Television has been a popular topic of discussion in our household lately as my husband and I are navigating the sea of what our children should and should not be watching. It got me wondering about my own television habits. What does a person’s T.V. watching say about them?
Disclaimer: I am not a psychologist. I’ve never even taken a psychology class (although I think it would be super fun). These are just the ponderings of someone who tends to overanalyze most things in life.
I consider myself what I’ll call a “monogamous television watcher.” I rarely watch more than one show at a time. Part of the reason is obviously the fact that I have 4 small children, and I just don’t have the time. I have friends that have told me they’ll watch no less than ten different shows at one time. This blows my mind….how?! I become very invested in the show I’m watching. I find myself reading articles about the show. Taking up for the characters in daily conversations. And I HATE missing a new episode. I’m currently watching “The Walking Dead”. Every Sunday night at 7:59 pm you will find me on my couch anxiously waiting for the latest episode to begin. Then I desperately try to stay awake and watch “The Talking Dead” (which is literally just a show that discusses the episode of “The Walking Dead” that just aired) afterward, but it usually ends with me asleep on the couch.
If you weren’t aware, “The Walking Dead” is an intense show. Lots of gore, violence, depraved humanity. Before that show, I watched and loved the first few seasons of “American Horror Story”. Another intense show with lots of the creepy and crawly and bloody. And now that I’m really thinking about it, I don’t typically find myself becoming invested in many comedies. What does this say about my psyche?! Maybe I just need something to counterbalance all the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Paw Patrol?
I also find myself “comfort watching” T.V. from time to time. And by that I mean, I’ll watch the same show that I’ve seen a million times rather than something I’ve never seen. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen every episode of Dawson’s Creek at least 5 times. When you watch a television show from your past, it’s almost like you’re transported back in time. Your adult life and worries take a back seat momentarily, and you can remember what it feels like when your biggest worry was if you made an A on your English test.
Perhaps the strangest (or funniest) T.V. habit I have is that I seem to only enjoy watching certain shows/channels when I’m pregnant…I swear! I absolutely cannot get enough of the Food Network when I’m pregnant. It’s been this way for all three of my pregnancies. Then once I deliver, Poof! my desire to watch people cook vanishes. I think regardless of the type of show you watch, television can provide us with a temporary escape from reality. I know too much T.V. can be harmful, but when you get that chance to decompress and turn off, it can be a helpful tool. Also, thanks to “The Walking Dead,” I’m totally ready for a zombie apocalypse.
