What’s on TV?

I’m not sure if it’s the weather or my weariness inside manifested outside. I’ve been sneezing and coughing for a week now. I’ve taken all the meds I know; drank a gallon of calamansi juice; and if I could, I would’ve swallowed the vapor rub if it can make this colds go away.

Not only that, the pain in my back seems to have rested there for a week not wanting to go. And I’m like an old lady grimacing in pain and walking with a limp. Good thing I have fully adjusted with my braces, and sore gums are the least of my worries.

Since I cannot function that much in the house except to bathe the dogs because it’s really very hot here, I stay most of the time in front of the TV. In between commercials, I read pages of “The Wheel of Time Series Book 7: Crown of Swords.”

With the advent of cable TV, it’s quite ironic that I don’t get to see really good shows as when we only have UHF channels. This came to mind when T asked me what have I been watching here. I told him, “Uhm, news?” Yeah, boring answer. So, I tried to find out why I have not been watching as often as before considering that I used to have a weekend habit.

It’s the commercials I guess. I am very impatient with too MANY commercials, even on cable TV. I cannot even watch real good anime on Animax because it’s loaded with commercials. I feel robbed of my precious time just watching those commercials. I’m glad this Korean channel doesn’t go the way Philippine TV goes. I’ve been watching this soap every weekend for months now titled “A Happy Woman.” It’s the usual love triangle story evident in most Korean plots but it’s quite engaging. And the good thing is, there are no commercials. I watch the whole show for an hour with no interruption.

Why not watch movies if I don’t want commercials. I find two hours sitting just watching really tiring and boring. I do watch once in a while if I’m able to chance upon movies that I really like.

I could buy DVDs of the popular series and my friend Tessa recommends “Heroes” which I will try to watch one of these days. I’m also looking at watching “Prison Break,” and if I don’t get bored, might collect all seasons of “24.” I’m also interested with “My Name is Earl.” I saw one episode and I think it’s really good.

Another thing that prevents me from watching TV is when my mother and my nephew learned how to hostage the remote control. So, either I play “Zuma” in my computer or read a book.

Also, there are no exciting local TV shows now. The sitcoms are no longer witty, yes sometimes nakakatawa but most of them are slapstick comedy. The soap operas are very repetitive. News programs are bombarded with commercials too! Imagine, showbiz has completely overshadowed business and sports news. Unlike before when the news format include not only stories of national interest, crime, then followed by business, then sports, then the last one is showbiz news. I like showbiz news. But the thing is sometimes they overdo it. They would cover the pregnancy and delivery of one star from “cover to cover” as if it is all that matters in the world. Or they would either feature the word war of certain personalities. It’s actually very frustrating sometimes to think that TV is a powerful medium.

When there is nothing to watch at all, there’s always Cartoon Network.

I don’t feel deprived or being left in the dark if I could not relate to my friends when they talk about what movies or shows they watch. I don’t feel I have an obligation to please them by watching what they watch so as to be able to connect. I’m okay with my present set-up. I watch only when I want to watch.