What's To Watch On TV?

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What is there to watch on television? I don’t have cable so that’s out the window. I never view it in the daytime. About the only program I watch is reruns of “Traces” on early Sunday eve. I used to like "Cold Case’ but tired of that. I tried to get into “NCIS” but found the Mark Harmon character obnoxious and arrogant. That doctor on “House” is over the top with his eccentricity. TV is like the late FCC Commissioner Newton Minow said “chewing gum for the eyes.”

John
 
Cordelil said:
What is there to watch on television? I don’t have cable so that’s out the window. I never view it in the daytime. About the only program I watch is reruns of “Traces” on early Sunday eve. I used to like "Cold Case’ but tired of that. I tried to get into “NCIS” but found the Mark Harmon character obnoxious and arrogant. That doctor on “House” is over the top with his eccentricity. TV is like the late FCC Commissioner Newton Minow said “chewing gum for the eyes.”

John
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I just watch most stuff on YouTube… television might be useful when I try to catch a NOVA episode.
 
ribozyme said:
I just watch most stuff on YouTube… television might be useful when I try to catch a NOVA episode.
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Ribozyme,

How are you doing? I remember awhile back having a back and forth with you. You follow the political stuff like I do.

I like some of the old jazz musicians like John Coltrane and Miles Davis and watch them on You Tube (what little there is of them). When Ron Paul was runninng for prez I caught him on there too.

Be well,

John
 
Watch The Unit on CBS, Sunday nights at 10:00 P.M. (ET).

This show is based on the book Delta Force by Eric Haney. The Delta Force is the Special Forces of the U.S. Army. They do the impossible jobs, and many die doing them.

Eric Haney is one of the producers of the show, which is written by Shawn Ryan (The Shield) and Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright David Mamet. Eric Haney was actually a member of the Special Forces for many years, so he is an authority. The show is very accurate.

It is the first network drama television show in 40 years to have African American male and female actors in the leading roles (Dennis Haysbert and Regina Taylor).

Regina Taylor, the female lead, was so convinced of the value of this show that she came out of retirement to join the cast. She won an NAACP award last season for her work on the show.

Last spring, the four male actors on the show travelled to Afghanistan and Iraq with the U.S.O and spent two weeks visiting the troops. There are some wonderful pictures of them sitting in Saddam Hussein’s throne! They came back determined to play their roles with more conviction and realism.

Robert Patrick (the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgement Day) plays a lieutenant colonel on The Unit. In several interviews, he says that he is honoring his grandfather, who was a career Army lieutenant colonel. It was Robert Patrick who organized the trip overseas; he has been a long-time member of the U.S.O.

His brother Richard is a member of the rock band, Filter. Apparently his former rock band disbanded because two of the members joined the Army after the Iraq war started! I guess the Patrick family is pretty patriotic!

I have never missed an episode of The Unit. I can testify that it presents a balanced and reverent view of religion. In one episode, one of the young women does some searching into religion, and the pastor that counsels her is excellent. Nothing fluffy or “liberal.”

The show also has a great family ethic. In one episode, the college-aged daughter of Dennis Haysbert’s character decides to join the Army, and her daddy takes her out in the field to show her what life in the Army is really like. It’s a wonderful father-daughter coming-of-age story.

Unlike almost every other show on network TV, The Unit shows sin as it really is–a free choice that humans make that destroys their lives and the lives of others. Sin is not glossed over or glamourized on The Unit. The Lieutenant Colonel is having an affair with the wife of one of his men, and it is soooo repulsive and dirty. When you watch the two of them struggle with their temptations (he tries to walk away but can’t), you tell yourself, “I will NEVER have an affair!”

I think it’s interesting that Robert Patrick, the actor who plays the Lt. Col, calls his actions “adultery” in interviews. He doesn’t say, “My character is messing around.” He comes right out and says, “My character is committing adultery.” Hmmm…it’s so unusual to see Biblical language used. But then, Robert Patrick is a professing Anglican-Episcopal, and often talks about his faith, his covenant marriage, and the Bible study that the attends.

There is another show on TV called Heroes, but IMO, The Unit episodes show TRUE heroes, men who are willing to die to help others. In fact, in one episode last season, one of the unit members was shot and died. It was so sad. They showed the military funeral, and online, people who were actually in the military said that it was completely accurate.

One of the best episodes involves the rookie rescuing a woman. Their helicopter crashes in rough terrain, and she breaks her back and can’t walk. This young rookie doesn’t abandon her, but sticks with her, dragging her along on a makeshift cot, giving her his coat, giving up his share of the food for her. And she wasn’t a wimp, even though she was injured and helpless. She jokes with him, stifles her outcries, refuses to complain. It’s a fantastic episode that brings tears to my eyes even now. I wish every teenaged boy could see it–I like to think that there are men who would make these sacrifices for a woman.

I realize that a lot of people, especially Catholics, are against the war and don’t want to see it on TV. Well, this show does NOT glorify war or present cheap patriotic sentiment about America. It will make you think really hard about why we fight wars.
 
