# Famous TV shows you never watched, or cared to **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 23, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256 "2003-09-23T04:57:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![corndog\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@corndog\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corndog_man)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/1 "2003-09-23T04:57:16Z")
What high rated TV shows have you never watched, or really cared to watch? I have never watched, or watched once, ER Friends Buffy the Vampire Slayer Frasier (Cheers was a classic) Conan O’Brien (for a dislike of talk shows generally) All reality shows, Survivor, Big Brother, Joe Millionaire. HBO stuff like 6 Feet Under, Sopranos (watched once) I do not want to get into a discussion of the above merits of these TV programs. I love TV, but there is only a certain number of hours that one can watch the thing, and there are now four major networks, two or three minor networks plus numerous cable selections, and there is stuff that I like, so I don’t watch another network’s TV shows. Do you have any other examples? ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/2 "2003-09-23T05:11:09Z")
Cheers Frasier Seinfeld Friends Law & Order Sopranos. . . . . . actually the list of TV shows I _have_ watched is shorter. TV is a waste of time (almost always) and will rot your brain and accustom you to second-rate things. Exceptions: some miniseries, specials, and “Mystery” on PBS. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/3 "2003-09-23T05:22:27Z")
Seinfeld, Friends, all the reality shows (except for the PBS Iron Age and Frontier House and such), Buffy, Charmed… I generally don’t watch sitcoms or stuff marketed to teens/young adults. My opinion is that if it has canned laughter, I don’t want to watch it. If something’s funny, it’s funny. I’ve always found canned laughter to be a distraction and an indication that the show is poor quality. I DO watch Law & Order, as I find that it’s generally interesting, though sometimes inaccurate. I would watch the Sopranos out of curiousity if nothing else if we had HBO, but we don’t, so I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/4 "2003-09-23T08:05:53Z")
There are a lot of great or famous shows I abandoned as they declined or I lost interest in later seasons like ER, Malcolm In The Middle or The Simpsons. And many shows that I watched infrequently that have cult followings or huge fan bases that I could never quite gel with like Futurama or The X-Files. But to get to the OP: Any reality show past the first episode of the first _Survivor_. I hate this kind of programming anyway, but I gave the show a shot. When I found out they didn’t just follow the camera crew to the production camp where their food was or sharpen up sticks and take Jeff Probst hostage in exchange for food and supplies at tribal council I said screw it. A true reality show, especially one with a theme like [ISurvivor\* for me would involve subverting the producers’ rules (cheating to put it another way) to win. I’ve never it through an entire episode of Buffy despite a few tries. We didn’t get it locally until about the fourth season, by the time we had access to it and then the reruns I said I’m not watching four season of backstory. I hate teen angst and loathe most vampire stories nearly as much, so combining the two themes really doesn’t work for me. Quick question for any BtVS fans, knowing there’s a slayer in the area and she has fighting abilities and increased strength (or am I wrong on that one?) did any vampire ever try wearing stake-proof armor. They make Kevlar resistant to stabbing and puncture wounds, used by prison gurads sometimes, so why not try something like that if you know you’re going to be facing Buffy? Dawson’s Creek- yawn. The West Wing - Everybody was so annoyingly damn earnest and well-meaning in the few episodes I tried to watch. Didn’t strike me as “hard-hitting” or “inside” at all. Sex In The City - No HBO, but I have no urge to rent episodes on DVD either, the only way I’ve gotten to see the Sopranos, which I agree is great. May give Six Feet Under a try at some point. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/5 "2003-09-23T11:45:16Z")
Friends, Frasier, Seinfeld (the last sitcom that I watched regularly was Home Improvement). I stopped watching The Simpsons a while back. I’ve been purposely avoiding the “reality shows,” so I’ve never seen Survivor or any of it’s knockoffs. Frankly, there just isn’t much on TV that interests me anymore. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/6 "2003-09-23T14:13:28Z")
Figures, I posted in the duplicate thread that isn’t holding up as well. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/7 "2003-09-23T15:25:44Z")
After being forced to watch “Rich Man Poor Man” mini-series back in 1976 I vowed I’d never sit through another. Consequently I never saw “Roots” or “Holocaust” or any other mini-series that ran more than 2 days ---
