I don’t ask that much from my TV; I watch very little of it.
The news I receive from the morning paper.
The talk shows? Not at all my cup of tea.
Yet every so often a bandwagon will rumble past and I will be tempted to climb aboard. Survivor, Lost, 24—I tried them on and found them interesting, but ultimately, as the mother of 5 and the wife of one, I realized that I didn’t have the time for an investment.
(Plus I was just too dumb for Lost. I’d watch and I’d just be…lost.)
And then along came House.
I discovered it quite haphazardly, fairly late in this 5th season. My husband had taken the kids on a “family outing” to Home Depot (after being begged by his wife to do so) and I turned on the television to unwind.
And to avoid the kitchen clean-up.
I came across a quirky show whose lead actor was intriguing. The script was snappy and the plot, intriguing—a sort of “Sherlock Holmes in Scrubs” type premise. Yes, Dr. House was extremely sarcastic. Yes, he said hurtful things. I was smitten despite his acid wit—perhaps, I’ll allow, because of it.
House became my new recreation. I looked forward to it weekly and even started to work my way through the early seasons. I loved it! Thank you, Hollywood!
And then along came last night’s show.
With its drunken fun and lesbian overtones, this episode was more of an in-your-face R-rated movie than prime time programming should ever be. (I don’t care if it was a bachelor party. I did not want to watch the pretty female doctor doing a straight shot off the stomach and chest of the “entertainment”.) I turned off the TV with an angry sigh…
…and being hormonal, I cried in frustration.
I wish—how I wish—that the networks didn’t do this.
I hate that they feel they need to.
AMDG,
This is pretty much the reason that I’ve come fairly close to not watching TV at all anymore. If the shows aren’t too raunchy or absurd or horrific to begin with then eventually they feel the need to throw something like this into the season.
So if it isn’t on PBS, Playhouse Disney or Food network I’m probably not watching it.
Even Chuck went down the drain – and I think it is only season two? First season, I let some stuff slide (me and hubs only in the room), but with some raunchy bachelor party episode, I cut it off (kids were in the room). I’d have cut it off anyway.
T with Honey said it. I’m so close to just throwing the telly out. Except I would “need” it fro PBS and running films I rent/buy.
I think all we watch anymore is Fox news…well and some discovery stuff like mythbusters and dirty jobs-there just is sooo much inappropriate stuff now…so disappointing!
I never liked House- it’s the “nature of the beast” to go further and further into raunchiness/ rudeness, etc.
I stick with the classics– when I watch “tv” at someone’s house I just don’t get it anymore. Perry Mason, Murder She Wrote. . . Netflix is the way to go!
Why do they do this? Networks need to make money and Little House on the Prairie just does not cut it anymore for “people”. It has to be rude and crude to get an audience. People need a shock value versus a good clean show.
My dad would not even let me watch “The Facts of Life” when I was growing up. Pretty tame stuff now I imagine.
College boy became hooked on House a few years ago. Early in the series, House was not quite so churlish. I, however, had objections to his accepted drug addiction. I discourage college boy from watching, but, alas, he is 19, and he finds the episodes on the Internet. I do not allow it on my television (along with almost all network programming). I cried about it a long time ago. 🙁
Just keep on-hand some old TV shows on DVD — Mary Tyler Moore, Newhart, MASH — good clean fun.
I’ve seen House once, and it was the one about the woman who refused to abort her baby. Can’t remember the details. Anyway, I don’t watch any network TV shows at all, except The Biggest Loser. Anything else leaves me feeling icky. I used to be a HUGE Law and Order fan, but even they went overboard. I’m sorry they did this to you in the last trimester of your pregnancy. 🙂 Don’t mess with my TV shows towards the tail end, that’s what I say. Perhaps you could order a bunch of stuff off of Netflix, stuff you can sort of preview before hand?
I have older kids and we all enjoyed House until this season. I found I had to “edit” more than was acceptable. Faith is right – Netflix is the way to go.
No TV in this house anymore. We put in carefully chosen videos and dvds, and own some old, fun series: Green Acres, Andy Griffith, Get Smart, Bonanza and others…the kids love them and I don’t have to fret about what they may see or hear.