Yes, I have watched “The Unit.” I haven’t seen too many episodes but can relate a bit since I was one time an army infantryman.

I like the head squad leader, Dennis Haysbert and the woman who plays his wife. They seem to be wonderful role models and exhibit strong leadership qualities.

Another actress on there the one with the short hair who is also married to one of the commandos or special forces guys. She plays a very human sensitive type role.

“The Unit” is a good pick.

I don’t know how I got hung up on “Traces” where the FBI is hunting down missing people. Before that it was “Cold Case.”

John
 
Robert Patrick? perk I didn’t know he was devout. Truthfully, I don’t really pay much attention to actors themselves, just the characters they play. I loved him as Agent Doggett on “The X-Files”. I wish they had given him an Emmy nod for it, but alas. And those absolutely adorable cute pointy ears! squeee

Ahem… Personally, most of my TV watching is cable news, Nick at Nite/TVLand and documenatries. I follow four regular shows - Boston Legal, ER, Brothers & Sisters and House. Personally, I think House is perhaps one of the best TV characters to come around in the past decade. If you’re not into that sort of thing, give Brothers & Sisters a shot. The writing is superb, the actors are superb, and if this show doesn’t get an Emmy nod for best drama soon (but not before House wins it!) I’m going to scream!
 
StarPaintedBlue said:
Robert Patrick? perk I didn’t know he was devout. Truthfully, I don’t really pay much attention to actors themselves, just the characters they play. I loved him as Agent Doggett on “The X-Files”. I wish they had given him an Emmy nod for it, but alas. And those absolutely adorable cute pointy ears! squeee

Ahem… Personally, most of my TV watching is cable news, Nick at Nite/TVLand and documenatries. I follow four regular shows - Boston Legal, ER, Brothers & Sisters and House. Personally, I think House is perhaps one of the best TV characters to come around in the past decade. If you’re not into that sort of thing, give Brothers & Sisters a shot. The writing is superb, the actors are superb, and if this show doesn’t get an Emmy nod for best drama soon (but not before House wins it!) I’m going to scream!
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I wouldn’t say “devout!” He is interested in religion and takes it seriously. But his vocab–ooooof! A sailor would blush.

But when you think about it, who cares that he throws around the “f” word? He talks about his long-lasting marriage, and says that his children are his best “production.” Isn’t that more important than salty language?
 
What I usually watch on TV are DVD rentals. Now, I know I may be thought of heretic but my favorite show is on HBO which I don’t watch not having cable; but, I like “The Wire” and rent it. I have seen every episode of every season and enjoy it.

John
 
I’m sorry, everyone, but I can’t understand the fascination with shows about forensics. The very idea of facing the remains of a dead person–it just gives me the willies.

I work in a hospital lab, and several of our technologists have quit clinical lab work to do forensics lab work. So I guess these shows are doing a good service to get more people interested in forensics as a career.

What does everyone think that new show with Christian Slater will be like? The one where he is Henry and Edward (Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde). I think it sounds kind of lame myself. Does anyone have any links to critiques?
 
Cat said:
I’m sorry, everyone, but I can’t understand the fascination with shows about forensics. The very idea of facing the remains of a dead person–it just gives me the willies.

I work in a hospital lab, and several of our technologists have quit clinical lab work to do forensics lab work. So I guess these shows are doing a good service to get more people interested in forensics as a career.

What does everyone think that new show with Christian Slater will be like? The one where he is Henry and Edward (Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde). I think it sounds kind of lame myself. Does anyone have any links to critiques?
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You must be referring to the CIS shows. I like the Miami one due to having a crush on Emily Proctor, the blond woman with the southern accent.
John
 
Cordelil said:
You must be referring to the CIS shows. I like the Miami one due to having a crush on Emily Proctor, the blond woman with the southern accent.
John
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I can identify with this. The main reason I started watching The Unit is my insane crush on Robert Patrick! Then I started liking the show for its own merits.
 
I am not much for comedy whether it’s tv or movies. The last tv comedies I watched regularly which will date me were “Barney Miller” and “The Bob Newhart Show.”

I got into “Seinfeld” a bit when it was in reruns. I tried to get used to “2 and 1/2 Men” but it’s nothing but wall to wall sex jokes and innuendos.

John
 
Would I wreck the thread if I said I got rid of TV? I have no cable or no antenna. Just a 5" b/w good for camping emergencies. I could only recommend reruns from when I used to watch.
:o
 
I really like TV.

What we need to keep in mind is that television is a medium for conveying information and telling stories. It is up to the viewer to make a decision whether the information is truthful and worth knowing, and whether the story is worth hearing and good for the soul.

A lot of the information IS worth hearing.

I will probably never attend an Olympic Opening Ceremony, unless it’s in Chicago, and then it will probably cost so much that the only way I’ll get in is if I volunteer to be the back end of a cow during the “Salute To Stockyards” portion of the Opening Ceremonies.

