even had the audacity to show Ken Dodd for 2 hours on Channel 5 from 9 PM t 11 PM. Needless to say I did not bother watching that.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

3 Jan 16

@garymarsh6 Morecambe and Wise were fine in their day, but seriously outdated now.

3 people like this

@garymarsh6 (23412)

• United Kingdom

3 Jan 16

@Asylum OH no really. I also can not stand Morecombe and Wise. Fancy them still playing that stuff after all these years when there is some modern talent out there. Gawd it sounds like it was coma inducing! Shameful.

3 people like this

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ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12074)

• United States

1 Jan 16

It is the same here. I guess the networks think we are all outside doing something sports related, or sleeping. Neither case is true for most of us.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

They are all supposedly competing for viewing figures, but their programming scheduling shows no evidence of this.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Jan 16

@ElizabethWallace They can afford to because they receive huge salaries for planning those appalling schedules.

2 people like this

ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12074)

• United States

1 Jan 16

@Asylum I agree completely. I think they all go on vacation.

3 people like this

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@Auntylou (4264)

• Oxford, England

2 Jan 16

Went to see a friend this afternoon and she was watching the "Sound of Music" which seems to be shown every year!

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Jan 16

That is a decent film and I cannot criticise the channel for showing that, but as you say it is something that we have all seen many times in the past.

2 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Jan 16

@Auntylou I just decided to relive my youth to some extent by using and old video clip taken while I was still quite young.

3 people like this

@Auntylou (4264)

• Oxford, England

2 Jan 16

@Asylum Are you on the warpath? Your image seems to have changed radically!

1 person likes this

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Belle Starr (Iz)

@BelleStarr (61101)

• United States

1 Jan 16

I am currently watching Downton Abbey and have been watching Big Houses with Julian Fellows. I found it quite interesting.

2 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

We obviously have vastly differing opinions on what constitutes a worthwhile television programming.

3 people like this

Belle Starr (Iz)

@BelleStarr (61101)

• United States

1 Jan 16

@Asylum I admit to being quite fascinated with the English aristocracy and their homes. lol

1 person likes this

@jaboUK (64354)

• United Kingdom

1 Jan 16

I agree - there doesn't seem to be much worth watching. My husband has the horse-racing on at the moment, which I like too, but later on there doesn't look as if there will be too much that's interesting.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

Channel 5 even have the audacity to have a 2 hour slot for Ken Dodd from 9 PM to 11 PM, which is certainly not going to attract me.

3 people like this

@Marilynda1225 (83103)

• United States

1 Jan 16

My cable has been running marathons of shows I've seen a hundred times. Guess they figure people are busy and aren't watching much tv. Those of us (like me) who don't have an exciting social life would appreciate some decent shows during Christmas & New Years

2 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

There is certain to be more people at home who are able to watch television than there is during the year while everyone is working.

1 person likes this

@ramapo17 (30441)

• Melbourne, Florida

3 Jan 16

Maybe the people showing these programs think because it is a holiday we are all drinking and don't realize what is going on.

1 person likes this

@MarshaMusselman (38865)

• Midland, Michigan

1 Jan 16

Well at least it gives you a good reason to get busy with your laptop. We have hdtv here and can locate old shows even if we never watched them already. I don't bother watching too much tv, although I did watch more than I expect of the movies my husband taped this year. Christmas movies and a few mysteries. When I'm bored, there's always cleaning of one type or another, and the dreaded bookwork of which I've yet to get done for the year.

2 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Jan 16

I do not mind watching a few old shows at times, but it would make a pleasant change to have something new to watch once in a while.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (220408)

• Walnut Creek, California

2 Jan 16

I'd be fine here in CA if I spoke Spanish or Mandarin, or enjoyed reality or game shows, but I don't. I'll check and see if the Rose Bowl is still on.

2 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Jan 16

My Spanish is certainly not good enough for me to watch television shows and I hate reality shows as much as you appear to do.

2 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Jan 16

@TheHorse The words professional and wrestling do not go together very well.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (220408)

• Walnut Creek, California

2 Jan 16

@Asylum I know maybe 100 Spanish words and maybe six Mandarin words. And reality shows befuddle me, like professional wrestling.

2 people like this

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@ramapo17 (30441)

• Melbourne, Florida

2 Jan 16

I remember growing up and every New Year's Day I hated as there was nothing but sports on television. Dad of course liked to watch all the games but the rest of us hated it. Mom would start taking down the Christmas ornaments as she was so mad. Now I watch some football games and really enjoy them. I do go on the computer if the game is boring. I record a lot of shows during the week and will watch them after my husband goes to bed. Today I had some still saved so I watched them for awhile.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Jan 16

When I was young we had the same situation here on Boxing Day, which usually consisted of a full day's sport.

2 people like this