It’s late, it’s raining, thundering and lightning. The house is dark except for the TV and the pendant lights in the kitchen. It’s kind of eerie — the silence, the TV, the dark, the sudden crack of thunder now and again, the flick of a brown-out.
I’m watching the news for want of something to watch since none of my favorite shows are on tonight. I wonder what other people are watching in this summer season when we are being peppered with a barrage of next-new-must-see TV shows. I wonder what our choices say about us, and especially because we’re writers, I think it’s necessary we do watch TV for all these shows can teach us about story, arcs and characterization.
I get teased in my house for watching Pretty Little Liars, but I’m fascinated by the continuing mystery and the peeling away layer after layer as the Liars cope with all the consequences of their lies. Vampire Diaries lost me after a while. I’m watching Arrow, The Hundred, The Last Ship, The Leftovers, Under the Dome. I will watch Extant, and Newsroom, Downtown Abbey and Homeland (when they return).
I wish I’d watched Revolution and Falling Skies. I will catch up on NY Med and Turn. Ongoing favorites include Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, Criminal Minds. I peek into Undercover Boss now and again. We don’t subscribe to Netflix. Yet.
I love shows whose characters are “family” — you could argue most shows have a core “family,” even if there is no family. I love mystery and suspense. I love ghost stories and gothics, but most of all, I love romance. So you can find me on weekends glued to the Hallmark Channel (especially during Christmas).
You will notice I’m not watching comedies (exception: Big Bang Theory). Or any of the major reality shows. Dramas are enough reality for me these days. And my own life. I’m just excited there are so many good new shows with such terrific writing. It takes nothing away from my own
writing to spend time watching these. I constantly look to find lessons there for us all.
What do you watch on TV? Do you think it reflects who you are? Any guilty pleasures?
Thea Devine is the author of more than two dozen novels. Beyond the Night, the sequel to The Darkest Heart, will be published October 2014 as a Pocket Star eBook.
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I,too am drawn to family dramas, crime shows and medical shows, Thea. I think it says that I’m an adrenaline junkie as much as the fact I enjoy studying the character arcs, story structure, and dialogue that quickly moves the story forward. Rizzoli and Isles, Rookie Blue, Blue Bloods, Hawaii Five-O, Grey’s Anatomy, and NCIS (the original…not the LA version so much), and many of the USA shows keep my TV dance card full. I love Covert Affairs, Royal Pains, and Falling Skies.The new shows, Taxi Brooklyn, Night Shift, and Orphan Black are also quite entertaining…thank you DVR! I’m hooked on Days of Our Lives, and can’t wait for the return of Witches of East End. Of course if I spent as much time writing as I do watching TV, I’d have volumes written!
Oh, yes, Paula — I forgot Rizzoli & Isles. And probably a half dozen other shows, And yes, bless the DVR — and episodes on demand.
thea
Hi Thea! I used to be a voracious consume of all shows TV, but since I began writing seriously four years ago I limit myself to a select few. I love Once Upon a Time, The Middle, The Goldbergs, Seinfeld Reruns, Chopped, and NCIS.
Hi Jolyse. I like the NCIS’s also. They’re an example of
“family” who are not family I mentioned. I also wish I’d gotten into Game of Thrones at the beginning. I have the books. Both look daunting. But there’s so amazing to view now, we just can’t tap into everything, can we?
thea
Tennis, World Cup, Hallmark Hall of Fame and NCIS appear to be winners in this house. I never thought to be aware of the scripts. Tennis and the World Cup are entertaining, but what is good to listen to are the commentators. They always have a story to tell. Good post Thea.