Confessions of a TV Addict

by Cristina | Last Updated: March 14, 2018

Confessions of a TV Addict

Hi, my name is Cristina, and I am a TV-aholic.  But can you blame me? This is the golden age of television, seriously it’s a glorious time to be alive people.  Every time I turn on the TV there is a new commercial or ad showing me a new show that just will fulfill me in the way that no other television show can.  Netflix emails are becoming my favorite emails, because it’s as if their algorithm sees into the inner workings of my soul. I sound sick huh? Yeah, my husband felt (feels) the same way.  So he took matters into his own hands, and cut the cord. Can you believe him?! The nerve of this man. He justified it by saying not only will he be saving my brain from a slow painful death but also we would be “saving money”,  I get it raising three kids is kind of a fortune, but we all know that true motivation was to cut down on his having to watch one more Shonda land drama in bed.

I want to sit here and tell you that I took it in stride.  I mean it’s just TV, and if I am being honest, was watching too much of it.  I was watching everything, and if I wasn’t watching it yet, it was on my list.  That’s right I have a list. The list is not written down anywhere (that would be embarrassing) it’s a running list in my mind of the shows I need to watch once space opens up.  My own personal Netflix cue.

So back to my meltdown post cable and DVR intervention.  It was ugly. So I did the only thing I could do, resolve.  I discovered Hulu and Netflix (this was almost 4 years ago).  Turns out thanks to modern day technology, I actually wasn’t missing much.  Not to mention that my apple TV let me watch HBO and other stations ON Demand.  His plan had backfired. I was now watching more TV than ever and it was actually easier than ever since I no longer relied on my fickle DVR.  I no longer had to worry when a show was airing, or if my DVR would catch it, or delete it before I saw it. My husband in trying to help his TV addict wife, actually enabled me to be the best TV addict I could be. And now I am here to share with you the fruits of my labor.  

While I may have over dramatized the depths of my addiction, I obviously had to cut some shows because I am a mom and my time is now precious. TV is how I chose to wind down after a crazy day.  If you find yourself in a similar boat, I hope you enjoy this list of what I currently call my favorites (this changes from time to time). The following is a list of shows that survived post mom apocalypse.  In case you were looking for something to dive into, and by dive I mean binge down like only a true TV champ could.

