Hump Day Blues...

....or really, post-hump day blues.

With "Crowned" over, no new "Gossip Girl" in sight, and the next cycle of "America's Next Top Model" still a couple weeks away, this blogger is deep in the throws of nothing-on-TV depression.

Luckily, with a little help from my good friend TV on DVD, all is not lost.

This phenomenon of TV on DVD has become so common that I've come to take for granted the fact that I can pretty much watch any of my favorite shows at any time, as many episodes in a row as I can handle, and all without commercials. However, it really wasn't that long ago that all of that was nothing more than a beautiful dream. In the year 2001, television on DVD meant nothing more to me than owning "Sex and the City." Never did I imagine that I would one day be able to afford the entire series (the price of each season went from a release cost of almost $70 down to $9.99) but I am also the proud owner of such favorites as "My So-Called Life" and "Jem and the Holograms."

This popular phenomenon doesn't stop at allowing pseudo adults stuck in some sort of odd childhood nostalgia phase like myself to own their favorite series from yesteryear; the DVD market has really allowed for the increased popularity of new cable series. Would I have become a fan of "Six Feet Under" or "Big Love" if I couldn't rent them on Netflix? Probably not.

The big question I still have is, "why do all these series cost so darn much?" Well, Brigitte, they probably cost that much because people are willing to pay that much to watch them. Ka-ching! But, they all go on sale, are re-released in special super saver boxed sets, and, of course, there is Netflix, sweet, sweet Netflix, without which I would be stuck watching nothing on a Wednesday night (well, probably not, because I still have cable and a DVR, so I can basically watch almost whatever I want whenever I want it...).

I'm realizing now that I've become such a spoiled television watcher that I really DO expect to watch whatever I want whenever I want it. Live television? Waiting until next week to find out what happens on my favorite show? Putting up with commercials? Psh, no thanks, I'll just wait for it to come out on DVD. Is this just another symptom of a culture that only values instant gratification? Is there something really unsettling about the fact that with all the shows I own, a Netflix subscription, and cable I still feel like there's nothing to watch? Do all the choices just make us more restless and whiny viewers? Maybe...but I wouldn't trade in my "Beverly Hills 90210" collection if it would make me a more patient and grateful viewer! By the way, I'm still waiting for the release of season 4....

This entry was posted by Brigitte, on Thursday, February 07, 2008. You can leave your response.