Susan Hill's blog :: A DOMESTIC ABOUT TELEVISION

Main Page

CREATIVE WRITING COURSE

WOOLF FOR DUMMIES OLD POSTS

SIMON SERRAILLER

FOR GCSE AND A LEVEL STUDENTS OF SUSAN`S BOOKS

BOOKS AND READING

GENERAL

This Month

Month Archive

March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006

Year Archive

2008
2007
2006

Main Page

Previous:	WOOLF FOR DUMMIES... JACOB`S ROOM 3
Next:	PERFECT COUNTRY WEEKEND

A DOMESTIC ABOUT TELEVISION

by Susan Hill on Sat 13 Jan 2007 19:17 GMT | Permanent Link

The SP says I watch too much rubbish on television. And of course he is absolutely correct. Indeed I would go so far as to say that, the News apart ( and that is often rubbish) I watch ONLY rubbish. There is very little else worth watching. No, correction - there is very little else. I don`t think I watch too MUCH, rubbish or not. If you tot up my hours of television they fade into insignificance beside the hours I spend reading books and writing books and playing with the dogs.

How much is too much anyway ? The SP rarely watches at all but that, admittedly, is in part because we only have one set and I hog it and I really really don`t like anyone else watching with me. I am strange like that. I hate television - or cinema or theatre or visiting a gallery - as a social activity. Eating out in restaurants is a social activity. Watching a footie match or even cricket can be. Having a drink in pub or bar ditto.

No one can read a book with me, thank God, but if they could, would I want them to ? A resounding NO. So why should I want my TV watching to be a friendly, sociable, family, married thing ?

I like my rubbish to myself.

But from time to time there are marvellous reality-TV programmes on about amazing operations, or children`s hospitals, or Owls. And then I am more than happy for the SP to watch and marvel with me and even talk about them while they`re on. Now where is the difference ? This is one of life`s mysteries. OK, a small one, but one, nevertheless.

I like Eastenders,Holby, The Bill and Corrie, not to mention Judge John Deed, in solitude. I also cannot bear anyone coming in and sitting next to me on the sofa for Oceans Eleven or Gosford Park or Some Like it Hot or Casablanca. Ruins it. I have to get up and go and empty the dishwasher.

Odd. All cod-psychiatric explanations welcome.

Posted to:

Main Page

Comments

Post a comment

Re: A DOMESTIC ABOUT TELEVISION

by Caroline on Sat 13 Jan 2007 20:27 GMT | Profile | Permanent Link

You are not alone, Susan. I simply cannot bear to watch television with other people. Well, that's not stictly true now I come to think of it. I don't mind sharing factual programmes or comedy, but drama, no thankyou. I suppose that's because drama is the closest thing to reading a novel and so having someone on the sofa with me is akin to them peering over my shoulder as I read.Ugh! Also, I can't have anyone around if I need to cry and that really spoils the enjoyment. So you see, there is someone worse than you!

Re: A DOMESTIC ABOUT TELEVISION

by SallyQ on Sat 13 Jan 2007 20:42 GMT | Profile | Permanent Link

I like watching TV alone too, but that's mostly because my husband rarely watches and when he does, wants to know who is who and what they do. As you can imagine this takes up most of the programme! I especially like watching new films alone as he'll still say 'Who's he? What's he doing?' and all I can reply is, 'How do I know? I'm only watching it for the first time too!'

One thing I do hate sharing is music. I like listening with headphones on and absorbing it all myself, lyrics, music, meaning. Other people get in the way of my enjoyment, either by talking over it or singing along.

So, no, you're definitely not alone in liking your solitary pleasures. Maybe it's how we cope with the rest of the world.

Re: A DOMESTIC ABOUT TELEVISION

by Curzon Tussaud on Sat 13 Jan 2007 21:56 GMT | Profile | Permanent Link

I believe that a certain amount of "rubbish" in our lives is relaxing, amusing, and probably good for us. After an evening rehearsal, "Desperate Housewives" is a huge tonic, and I usually season my serious reading with courtroom thrillers or the like, details of which have completely left me within days, if not hours.
Lesley Garner wrote in the Telegraph the other day that children need from their parents not "quality time", but "rubbish time": time oafing about doing not very much but knowing Mum's in the next room, time in the car when so many important things get said because there is no eye contact, unpressured time, relaxed time. I agree with her.

Re: A DOMESTIC ABOUT TELEVISION

by Anita on Sat 13 Jan 2007 22:29 GMT | Profile | Permanent Link

I regularly watch Eastenders, Holby City and Casualty and I know they are rubbish - I also watch The Bill which is slightly superior rubbish because the story lines are more believable (or perhaps I just don't know much about policing). While I was watching a recent dreadful offering of Holby City I tried to analyze why I was still watching it, having decided to give it up months ago because it was getting too ridiculous. Well it's even more ridiculous now and I'm still watching - though doing Sudoku puzzles at the same time does make me feel slightly better about it. Doesn't help me do the Sudoku, but the Sudoku helps bear the awfulness of the programme.

The only answer I could come up with was that watching rubbish is easy - it makes absolutely no demands on the brain, it doesn't even matter if one's attention wanders, it's similar to being in a social setting - people are interacting but I don't have to do anything at all - so I can switch off from more demanding and more important things in my life - and have a bit of time out. It can be as comforting as having a bed-time story read as a child.

Being on one's own means there's no-one to point out we're watching rubbish and to scoff at the unrealistic bits of plot and unlikely behaviour of characters.