Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Binge Watching on Netflix gives me Royal Pains



I never thought I'd be binge watching Royal Pains, but the premise of a doctor making house calls in the Hamptons intrigued me. The pilot show hooked me and the great writing keeps me watching. I'm currently on season five.

However it's a bit strange that Hank can diagnose everything from hemophilia to scurvy and perform emergency procedures with duct tape and fishing line. He's the MacGyver of the medical world.

Speaking of binge watching, within the last year, thanks to Netflix, I've binge watched:


I actually own the entire DVD set of season one through seven of The Office. If I want a laugh, this is my go-to show. Michael Scott is one of the funniest characters in the history of television. "Scranton is great, but New York is like Scranton on acid. No, on speed. Nah. On steroids" - Michael.





My history with Breaking Bad began a couple of years ago when my son (software engineer/devoted husband and father/musician/movie buff) said, "Ya gotta watch Breaking Bad!" So I was flipping through Netflix one day and there it was. The next three weeks of my life were spent catching up on Walter White's bizarre life. "Tread lightly." - Walter White






I binge watched this show before binge watching got its name. Season one had just come out on DVD and a friend of mine from work, a young whippersnapper copywriter said, "Ya gotta watch 24!" He loaned me his season one DVD and hubby and I sat up until two o'clock in the morning for a week watching Jack Bauer save the world. This is one of my favorite shows of all time. The concept of a show that takes in place in 24-hour, real time, is brilliant. "The only reason that you're conscious right now is because I don't want to carry you." - Jack Bauer







Sherlock was my latest binge watching experience. A young, modern Sherlock that uses computers and smart phones and solves modern murder mysteries, yet retains the distinctive qualities of that classic character blows my mind. Not to mention the amazing cinematography, sfx, and the "WOW" factor in spades.

SHERLOCK: (Upon meeting John Watson for the first time):  I know you're an army doctor and you've been invalided home from Afghanistan. I know you've got a brother who's worried about you, but you won't go to him for help because you don't approve of him—possibly because he's an alcoholic, more likely because he recently walked out on his wife. And I know that your therapist thinks your limp's psychosomatic, quite correctly I'm afraid. That's enough to be going on with, don't you think? The name's Sherlock Holmes and the address is 221b Baker Street.

Pros and Cons of Binge Watching:

Pros: Continuity of story, lack of commericals, thousands of great shows at your fingertips.

Cons: There is only one for me. GUILT from spending so many hours watching TV when I could be doing something more productive.

Have you binge watched TV shows? If so, what did you watch and how did you work it into your day to day life? Just wondering.

2 comments:

  1. I like the idea - but never get around to actually doing it. We might do a two episode double feature once in a blue moon. Otherwise we methodically make our way through - an episode or three a week.

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  2. Craig, that is wise. Too much TV is not a good thing. Unless you're planning a Lord of the Rings marathon. . .

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