Monday, April 07, 2008

Quick, Call a Doctor!

Arguably, my most successful relationship, certainly in the last few years, has been with television programming. My TV shows and I are very close. I’ve been through the ups and the downs: plane crashes, mysterious islands, surprise pregnancies for a barren mother, abductions, demon possessions, vampires and amnesia—and those were just my own personal issues last Tuesday. But I love television. I love getting wrapped up in stories and seeing characters really develop.

I should be ecstatically counting down the hours, minutes and seconds until all my shows return from the strike-imposed hiatus. But I’m not. The thrill is gone. It’s as though I don’t care. Clearly, this is an indication of some sort of imminent breakdown. Do I need a prescription of some sort?

At first I thought it might be because there has been such a long interruption, that absence has made me forget the rush of a new episode. But then I remember that I watch a lot of television on cable where nine months to two years can come in between seasons. So, it can’t just be interruption.

Is it disenchantment? Perhaps. I’m reminded of the baseball players strike back in 1994-1995. It took years for the fans to come back.

Is it an acknowledgment that this is just a short-term reunion? Probably. It’s not that it wont be great to see 4-8 episodes of whatever shows come back, but it’s not enough for me to care about getting re-involved in shows that held only moderate interest before the strike. Also, with all the concern of a potential actor’s strike looming, I think the back of my mind has already written in delays to the fall season, as well.

It’s not as though I’ve been without stories. I’ve just turned to books, fanfiction and in some cases, cable has provided new visual entertainment. And while I am looking forward to The Office and Moonlight, I’m not even sure I could tell you the names of the other shows I was watching in the early fall.

How do I get the feeling back? What will make me put down the books? How do I rekindle my love affair?

Kate, feeling very “eh” about the whole thing

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4 comments:

danielletbd said...

Maybe you should take this time between strikes to discover new shows; maybe your disenchantment is with the turns some of your faves have taken.

Kate, Dating in LA said...

LOL!! "Time between strikes" just sounds so depressing.

I have discovered Mad Men. I've been watching the reruns since I didn't catch the series during its first run. Breaking Bad was interesting, although on hiatus now.

I think we just have to start making our own television because that way we have the illusion of some control.

danielletbd said...

PS I've been rewatching season 2 of "30 Rock" online, and I've determined I am Liz Lemon, especially when her perfect night consists of a meatball sub, extra bread and "Top Chef" on TiVo

Kate, Dating in LA said...

YES!!! The one where she's dating the younger man (who turns out to be much younger) is another favorite of mine.