# Do you refrain from watching TV series until they're in reruns? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 27, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrain-from-watching-tv-series-until-theyre-in-reruns/378041 "2006-10-27T00:00:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrain-from-watching-tv-series-until-theyre-in-reruns/378041/1 "2006-10-27T00:00:14Z")
A few years ago, I got really, really tired of getting involved in new TV shows only to have the rug pulled out from under me when they got cancelled after a few eps. So now I tend not to watch shows until they’re in syndicated repeats. Sure, it puts me at a disadvantage at the office water cooler, but it keeps my heart from getting broken time after time. Also, I secretly think it helps the shows succeed because I swear that I’m a gremlin, a harbinger of low ratings - all I have to do is TIVO a new show and WHAM! it’s yanked. Does anyone else do this? Not watch until it’s on TBS five nights a week? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrain-from-watching-tv-series-until-theyre-in-reruns/378041/2 "2006-10-27T01:10:30Z")
No, I can’t say I do that. Re-runs on TV are too unreliable. You can never be absolutely certain they’ll show it in order, IME. I remember trying to watch Third Watch in re-runs and I got really sick of seeing the same six-eight episodes over and over again for a couple years because I guess, the network showing it couldn’t afford more. I do increasingly wait for shows to come out on DVD though, which is close to the same thing.