Jessie: In NH, wondering if putting away my heaviest coat will tempt a blizzard to pay a visit?
In keeping with our “Things I Haven’t” theme on Wicked Wednesday this month we’re talking about shows we haven’t ever seen. You know, the ones everyone is talking about around the water cooler but you just have no interest in? Take it away, Wickeds!
Edith: I’ll jump right in here. ALL OF THEM. Okay, I’ve seen the first season of House of
Cards until it got too merciless. And I’ve watched and loved all of Downton, Grantchester,
and Call the Midwife so far. But Orange is the New Black? Zip, even though I’d like to see it. Big Bang Theory? Modern Family? The Sopranos? Secrets and Lies? Even the modern Sherlock – no, despite how many friends I have who like these shows. Ditto for any other new and most older TV shows. What can I say? I don’t have time for shows. A friend long ago called me a “cultural desert” and he wasn’t far off. I did see all of West Wing live and mourned deeply when it went off the air. Same for ER. But these days (okay, blame Facebook if you must) I don’t even get enough reading done. And books take precedence way above television.
Sherry: I’ve never watched an episode of The Simpsons. They come up regularly as crossword clues — I never get them. No Sopranos here either — maybe I’ll get to it some day.
Jessie: The Walking Dead has not made my list. I love paranormal, supernatural and anything otherworldly, except zombies. I have zero interest in zombies. They’re ugly , reek of desperation and don’t let me get started on the scope of their dialogue!
Barb: I confess I’ve never seen Breaking Bad or The Wire. I know, I know. Everyone says the writing is amazing on both of these, and I fully intend to stream them. Someday. Also, I’ve never watched an episode of CSI. Although I have to admit, the new CSI: Cybercrimes is tempting me, mostly because of the cast. Law and Order, only the original and long, long ago.
Liz: I’ve never watched Downton and I feel like I’m the only person on earth who hasn’t. Barb, I’ve never watched The Wire either, although it’s been on my list for years now. I still fully intend to watch it someday, along with Orange is the New Black, Castle, and the rest of The Americans (I’ve seen the first two episodes and loved it, just never got back to it). Someday…
Julie: OK, unlike Edith, I think television is where a lot of really creative work is happening. The short seasons NetFlix and Amazon Prime are creating? Some of the best writing around. Given that I am a wicked wimp, gruesome doesn’t work for me. I also, for whatever reason, am not watching comedies at all, though I know I am missing something. Two shows that I haven’t seen, and need to (in my television loving, story craving, world)? Mad Men and The Wire. Like Barb, CSI Cybercrimes interests me. May add it to my DVR.
Readers, how about you? Which shows have you somehow missed?
I’ve never seen most of the crime shows mentioned. We don’t subscribe to any premium channels or Netflix so those shows are out. PBS yes, but I am less than faithful when the writing starts to annoy me, as Downton has with Anna’s subplot. Often I catch an episode in a show that has already been on for awhile and then binge watch DVDs to catch up. And I get DVDs of shows not on in my area like Midsomer Murders and New Tricks. The only shows I’m currently watching, when I remember they’re on, are Castle, Hot in Cleveland, Marvel’s Agents of Shield (although that one is starting to annoy me), and Father Brown and Death in Paradise on MPBN, our local PBS station. Oh, and Dancing With the Stars, of course.😊
Kathy/kaitlyn
Laughing, Kathy Lynn because your last one is so unexpected. Personally, I’m a So You Think You Can Dance person.
Seems a lot of us here are Netflix-deprived (I never saw the need, but when everyone on the loops is talking about The Wire or Orange is the New Black or House of Cards, I wonder if I should do something about it–and now that Longmire is coming on Netflix, I think I’ve reached a tipping point).
Over the past few years I’ve found I can’t stand sitcoms–they just don’t seem funny to me. Too much murder on my mind?
I hear there’s a new mini-season of the X-Files coming this summer. Now, where did we leave off?
Netflix has a lot of British crime drama they’ve licensed, too. Stuff that doesn’t come our way on PBS or BBC America. I recommend biting the bullet.
I am proud to say that I have never seen one episode of The Wire and have no intention of ever seeing it. The only show that I haven’t seen that interest me is Agent Shields, I think that’s the title. The shows I have really loved through the years seem to always get canceled.
Bill and I feel like jinxes. For a while, whenever we committed to a new show it was immediately cancelled.
I feel much the same way.
My father was a television executive so I was raised in the industry and could read Nielson ratings as a kid, but I have missed almost all of the shows mentioned other than PBS/WGBH dramas, comedies and mysteries. I did binge True Detective. I dream of a day I catch up on television AFTER I read all of those books in the TBR pile. Right.
That is so interesting, Michele!
I agree with Julie on the creativity in TV, especially HBO’s documentary series. Has anyone watched The Jinx? Completely fascinating. I think there’s going to be a continued wave of quality documentary work, which I will happily stand up to applaud.
However, I don’t watch any shows with graphic violence, which limits my watching tremendously. I watched The Sopranos beginning to end, despite the violence, and I think that’s what did it for me.
I watched The Jinx. Amazing television.
Downtown Abbey (no Liz, you are not the only one), Orange is the New Black, Breaking Bad, Justified, The Walking Dead. My daughter got me watching House of Cards and while the writing/acting is brilliant (love Kevin Spacey), the people are so horrible I can’t watch it long. She also gets me to watch The Office, although I rarely find it as funny as she does. I feel the same way as Sheila about sitcoms. So many of them simply aren’t funny to me.
I get a lot of my tv recommendations from my kids, too, Mary.
Good to know, Mary!
We don’t watch the “popular” shows either. The only show I make a point to watch is Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda.
I’ve never heard of this show, Gram. Will have to check it out.
I think I can list most of the show that have been mentioned. No Netflix, so no Orange is the New Black. I just confessed over on Jungle Reds to having never watched Downton. No premium channels, so none of those overrated HBO offerings like Sex and the City of Sopranos. No for The Shield. No Modern Family. The list really could go on and on.
Yet, you’re a TV blogger, Mark. You like what you like.
Well, if you think about the books I like, the TV shows I like tend to fit into that. Many of those I haven’t watched (but not all) are darker than what I would really enjoy.
Sopranos? Overrated?? You’re killing me….then again, you don’t drink coffee…
LOL.
Julie, I almost envy you. All those glorious episodes of Mad Men ahead of you. And be sure to check out Tom and Lorenzo’s commentary on the costuming as you go along.