Just to clarify, I wasn’t watching with the kids (and never do). No, I found last night’s show too offensive for me.
Now I’m in a quandary over watching the past episodes, knowing as I do where they are headed and where, in effect, their hearts are.
And yet they do, because we watch.
I got mad at the networks after the whole writers-strike-then-season-finales-after-six-episodes thing. Clearly, they don’t care about their viewers, only their bottom line.
I haven’t turned the TV on since then. And I don’t miss it. Not one bit.
I have watched “House” a few times late at night when there is nothing else on…dumb I know…but I actually do not like the show because of the raunchiness, it’s pretty offensive in many ways.
These dumb shows, they get us intrigued, that’s what happens, we watch because we can’t imagine life as it shows.
I do like what you said about your decision about AI-something about being in the real world and I agree with you. It doesn’t make us bad, we still have that off button, to use when we want and decide to.
I COMPLETLY agree. So many great shows and movies are ruined this way!
blessings
Christi
Aw, man! I’ve been enjoying this show, too.
Such a disappointment when a show does the shark jumping.
Bummer
I’m glad I missed that one – of the few shows I catch every once in awhile I like House (basically for the same reasons you mentioned) but I haven’t seen many of them (only re-runs really) since evenings are hectic around here. It is frustrating that networks have to ruin perfectly good shows like that though. It only seems safe to watch “old” shows now – I don’t like to see things that make me feel dirty (for lack of a better word). My boys are so sensitive to stuff like that they couldn’t watch the last Macy’s parade because of the “lack of costumes” the people were wearing – despite the temperatures at the time. It was so frustrating to not be able to watch a parade that was supposedly put on for families to watch!
I’ll agree with everyone’s Netflix idea – we recently watched Steve Ray’s Apostolic Fathers episode of Footprints with God – the boys loved it! 🙂
~Jenny
Don’t forget to shoot them a letter or email to complain!!
I’m sick of the trash out there and make sure I write a letter saying so. We were at large family dinner at my in-laws recently and the teenagers were all talking about “The Bachelor” and other shows they watched. My 14 year old said “My mom doesn’t let us watch TV”
She was exagerrating of course! Everyone looked at me like I was some kind of nut. We have one televison and DirectTV and I TIVO shows for the kids to watch.
We don’t let them watch anything unless we’ve seen it first. And the commercials are almost worse than the shows!!!
wow. First things first…”House” is an adult show for a reason. It has never claimed to be G-rated.
Secondly, if you watch very little tv, why are you judging “House” based on one episode? That would be like me judging you based on one blog.
Thirdly, the “in-your-face R-rated movie” concept may be a good opportunity for families that have no taboo subjects to discuss, review, and process everything that could or sometimes does happen in the world.
TV networks can not make programming suitable for JUST certain people. TV is episodic…just like people’s lives. To assume an episode is characterizing all season’s prior is rather quite judgemental.
wow. Laura.
No one claimed House was G-rated, but it made its name with clever dialogue and medical investigation. That the writers now feel the need to show strippers, etc. clearly shows its jumped the shark. Its sad that the writers don’t have enough talent left to entertain us with the original approach, and now have to resort to cheap sexual situations. I can almost see a scrubs wearing Fonzie in the air.
You are assuming MnMom is judging House based on one episode, yet if you read the post a bit more carefully you would see that is not the case. See, e.g., where she states “I looked forward to it weekly and even started to work my way through the early seasons. I loved it!” You compare it to judging her based on one blog post, but apparently even reading that one post was too much for you.
Best.
Dear Anonymous, how unfortunate you have to hide behind the label of “anonymous.” Apparently, you are so stuck on what you believe to be true you are blind to the fact that one blog was not too much and I take joy in reading blogs everywhere and having the freedom to say what I want to say and when. Even commenting on wonderful, beautiful pictures of children, nature, etc. I give credit where credit is due.
You, anonymous, are a sad example of so many things but on someone else’s blog is not an appropriate way. Someday, when you get the guts, look me up and comment there.
BEST
LAURA