TV

[wellinghall]

Animal Park is clearly on every day. There is a limit to the amount of Kate Humble that even I can watch. (Admittedly, this limit is quite high, although not quite as high as the limits for Saba Douglas-Hamilton and Charlotte Uhlenbroek (sp?)).

And so is The Weakest Link. If it isn't the regular version, it's the "celebrity" version.

Masterchef, on the other hand, is only on every week. Every f*cking week. Again, if it isn't the regular version, it's the "celebrity" version.

And so is Cash in the Attic. Sometimes the regular and "celebrity" versions are on on the same day.

But worst of all are the Confused.com car insurance adverts. They are even worse than the Elephant and Hastings car insurance adverts that used to be on.

(Some will say that I watch too much TV; and they are undoubtedly right. But it's more the case that I have the TV on as a background to reading a book, writing up notes etc. If the cricket isn't on the radio. Or, given the way England are going at the moment, even when the cricket is on the radio).

Comments

[bouncy-elf.livejournal.com]

Ah there is no limit to Animal Park that I can watch :-)

[gayalondiel.livejournal.com]

Ad breaks, my dear, are why the MUTE button was invented.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I find the satellite ITV channels a great source of genteel whodunnits in the small hours. If I am trying to make something work at 1am, there is nothing I like more as a backdrop than a nice solid detective looking solemn to tinkly piano music, in the company of a respectable lady wearing a string of beads.

I agree about confused.com ads, though personally I prefer them to the 'TEXT NOW TO MEET GURLS' ones. Another reason for choosing genteel whodunnits channels that they don't have the GURLS ads in. Science fiction movies in the small hours are the worst for that, the ad bookers clearly assume the only reason anyone would have science fiction on their TV at that time would be insomnia due to monumental sexual frustration...

[didiusjulianus.livejournal.com]

I've learnt through many years spent largely at home that you just don't watch any of the above (or not often) or it numbs your brain or makes you annoyed, or both, even. (Of course, for those days when you really WANT to numb yourself, the above can be used to good effect although I have more mindnumbing recommendations ;D

How about the radio, or music, or listen-again radio, or even rolling news? (I do find channels without ads slightly better for the purpose you described even if the progs are drivel). I also record things in the afternoon & evening on the digibox that at that time I would not have had time to watch and then put them on in the daytime when it feels too quiet, either to watch & just listen to. (ie. things that are not my A-list of much watches, but half-reasonable documentaries, Relocation Relocation repeats or whatever takes my fancy at the time). And the ads are more varied in primetime ;)

[miss-t-ide.livejournal.com]

OK, I'm going to say it. You've got the TV on too much (whether you're watching it or not). It's a really hypnotic beast. The power of mindless TV programmes is amazing. If it's on, you feel drawn to watching at least some of it.

*hugs*

You know, if you wean yourself off it (or go cold turkey), you won't find it half so annoying!

[romancinger.livejournal.com]

Those are the reasons I stopped being a telly addict. But confused.com is really aggravating - I have come close to wrecking the screen when that comes on for the umpteenth time in an evening!

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

You just need a better selection of television channels. The mainstream ones are full of tripe during the day. The ones on satellite are much better.

Let's look at what you could watch Monday afternoon if you had Sky (and I'm guessing some of your tastes here):
Floyd on Italy
Doctor Who
Top Gear
Poirot
The Professionals
Various series of Star Trek
Hamish Macbeth
A documentary about Johnny Cash
The Mayor of Casterbridge
Top 20 80s Power Ballads
Classic Rockworld
A documentary about the motor museum at Beaulieu
Seven Ages of Britain - history series
Scrapheap Challenge
Big Cat Diary
The Imperial Japanese Navy
A one hour documentary on 'The Vulcan Bomber' (I mean, come on, is this not the ultimate wellinghall TV programme?)
Sahara (Michael Palin)
Hitler's War
Rise and Fall of the Spartans
Antiques Roadshow
Secrets of World War II
Great Egyptians - the pharaoh Sneferu

I mean, surely some of that sounds more interesting than non-stop Animal Park...

[lalwendeboggart.livejournal.com]

So it's not just me who gets annoyed by the Confused.com adverts ;)

Animal Park...obviously on its 1,005th repeat. Though I think Homes Under The Hammer and the other one with Dom Littlewood have been repeated more often...I also cannot watch antique auction shows, watching people sell off their family silver to pay the bills, very depressing :(

It's best to avoid daytime TV completely I'm afraid, it all gets tiresome. And Countdown will be off-limits once Carol leaves :(

Though if you are in need of some light, mind-bending amusement In The Night Garden is very soothing (usually on BBC2 at 10.30am during term time) and gently psychedelic. "It's time to catch the Ninky-Nonk!" ;)