deird_lj: (Default)
deird_lj ([personal profile] deird_lj) wrote2008-04-23 09:47 am
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Six Shows I Will Rarely Admit To Loving

So I'm a television fan. Information which probably won't come as a shock to anyone here. But while I will freely admit my small-screen love to almost anyone, there are some shows I tend not to talk about, despite my infatuation.

But these shows deserve their day in the sun just as much as the more socially acceptable ones. So I thought I'd make a list:


Six TV Shows I Love, But Hardly Ever Admit To Watching

6) To The Manor Born

My parents had control of the television when I was younger. So I grew up watching British comedies from the 80s. I could identify Penelope Keith by sight long before I'd heard of Brad Pitt.

Thankfully, some of my inherited tv-watching is considered interesting - Yes Minister, for instance. But if you tell people you like To The Manor Born, they ask "what's that?" and when you explain that it's about a widow who has to sell her estate to a business man and thereafter spends most of her time looking through binoculars or drinking tea, they look at you kinda funny.


5) Inspector Gadget

No, I don't mean that I have sentimental reminiscences of childhood afternoons spent watching this show. I mean that right now, if I got the chance to spend an afternoon watching this fantastic piece of television, I would cheer on Inspector Gadget, and wish that I owned Penny's book, and shiver over the guy with the cat, and yell "Go Go Gadget Legs!" every time they did that sproingy thing.
I am such a fangirl.

One day, some insane studio executive will decide to release the entire thing on dvd, and I will be a very happy woman.


4) Friends

Used to be my favourite show. And I still love the first four seasons to bits. I don't care if it's completely lame comedy relying on stereotypical humour for cheap laughs - I'm still a Ross/Rachel shipper, and always will be.


3) Buffy The Vampire Slayer

And right now, you're all probably scratching your heads and wondering "Wasn't the list about shows she WON'T admit to watching? As opposed to the show she won't shut up about?" But that's because you read my LJ.

In real life, I have learnt to my cost exactly how many weird looks you get when people find out that a) you like shows about vampires, b) you like a show about someone called "Buffy", and c) you're not joking.

These days, I tend to lead up to it. I tentatively mention Doctor Who, possibly mention Terry Pratchett, and if I discover that they've heard of Firefly then I mention this show that I might possibly have maybe seen. Once. Or twice. In passing. And it's by the guy who did Firefly. And it's really not all that bad. And it's called... Buffy.

With most people, I just give up and tell them my favourite show is Frasier.


2) Hey Dad

For international visitors to this LJ: Hey Dad is a show from the early 90s about a single dad with three kids, a wacky secretary, and some nutty next-door neighbours. You know the sort of thing. Anyway, in Australia it's generally considered acceptable to have fond memories of this show, and to chuckle reminiscently about how naive we all were because obviously, seen in the clear light of day, the show wasn't actually any good.
And it probably wasn't. Not really.
... but I kinda love it.


And, my all-time show that I am absolutely nuts about and will deny ever watching even if you put me under oath...

1) Dawson’s Creek

All four seasons of it. Some weirdos on the internet claim there are two more seasons set in Boston, but I refuse to listen to such ridiculous rumours.

I am absolutely mad about this show. Hopelessly, deeply, passionately in love with it. I squeal over Pacey's smile, yell at Dawson to stop being so dense and OPEN HIS EYES, ship Pacey/McPhee like nothing else, rewatch the countdown-to-a-kiss over and over, burst into tears at "ASK ME TO STAY" on the wall, grin madly every time Gretchen appears, and cheer on Jen whenever she gets snarky at someone.

But I do have a slightly less squeeing-fangirl reason for loving this show.
You see, Dawson's Creek was the first time I watched a show first and foremost for the directing. As much as I loved the characters and their insanely soapy plotlines, the reason I watched was to look at interesting lighting choices, well placed lines, and homages to films. And, if you're just watching the director, the show is superb.

Back then, I didn't really know anyone who watched tv like that. In fact, I didn't know you could watch tv like that. "TV as an artform" simply hadn't occurred to me. Until I saw Dawson's. That show is almost solely responsible for getting me to take television seriously.
And this is not back in the days when I thought Frasier was the best American tv had to offer. This is before those days, when I hadn't seen Frasier yet, and still thought that tv studios in America were purely interested in Candid Camera and lame rehashing of The Brady Bunch knock-offs. And even though I still thought that, Dawson's gave me hope that, one day, someone might produce some more tv worth analysing.

And that's why I love it, and always will.