**Author:** ![Nichol\_storm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Nichol\_storm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nichol_storm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/8 "2003-09-23T21:13:25Z")
Sex In The City Sopranos Six Feet Under ER Law & Order, any variation The West Wing Twin Peaks Survivor “Roots” I watched the first couple of seasons of Buffy, and miscellaneous episodes thereafer, but never became a psycho-fan. I did watch the first few eps of Dawson’s Creek before reality set in. Like **Cicada2003** , I’m not a big TV watcher, but I’m incredibly loyal and fanatical about the few shows I enjoy like OZ and South Park. My best friend, who’s an anime freak, recently got me hooked on Inuyasha and Trigun (the last of which I watch rarely because it comes on so late and baby has to get her sleep) and I finally caved in and watched Queer Eye and found it surprisingly pleasant. I’m still in denial over OZ being cancelled. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/9 "2003-09-23T21:37:43Z")
I seem to be among the few who does not, in fact Love Raymond. Also haven’t watched any of the reality shows. When I was in school we could never schedule a club meeting or study group on Thursday night because Melrose Place was on. I never watched it. I enjoyed free and lengthy access toi the reserve boks at the library. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Mr\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/10 "2003-09-23T21:48:38Z")
I’ve seen half an episode of er but can’t be bothered with it. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/11 "2003-09-23T22:53:33Z")
Any and all of the “reality TV” shows, lncluding the “American Idol” stupidity. How can I give ironclad proof whether or not a person is an utter moron? Said person has voluntarily watched even a single episode of any of these shows. Crap. Crap fit for morons. Crap that attracts morons. ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/12 "2003-09-23T23:19:07Z")
Friends; 24; _Malcolm In The Middle_. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/13 "2003-09-24T00:27:34Z")
I have so far avoided: Buffy Angel Dawson’s Creek Melrose Place Beverly Hills 90210 Farscape Lexx Firefly any recent Japanese cartoons (except, briefly, Sailor Moon) Boomtown Alias The District Party of Five Seventh Heaven ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/14 "2003-09-24T01:15:54Z")
I’ve never seen Alias or 24 or Oz or Sex and the City or Everybody Loves Raymond or Ally McBeal. I don’t watch any of the reality shows except the PBS kind - you can’t vote anyone off the prairie, although I think some of those folks would’ve wanted to. I’ve never seen Farscape or Malcolm in the Middle. I’m sure there are lots of others. I don’t watch much network TV. StG ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/15 "2003-09-24T02:44:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by widdershins \* > \*\*I’ve never it through an entire episode of Buffy despite a few tries. We didn’t get it locally until about the fourth season, by the time we had access to it and then the reruns I said I’m not watching four season of backstory. I hate teen angst and loathe most vampire stories nearly as much, so combining the two themes really doesn’t work for me. Quick question for any BtVS fans, knowing there’s a slayer in the area and she has fighting abilities and increased strength (or am I wrong on that one?) did any vampire ever try wearing stake-proof armor. They make Kevlar resistant to stabbing and puncture wounds, used by prison gurads sometimes, so why not try something like that if you know you’re going to be facing Buffy? > \*\* Not to turn this into a debate on the merits of _Buffy,_ but one thing I admired about that show was its ability to make fun of its own failings. The characters would make comments just like yours on occasion. (Anya to Giles: “Just how many times \*have \* you been knocked out, anyway?”) I have never watched much of anything on network TV. The exceptions list is shorter: \* Buffy, Law and Order, The Simpsons, \* and a few episodes of \*Survivor. \* That’s it, for the most part. I’ll occasionally drift around, and watch a few moments of this or that, but I rarely stay tuned for long. Network TV is just painfully bad. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/16 "2003-09-24T07:04:22Z")
I never watched a full episode of Seinfeld. I think Jerry is an excellent stand-up, but I can’t watch sitcoms. If I had friends that acted the way people do in sitcoms, I would probably go on a murderous rampage and rid the world of these idiots. I also got really tired of people injecting their “Seinfeld moments” into otherwise intelligent discussions. I have watched Buffy with the sound turned off. She’s babe-o-licious 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rainbowthief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4bbf92/32.png) [@Rainbowthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rainbowthief)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/17 "2003-09-24T07:14:16Z")
Buffy the Vampire Slayer CSI Home Improvement Sex In The City Sopranos Six Feet Under ER Mash The West Wing Friends Actually, since I prefer watching movies on DVD, it’s easier to mention what I DO watch: Frasier Survivor Star Trek (all except TOS) Joe Schmo American Idol Everybody Loves Raymond King of Queens Can’t think of anything else that I currently watch because everything else is cancelled (Twin Peaks, X-Files, Cheers, etc) ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-tv-shows-you-never-watched-or-cared-to/203256/18 "2003-09-24T07:15:47Z")
Seinfeld Friends Roseanne Buffy The Simpsons 24 Ally McBeal Dawson/Melrose/Beverly Hills Watched one episode each: Sex in the City Sopranos Survivor I don’t have a lot to talk about at the water cooler. 😉