What's old is new again, actually. 
When I was a kid, being pusished could easily mean being sent to my room, but there was still the option of being grounded from my atari 2600 and being forced to watch TV, but only the TV that is chosen by a baby sitter or the parent(s).
Depending on what was airing on PBS, there just might have been some torture there, even then! 

Old Codger wrote:

90-something percent of ALL available TV viewing choices add up to punishment

out of curiosity, what programs comprise the 0 - 10% that you enjoy?


curious geo
 

Football.  I liked Backstrom a LOT.  Thought it was quite smart.  Well written.  But?  Gone. Cancelled.  I like the Blacklist.  Used to enjoy Corner Gas.  [the movie fell a little too short]  Used to like The West Wing.

Can't stand comedies that aren't funny.  There are loads of those.  'Suits' is good but I have to pay extra to get that channel.  No sense putting it on a main channel.  'Reality'  [reality my arse]  TV is a waste of time.  NO exceptions.  News is too soft.  Can't expose anything which might piss off the sponsors so they fill it with mayonaise 'stories'.  Sports 'news' [tsn/sn] is way too much about the 'presenters' and not enough about the subject matter.  [There's only one Bob McCown]  TV filler movies are pretty much drivel.  And re-showing the same 20-25 real movies over and over/forever is just dumb.  Zzzzzzzzzz.  The Godfather franchise.  The Bourne whatevers...well done but talk about TV overkill.  Then there's life is like a box of chocolates filled with sleeping pills.  THAT stuff.

Springsteen NAILED this topic.  Except now there's more than 10 times the 57 channels from back when he sang about 'it'.  There's about 30% less in terms of what's supposed to be decent or adequate choice to share amongst [now] the hundreds upon hundreds of 'signals' made available for potential couch potatos.  Is THAT why we have so many infomercials?  That's of any value?  To whom?

Too few owners.  Less competition even though we have ALL of those channels.  Now it's way too much of how do you like YOUR crap?  With gravy?  Relish?  Plain?  Maybe with a side of cottage cheese?  Musturd?

There are few nights that I bother turning the TV on...unless I'm watching a dvd...or go to on demand and watch 4 or 5 episodes in a row of the 3 or 4 shows I like.  Then I wait a month and a half [or more] to do it again.  No commercials too.  That makes money how?  That serves sponsors how?  Too bad.  If you can find a decent radio station [one which plays music instead of that yammering foolishness] you might reach me.

[but call me on the phone to sell me ANYTHING and I'll abuse you beyond repair]

Yup.  TV is punishment alright.  Just...not for kids alone.  For all the 'good' it usually serves up you might just as well stand facing the corner.  Sit there too long watching and your arse'll be as sore as if it was wacked.  I'll bet if kids called C.A.S. they'd come and take 'em away.  Who the phuque do I call?

Last edited by Old Codger (July 9, 2015 7:21 pm)

True Mike [old chum]...but THAT channel costs extra.

Old Codger wrote:

THAT channel costs extra.

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The system in Athens, Greece is better; everything is free