TV withdrawal

As an avid TV addict, the medium itself is leaving me increasingly cold.
How much more mindless TV can we take before we run for hills screaming for mercy?

Its like a daily diet of pasta and cheese, it soon becomes evident that time is passing but you are not really living.
If you read the letters to the TV Guide, we should be outside throwing ourselves around the back garden or using the remote and turning the box off.

Maybe it dulls your brain. I find the trivial actions of everyday people eating lunch, talking, shopping somehow fascinating now when paired with ridiculous commentary. Or is the ultimate death knock on your social life-"I can't go out tonight, CSI is on!"

As we are nearly at the end of election season, the TV news is now as entertaining as 'Home and Away' as politicians plead for votes with empty purses.

Debates heralded as the 'deciding event' of the election are mind-numbingly boring. A tired audience who have heard all the arguments before, act as judge and jury.

Sleeping on the couch instead of watching sounds like a great alternative. If only I could press the off button as fast as the on switch.

TV Stereotypes

New Season TV is coming to a small screen near you.

Every new programme buys into standard stereotypes. There are so many, the only variety is the combinations of these boring characters in reality TV, drama and comedy.

Poor little rich girls/bored housewives/frustrated young office workers seems to be the latest offering from America.

Kiwi shows are pure agony. Prolonged excuses to rehash kiwi cultural stereotypes and ex-shortland street stars put me off my cocoa before they have even begun.

I confess as a long time TV junkie I have become rather cynical. I'd just like something fresh and slightly intellectual to grace our screens. Any non-children cartoons that appear late at night, I keep an eye on.

Pictured is "The Oblongs" circa 2002. Even though it seems ages ago, a cartoon about an anti-stereotypical family living in a toxic wasteland is not your typical fare so of course it appealed.

It had a short run in the US which seems to be the usual consequence.

While I try and enjoy shows without looking for moral messages, I like the "outsider gets on with life regardless" message of this show.

There are so many 'be a clone/sheep' characters everywhere else on TV, your whole TV schedule can become overloaded with the trials of perfection for real or imaginary people.

Maybe thats why shows about models/celebrities are so popular and addictive.

It's a charmed life, guess someone has to live it and film it.