  1. Grey’s Anatomy: I am going to catch shit for this one. Especially making it number one out the gate.  Grey’s and I have been through it all together. It started while I was still in college. For those of you that can remember, this show had everything you needed.  Hot doctors, forbidden love affairs, and just the right amount of humor behind all the drama. Grey’s took a turn. We all know it. I am not blinded by my die hard love and affection for Shonda Rhimes (we can explore this at another time).  However I stuck through, because I value loyalty above all, and Meredith Grey is my GIRL! And I am happy to report that Grey’s has made a major comeback. Last season I found myself dying to know what was going to happen, more so than other shows (cough cough, Scandal you have forsaken all of us).  So I would urge you to catch up on the episodes if you dropped off. Because McDreamy died, and while this was devastating we all know Meredith was way more fun single.
  2. A Hand Maid’s Tale: I don’t know where to begin with this beautiful diamond in the rough.  This was actually a fruit of my husband’s labor, as it is solely found on Hulu. Before you right this off, this show on it’s own makes the $13 fee to hulu worth it.  Also you could watch it within the free two week trial period no problem (it is that good). Big talk? No way. The acting is BEYOND and the story is set in a future world that would scare the shit out of you (maybe depending on your sex or your level of feminism).  The first season is finished, so you are free to binge the shit out of this immediately. Like stop what you are doing and GO! Also to back up by hard core recommendation this show just took home all the Emmy’s- literally all of them.
  3. Game of Thrones: this wasn’t going to make the list because at this point how Basic am I to suggest this show.  However I cannot make an accurate list of shows you should be watching without putting this on. It would eat away at my integrity (yes you can have integrity within your TV addiction).  I started this show on a dark and stormy night when I was bed rested and waiting for my second child to make her appearance. Here I am 5 years later, proud mother of 3 dragons watching another Mother of actual dragons run the world.  And loving it! Guys to be honest, once the last episode of Game of Thrones ends, send help. I feel like my heart may not be able to take it.
  4. Younger: Have you heard of Younger? Younger is about a beautiful, smart 40 year old mom post divorce who is trying to get back into the publishing world she left behind to raise her daughter.  However she can’t get her foot in the door because of her age, and so she tells a little white lie that she is 25 and as you can imagine hilarity ensues. I realize as I am typing that the premise is absolute garbage, BUT it’s actually so good.  It’s light and funny and she’s dating a 25 year old tattoo artist that is just dreamy. It’s just what you need after a long day of stepping on legos… current season on TV Land but the ones before are also found on Hulu so this $13 subscription is just paying for itself at this point.
  5. Westworld: It’s the new fantasy show on HBO, and I really hesitated to put this on the list because I’ve already mentioned Game of Thrones.  I also hesitated to add it to the list because I really can’t even be sure I fully understood what happened, but I feel that is what catapults this show into TV gold.  I will not tell you the premise of the show because it will not help my case. The show is led by Anthony Hopkins, excuse me, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Thandie Netwon and Rachel Evan Woods, which all on it’s own should be enough to give it a shot but as an added bonus, James Marsden plays a chivalrous cowboy (yes!). This show is layer upon layer of storyline.  It’s so well written and acted that only A Handmaid’s Tale could have beaten it. The new season starts in April so this may be the perfect time to start.
  6. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: This show was on my list for about a week, because at least 3 verified TV addicts that I associate with suggested it.  Per my strict protocol this moves a show straight to the top, and it was dead on. First it is set in the 1950’s which is a dream era for costume and the set design is beyond.  To top it off it follows a housewife turned stand up comic (think Joan Rivers), and it’s almost impossible not to fall in love with her. Also just as a bonus Tony Shalhoub plays her father- which if you have sunk down the TV hole as far as I have you know this means quality.  You can find Mrs. Maisel on Amazon, comes with your Amazon Prime membership- I assume you’re an Amazon Prime member because, who isn’t.
  7. This is Us: I had honestly written off network TV because I felt they just weren’t bringing their A game.  They got lazy and all their shows were generic and predictable (sorry Shonda). Then I saw the first episode of This is Us and it was over for me.  I couldn’t love Milo Ventimiglia more unless he was playing Jess from Gilmore Girls on this show. But in all seriousness the show tackles real life family issues from race to health to just how damn hard marriage can be.  Grab the tissues and do it.
  8. Friday Night Lights: This show somehow slipped under my radar when it first aired and I have no excuse for it, because I didn’t even have kids at the time.  Somehow Coach Eric Taylor and his wife Tammy didn’t walk into my life until about a year ago when I binged the entire show in a month on Netflix. I didn’t mis-type.  Actually watched the whole show in a month. Another shout out to the hubby for pulling the plug on me. If you had told me I would fall in love with a group of high school football kids just doing their dam best to get through high school in small town Texas, I would never have ever believed you.  Here I am to tell you, full hearts, clear eyes, CAN’T LOSE!
  9. Sons of Anarchy: Jax Teller rode his Harley into my life about a month ago and I am already half way through this entire series.  I had a couple well respected TV authoritative friends tell me that I had to watch this show throughout the years. I couldn’t get passed the motorcycle crew storyline.  There was no way I was going to be interested in that. BOY was I wrong. Forget that Charlie Hunnam plays a smart, sensitive, murderous, grungy looking biker that you absolutely fall in love with, it’s more than that.  The cast is incredible, and you just become so invested in this group of degenerate bikers that I am currently looking all over the internet for a t-shirt that says SAMCRO so that I can rock my support around town.
  10. Breaking Bad: Walter White is the chemistry teacher that would have bored you to death in high school, but the most bad ass mofo of a crystal meth producer you will ever see.  This show is heavy, I can’t call this a bingeable show because this shit is dark.  But the writing is insanely good and the acting is unbelievable.  I end up somehow rooting for the drug making menace of a man over his rational pragmatic wife and the rest of the world.  Seriously, if you haven’t somehow seen this show, move it up on your list (I know you have one, we all do).

Well back to my husband’s intervention…. For two years I had made my peace with nothing but basic cable and my Apple TV hacks.  I was happy go lucky, it had been a solid 6 months since I had last complained.  Then there was sudden knock on my door. It was AT&T Uverse, turns out the only one who couldn’t hack a pulled plug was my husband.  

PS – I lied I have a list on my phone, hidden in my notes of TV shows that I need to see.  Up next for me is the Santa Clara Diet