I’m sure I speak for a majority of college students when I say that our favorite activity of the day, besides eating, is watching television. We may claim to be extremely busy and exhausted, but at the end of the day we find 30 minutes to fit in an episode of “Modern Family” to reward ourselves for our “hard work.”
One of my apartment-mates sets aside at least an hour at the end of his day to watch a television show or two. Oh, only easy majors have time to watch television? Well, here’s some food for thought … he’s a mechanical engineer who still makes time for his nightly “Lipstick Jungle” or “Desperate Housewives.”
Because we’re cheap, we don’t pay for cable. But thanks to technology, we have access to Hulu Plus and Netflix, allowing us to watch whatever we want, whenever we want. In addition to today’s technology and advances in mass media we can find virtually anything online moments after they are aired.
Now, when I do find time to watch my television shows that piled-up from the week, I like to cuddle with my cat and eat a bowl of spumoni ice cream. I’m as far away from a hipster as one can get; I watch television shows that no one has heard of or has bothered to check out.
Yes, of course I watch “Grey’s Anatomy” — Shonda Rhimes’ blessing to the Earth; “Glee” — even though it’s getting worse every week; and “90210” / “Gossip Girl” / other pointless dramas as my guilty pleasures.
What surprises me though is that not very many people watch shows that I would expect everyone to be obsessing over. For one, “Community” is one of those shows that encompasses all humor untouched by television thus far; a.k.a. my own humor. It is filled with pop culture references, quirky characters and a fast and witty script. Now that I think about it, this show actually sounds like “Gilmore Girls” … without the plotline of “Gilmore Girls.”
A brand new show to television, “Smash,” has famous people all over the place. Deborah Messing, Katharine McPhee, Anjelica Huston and Megan Hilty are just a few people of the extremely talented cast. Set around the creation, production and dream of making a Broadway musical, it’s everything “Glee” isn’t: entertaining, deep and with plot lines. Lea Michele should’ve stuck it out for this audition.
My number one television show is “Happy Endings.” There has yet to be an episode that I haven’t literally laughed out loud for and I only wish to model my life after this show. I believe this show is the hidden gem of all comedy television because of the brilliant banter between characters and the hilarity that ensues in every situation on the show.
Something I’m thoroughly looking forward to watching when it returns to MTV is “Awkward.” Basically the story of my life. This girl gets herself into the most awkward and uncomfortable situations and has the dry humor that drives my funny bone. Her outlook on life and her ridiculous friends remind me of everything my life is, has been and what I want it to be.
“Suburgatory”: if you grew up in the suburbs, which I’m assuming most of you have, then this is the show for you. Emphasizing and over-exaggerating the ridiculousness that occurs in those little boxes made of ticky tacky (Get it? “Weeds?”), this show has some of the most ridiculous and hilarious characters. One of the moms named her dog Yakult, after the yogurt. If that’s not enough to get you to watch it then I don’t know what will.
Last but not least, if you’re a fan of “Say Yes to the Dress” and are nowhere near getting married, then “Jersey Couture” is for you. This reality show follows the working lives of a family’s dress shop business that caters to women searching for prom, party or pageant dresses. The customers and their preferences in style make the show — who knew that a lime-green-feather-glitter-prom dress would be chosen for the low price of $800. Who knew. Well, I did. Because I watch this show.
So if you want to avoid your real feelings and drown them with comedic shows, then refer to this column as your guide. You’re welcome. (What show is that from? “Awkward!”)
Are you convinced that “Parks and Recreation” is the show to watch? Yeah, well convince ELIZABETH ORPINA to watch it after she hated the first season at arts@theaggie.org. And yes, she knows that it got better … her television schedule is too full at the moment.