[identity profile] a2zmom.livejournal.com 2008-04-23 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
I always tell people I watch Buffy. And then when I get "the look" I explain how it was one of the best written shows that was ever on TV, and that it delved into deep moral issues.
deird1: Fred looking pretty and thoughful (Default)

[personal profile] deird1 2008-04-23 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
You clearly have more guts than I do.

I'm slowly getting better at defending my tv-watching habits, but it's taking a while...

[identity profile] klme.livejournal.com 2008-04-23 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
The guy with the cat was Dr Claw I seem to recall...
deird1: Fred looking pretty and thoughful (Default)

[personal profile] deird1 2008-04-23 02:48 am (UTC)(link)
DR CLAW! That was his name! Thankyou!
snowpuppies: (Default)

[personal profile] snowpuppies 2008-04-23 05:26 am (UTC)(link)
Go, go Gadget arms!

I way loved the helicopter hat. So wanted one of those.

And yeah, if I caught it on TV, I'd totally watch it all again. It was one of my fave shows.


*is nostalgic*

[identity profile] taiba.livejournal.com 2008-04-23 05:35 am (UTC)(link)
Can we watch Hey Dad together some time? :-) Awesome show.

[identity profile] washa-way.livejournal.com 2008-04-23 12:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Just don't watch the Inspector Gadget movie if you want those precious memories to remain intact.

I know, I know, it's Matthew Broderick and Rupert Everett.

But still. No. Bad.
deird1: Fred looking pretty and thoughful (Default)

[personal profile] deird1 2008-04-23 07:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Right. No movie. Got it.

[identity profile] a2zmom.livejournal.com 2008-04-23 09:54 pm (UTC)(link)
The fact that I'd like to jump Boreanaz is info I usually manage to keep to myself. **g**
deird1: Fred looking pretty and thoughful (Default)

[personal profile] deird1 2008-04-23 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
*nostalges right along with you*

Go go Gadget springs!
deird1: Fred looking pretty and thoughful (Default)

[personal profile] deird1 2008-04-23 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Any time you can get hold of an episode...

Wowsers!

[identity profile] hamishbunny.livejournal.com 2008-04-25 01:15 am (UTC)(link)
....I happen to have the first two seasons of Inspector Gadget on DVD (yes, they exist- much to my surprise when I opened my birthday presents last year), so if you want to add that to some scapin' when you feel like training down to the sticks for a visit... :-)
deird1: Fred looking pretty and thoughful (Default)

Re: Wowsers!

[personal profile] deird1 2008-04-25 02:20 am (UTC)(link)
Awesome! Absolutely add that to the list...

By the way, I've just finished watching Terra Firma. So much fun!

Re: Wowsers!

(Anonymous) 2008-04-25 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
Terra Firma rocks..."Merry Frelling Christmas!" :-D
So sad though, too...poor DK and Laura :-(

I think 'Kansas' is an awesome ep...so sad when he tries to talk to his mum...
Sigh. When do we get more of this show? (apart from the upcoming comicbooks- they don't count)

[identity profile] hamishbunny.livejournal.com 2008-04-25 02:44 am (UTC)(link)
soz, forgot to tick the 'login' box for that last comment...could you tell it was me? ;-)
deird1: Fred looking pretty and thoughful (Default)

[personal profile] deird1 2008-04-25 04:49 am (UTC)(link)
Well, it took me a while...
But after much detective work, and a complete analysis of your comment, I figured it out.

Kansas was fantastic.
(And I've now finished Bringing Home The Beacon. I've watched 13 episodes in two days. This is getting ridiculous.)

[identity profile] hamishbunny.livejournal.com 2008-04-25 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
Ah yes, BHTB...the whole "Where's the beacon? Where's the baby?" scene is so moving...
"A-b-c-d-e-f-g... h-i-j..."

13 in two days? Nice. I once watched 11 eps of X Files season 9 in one day, that was the best day *ever*. I remember it very fondly. Ah, to be jobless again....

Anyways, sorry for hijacking your thread- yay Gadget! And Hey Dad! of course...."Mister Kellyyyyy...."
At least Rachael Beck is still around :-)
lyr: (Shiny Kaylee: annasiconnas)

[personal profile] lyr 2008-05-11 08:26 am (UTC)(link)
I freely reference Buffy, and I wouldn't mind telling people I watched To The Manor Born, though I didn't watch it often and I don't remember it too well. But I rarely admit to Dawson's Creek, although I did love it. I still have an abiding fondness for Joshua Jackson to this day.
deird1: Fred looking pretty and thoughful (Default)

[personal profile] deird1 2008-05-11 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, Joshua Jackson. *happy sigh* Wasn't he wonderful...