Something More... A Gut Punch Maybe?

This past weekend was a long one, filled with fighting with Ikea Besta wall units and painting our bedroom (I guess third time's the charm.) I had been thinking for the past week or so while feeling uninspired in my writing... That's when something kind of obvious struck me; there is nothing on TV! Okay sure not literally! But for me there is nothing that gets me excited I should say. Nothing that makes me want a glass of wine and a good cry. Nothing that makes me want to jump for joy or shout at the TV. Maybe I am the only person that needs that type of TV; but I doubt it. I had been speaking to a few people who are TV fanatics like myself saying "Is it just me or is everything just pretty much lacking that gut punch lately?" 

You might be asking 'What do you mean by gut punch?' Or better yet why would someone want that or need a gut punch at all... Well for me personally its two-fold: A) I live for talking shit and/or raving about what is on. What makes people tick and meet because they are discussing the latest episode of something like Breaking Bad or Mad Men at work or wherever. B) I have so many great memories and have made deeper relationships with people because of something entertainment related (sounds weird probably I know).

Don't get me wrong I know some of you may not agree because you either have a lot of great shows you are currently watching and/or haven't had the endless hours I have had to watch most everything on Netflix or streaming devices. (I'm a stay at home mom of kids in school, don't be jealous lol) Maybe you are just beginning Lost for the first time. Or giving Gilmore Girls a shot, or watching all seasons of Justified on Amazon streaming right now. Whatever the case may be good for you and happy viewing! :) For me, I have been trying a bunch of different shows here and there all with little results. I find myself saying to my husband "I don't want to force myself to watch a show I'm just not that into." So now I just don't do that. Not that I ever did 100%, so I won't start now. I have also been pondering about how picky I am with TV shows and even Movies most of the time (sure I feel like a great brainless comedy that doesn't make you think every once in a while just like most everyone else). Then again I find that to be a bit of a contradiction of explaining myself, when I watch things like The Bachelor Franchise. I'm not sure how to defend that one lol, so I won't try.

Let me instead tell you of a few memories and what makes entertainment so special to me in general... I grew up with a Dad that was in a band, Rock and Roll I guess you could say. They played anything from Takin' care of Business to Sitting on the Dock of the Bay. My father had a great voice and still does as a matter of fact! I spent my childhood listening to anything from The Kinks (and I've even got to see Ray Davies Live!) to The Rocky Horror Picture Show record over and over again. All while not being allowed to see the movie till I was 15, No Joke! I would stay up late and get to watch Letterman however...hmmm. So I'm not sure but maybe I'd say I might have been predisposed to be a TV snob I call it. Listen, I am in no way saying that liking good quality TV, Music and Movies and Books (in my opinion at least) makes you a snob. But I know of people that wouldn't drink PBR or boxed wine. (Don't worry I am not one of those people. Although, I have never tried boxed wine.) So like some would dub themselves 'foodies' or winos' (not sure I spelled that right lol) I dub myself a TV snob. I used to boycott CBS (besides Letterman in my youth), ABC and FOX. (Also you may find it interesting ; a lot of this may be due to not growing up with cable and not watching much of anything due to playing fast pitch softball for most of my adolescence). Then my 20's were spent with Friends, Family Guy and Gilmore Girls DVD's and unfortunately things like American Idol or whatever few channels we got when my hubby and I were first starting out in little apartments. We did the whole DVD's mailed to us from Blockbuster. (Yep, those days!) That is when I got the pleasure of discovering things like Dexter and Weeds and Lost  to name a few. Then came just regular cable (I can't even recall the name of the company) and getting to watch things like FX network Comedy Central and so on. By the way, I am still in a mourning period over Colbert and Stewart leaving.

Like I said, I have just had this feeling lately of what is next? What is going to wake me up enough TV wise to make me want to write about it. (Sure many bloggers take a break when a main show they write about goes on hiatus.) I'll just be here waiting for my next gut punch! Chasing Life gives me a baby punch but nothing like I am used to from other shows. Broad City brings me joy and so did The Mindy Project last night! Kurt Sutter's new show however I turned off within the first twenty minutes! I swear they should have just done that sequel to Sons of Anarchy! Where is something like Top of the Lake that makes you say Holy Shit! Sure I may just be a weirdo that wants to feel almost sick, or think about life till my head hurts, or laugh until I cry. These are all things that maybe the next person would never want. But I crave those things! Hence why I am selective or feel I have been spoiled by great freaking TV. I want something MORE! I want to be moved and shaken, and have something be so memorable it will be easy for me to type my heart out while not even needing to do a recap. Things Like Mr.Robot, that were so out of left field and done so well that you want more of it. Or Halt and Catch Fire that makes you feel deep empathy for the characters, even when they don't deserve it.

My Bottom Line: Coming to the end of my rant; don't get me wrong, I know most shows and new ones are starting back up for the fall very soon. I am looking forward to things like The Goldbergs coming back on, The Affair, The Leftovers and all the CW shows just to name a handful. It's just that the last few months there have been few sparks for me with TV viewing Sense8 and Orange is the New Black were good but things like Fear the Walking Dead have been disappointing. I don't mean to be spoiled and picky but lately I only watch TV for the last few hours at night. That being said sometimes it just makes sense to be overparticular. Not being so caught up with binge watching has maybe afforded me time to finally paint my bathroom and has left me open to read a few good books. BUT I am a binge watcher at my core so sometimes I miss it! The kiddos are off for a few weeks from school for fall break so maybe we will have to all watch Gilmore Girls again for the 5th time. (Not that I would ever complain about watching Gilmore Girls again!)


Does anyone have any show or movie suggestions to tide me over at night for the next few weeks?