But through the magic of television, I have one of the best seats in the house to watch the Opening Ceremonies.

Same for Super Bowl and lots of other sports venues.

It was through television that I got interested in figure skating way back in the early 1960s.

The information from the television is also good to have during national and international crises. I couldn’t be in New York City when the terrorists attacked, but I could sit and watch television. This helped me to have sympathy for the victims and galvanized me to give money, prayers, etc. to help them.

When the NIU killings happened last spring, I watched constantly–this was MY college and gosh darned, I wanted to BE THERE! But I would have been in the way in person. Through television, I could be there.

I know some people say, “Big deal. what good does watching it do?”

Well, it doesn’t do much good. But does that mean that if your family was in crisis, you would stay home and not bother to try to be with them?

As for the stories, in spite of all the trash on TV, there are an awful lot of really good stories shown on television. I mentioned The Unit. In the past, we’ve seen shows like *Twilight Zone, Star Trek, Dark Shadows, *etc.–stories that have lived on and on. I really think sometimes we are too quick to criticize. We need to be discerning. There is nothing wrong with listening to stories–Jesus Himself told stories. This has been part of human life and recreation since the beginning of civilization, and even before civiliation (e.g., cave drawings).

Most of us live pretty humdrum lives, and we don’t live a “story.” It’s fun to visit a pretend world where a housewife can be wisked into an international adventure, or a child can meet a friendly dragon, or a teenager can become a rock star. If you’ve outgrown pretending, fine. But many of us never will.
 
MarcoPolo said:
Would I wreck the thread if I said I got rid of TV? I have no cable or no antenna. Just a 5" b/w good for camping emergencies. I could only recommend reruns from when I used to watch.
:o
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Well, if we did that, the answer to the OP’s question “What’s to watch on TV?” would simply be “nothing” or “I don’t know”, and we wouldn’t get to have a discussion. 😉
 
Cat said:
I really like TV.

What we need to keep in mind is that television is a medium for conveying information and telling stories. It is up to the viewer to make a decision whether the information is truthful and worth knowing, and whether the story is worth hearing and good for the soul.

A lot of the information IS worth hearing.

I will probably never attend an Olympic Opening Ceremony, unless it’s in Chicago, and then it will probably cost so much that the only way I’ll get in is if I volunteer to be the back end of a cow during the “Salute To Stockyards” portion of the Opening Ceremonies.

But through the magic of television, I have one of the best seats in the house to watch the Opening Ceremonies.

Same for Super Bowl and lots of other sports venues.

It was through television that I got interested in figure skating way back in the early 1960s.

The information from the television is also good to have during national and international crises. I couldn’t be in New York City when the terrorists attacked, but I could sit and watch television. This helped me to have sympathy for the victims and galvanized me to give money, prayers, etc. to help them.

When the NIU killings happened last spring, I watched constantly–this was MY college and gosh darned, I wanted to BE THERE! But I would have been in the way in person. Through television, I could be there.

I know some people say, “Big deal. what good does watching it do?”

Well, it doesn’t do much good. But does that mean that if your family was in crisis, you would stay home and not bother to try to be with them?

As for the stories, in spite of all the trash on TV, there are an awful lot of really good stories shown on television. I mentioned The Unit. In the past, we’ve seen shows like *Twilight Zone, Star Trek, Dark Shadows, *etc.–stories that have lived on and on. I really think sometimes we are too quick to criticize. We need to be discerning. There is nothing wrong with listening to stories–Jesus Himself told stories. This has been part of human life and recreation since the beginning of civilization, and even before civiliation (e.g., cave drawings).

Most of us live pretty humdrum lives, and we don’t live a “story.” It’s fun to visit a pretend world where a housewife can be wisked into an international adventure, or a child can meet a friendly dragon, or a teenager can become a rock star. If you’ve outgrown pretending, fine. But many of us never will.
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I like how you always look to the positive, Cat. 🙂 TV is an easy target. Sure, there’s lots of bad stuff, but not all of it is bad, and even some of the bad stuff is not all bad. TV is morally neutral. Just like anything else, it is how it is used that matters. We should do our best to be responsible, but we don’t have to run and hide!
 
What you say about stories is true. Where I get that need fulfilled is by reading a lot. The Modern Library Association has their best 100 novels in English for the 20th Century. I have read at least 40 of them.

Some I read due to being on the list. Talking about Chicago one was Saul Bellow’s “The Adventures of Augie March.” Now, I am reading an easier one by him: “The Dean’s December.” One of the best was Robert Penn Warren’s “All the King’s Men.” My favorite contemporary writer is Cormac McCarthy.

I lead a solitary life and have used books as an escape and adventure. Even when I was more active I was still a voracious reader.

John
 
I am such a tecnophobe I have never played a video game (nor do I want to) and am at a loss when I walk into a Best Buy store. I don’t have a Ipod, digital camera, cellphone, Iphone (is there such a thing?), blackberry (or is it berries?), Xbox or almost all of the other tech gadgets they have there.

John
 
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