About

I'd rather be watching Barney Miller

  I’d like to introduce myself.  I’m a 36 year old male, a product of the 70’s who grew up during the 80’s, only to find myself discouraged in the 90’s and flat out disappointed with the 00’s.  Like many, television, radio and movies played an important role in my youth.  Consumed with the story lines and characters of of the day, my friends and I would gather on the school playgrounds, each sharing opinions of what we had witnessed the day before.  Never wanting to be the guy who had nothing to say, I made sure to see whatever was hot, even finding time to check out the more obscure.

  As a young child I was easily amused.  It did not take much to perk my interest.  But with age I developed a more critical eye.  This has led me down a sour path, filled with dejection and despair.  No longer am I able to happily sit through a movie, I find it a painful and distressing.  But movies are easy to avoid.  Television on the other hand is difficult to duck.  I have a TV in my living room.  And because it is there I turn it on.  Pressing the power button is a leap of faith, a moment of wonder and anticipation.  Hoping for a refuge from the complexities of everyday life, I sit back on my comfy chair, prop my feet up and stare wide-eyed and upbeat.  Sadly though, each time I find myself slipping into a miserable coma.

  Maybe it’s just me.  Judging by the television viewer ratings, much of what is offered is found enjoyable by many Americans.  I could very well have a personal problem that I need to deal with, but I find it hard to swallow that “Dancing With The Stars” is seen by so many people, and that they are willing to watch it again.  It is my belief that people are sheep, and will laugh and applaud whenever they are told to.  And it it because of this that the TV networks are able to get away with filling the airwaves with garbage.

  Because the numbers speak for themselves, I will attempt to sit through an episode of each highly rated television show that is currently produced and aired.  Since there is obviously something the matter with me, my aim is to contort my mind into actually enjoying each of these shows just as the majority of the general public is able to do.  I hope to willingly become one of the herd of unflappable devotees of today’s lousy mainstream mania.  I am open minded, and ready to be astonished.

  I intend to watch every popular TV show at least once, and write a fair and balanced review of the storyline as well as the cast.  I will begin with television, but will eventually include reviews of popular radio and big screen presentations.  Please join me as I transform myself from a cynical recluse into a content and jubilant pop-culture addict.  This will not be pretty, and I cannot guarantee success, but it is essential to my mental health that the experiment takes place.  I want to be a loon too.