Driving back from an appointment today, listening to news radio, I heard a piece on the dangers of TV binge watching. You know, the latest kick happening in the past couple of years of watching a whole series in one day or weekend. Sitting in front of the TV for hours at a time. The research, done by the University of Michigan, points out that binge watching is often associated with depression and can lead to obesity and heart disease similar to other bad habits including overeating.
I don’t think I’ve ever sat down and consciously watched a whole season of anything. But I do know this past snowy, cold, windy, nasty Saturday I lay on the sofa and watched several segments of “What Not to Wear” on TLC, back to back to back to…well…you know. I loved that show.
Anyway.
Right after the piece about the risks of binge TV watching was a very long advertisement read by one of the news anchors for Exfinity, a division of Comcast Cable. It was selling the app that would allow you to download all your favorite shows and movies so that you could watch anytime from anywhere even if you were offline. If you were traveling you could watch. If you were waiting somewhere you could watch. If you were bored with your dinner partner I guess you could watch.
Ironic. I wonder if program directors ever pay attention to what ads go where.
Apparently not.
Change Is Hard 
February 16, 2015 at 1:17 pm
So you got both sides of the issue, no extra effort required! I’ve never watched more than 3 or 4 episodes of any given show at a time, and usually one or two is enough for me. I’ve never heard of What Not to Wear – will have to see if Hulu has that.
LikeLike
February 16, 2015 at 7:05 pm
It’s an old (ish) show on TLC where two stylists ambush someone nominated by their family and friends and make them throw out their old clothes then give them $5K to buy a new wardrobe. Mostly women, mostly women that were hanging on to times long gone or had body image issues. Or both.
LikeLike
February 16, 2015 at 7:22 pm
I found a few seasons of it on Amazon Instant Video. Will check it out.
LikeLike
February 16, 2015 at 1:42 pm
Binge-TV-watching isn’t for me. Besides the obvious lack of time, I just don’t have the inclination to glue my eyes to a TV screen for hours on end. Now, binge-computer-operating? Oh, yeah, count me guilty!!
LikeLike
February 16, 2015 at 7:06 pm
Yea…for me I think it’s just the times when I want to avoid doing something more productive that I should be doing.
LikeLike
February 16, 2015 at 2:13 pm
I have never been a big tv watcher but I must admit this winter I have been been binge watching big time – I have watched the full seven years of Star Trek Voyager and the full seven years of Star Trek Deep Space Nine. It takes about about three weeks to watch all seven years …..but I have nothing better to do so why not 🙂
LikeLike
February 16, 2015 at 7:06 pm
Sound like you and Heather below should get together.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 16, 2015 at 2:17 pm
That is funny!
I’ve always been a tv junkie! I loved what not to wear. Her new show isn’t nearly as much fun.
The show I want to binge watch right now is Little House on the Prairie (my all time favorite show from my youth). Keep hoping that netflix adds it to their line up.
My dogs dont let me binge watch for too long. They make sure I get up and play.
LikeLike
February 16, 2015 at 7:07 pm
Similar to an article in a magazine about losing weight that is followed by recipes for really yummy fattening deserts.
LikeLike
February 16, 2015 at 9:13 pm
PS: Agree, her new show is not as good.
LikeLike
February 16, 2015 at 2:34 pm
I always like What Not To Wear, too. And we occasionally binge-watch, but more often it’s just an episode or two of one show. Right now we are slowly making our way through the old Star Trek: Next Generation episodes.
LikeLike
February 16, 2015 at 7:08 pm
See Reilly’s mom’s comments above… 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 16, 2015 at 8:56 pm
Years ago. Maybe a decade ago… Mommy was at a lunch break walking around center city when there were people handing out free pocket-sized mirrors. The rubber case of the mirror had that TV show name written on it.
Mommy thought — ok free mirror, i’ll take one.
Someone else said… What are u insulting me and my outfit by telling me to look in the mirror.
Its funny how different people perceive things differently.
Mommy never saw the show, but she still has the mirror.
LikeLike
February 16, 2015 at 9:14 pm
Well that’s cool you guys!
LikeLike
February 17, 2015 at 12:54 pm
TV can be fun sometimes, but getting away from it can be a real treat, too. It’s easy. Just turn it OFF!
LikeLike
February 19, 2015 at 6:52 pm
I can see how TV can lead to binge-watching, especially during a long winter. We don’t have a TV, so the computer is the next best thing… ha ha. Hope you are staying warm, Dawn!
LikeLike