So if you watch a movie on television, are you watching a movie or are you watching TV?
From my perspective, in your scenario, specifically if the movie is being broadcast for TV at the time I am watching it, and because I am using a television to access it, then I am watching TV; a movie, but yeah, I am watching TV.
You are consuming exactly the same content, in exactly the same way, as you would with a TV. You just call it a monitor.
If you don’t have a TV, but you’re still watching the same crap as the rest of us… you’re still watching the same crap as the rest of us.
If you read a book on your Kindle instead of as a physical book, don’t you still call it reading a book?
If you listen to a song on your iPod instead of on the radio, do you still call it listening to a song?
Content doesn’t change when the medium does.
“Please. I don’t own a zoopraxiscope.”
–Some smug 19th-century protohipster
Well, if you’re talking about me personally, then no, I do not consume the same content that I did when I had cable and watched programming on my TV, so I am not watching the same crap as the rest of you, and how could I when I am so much better than you? 
Seriously, I watch very little broadcast for TV content. My latest kick, as embarrassing as it is to admit, is Rick and Morty, which is a program broadcast for TV so if you want to say I am watching TV when I watch Rick and Morty (which you all should check out as it is freaking hilarious) even though I am not watching it on a TV, then knock yourself out. In fact, I found out about Rick and Morty (spleen-hurtingly funny) by stumbling across it on YouTube, before I even know it was a TV show. Other than Rick and Morty (did I mention it was funny and just approved for a second season?) I don’t believe I watch any other programming broadcast for TV.
Where’s the line? I periodically watch movies on Netflix. Do you consider that TV? I don’t.
I think the discussion regarding ‘What is TV?’ is the perfect illustration of why “Life without TV” is meaningless. A TV is basically a box that allows one to watch entertainment - but you could do that on your computer or iphone just as easily. Entertainment has evolved past the traditional ‘shows’ as well, now we have youtube videos, direct to video film, film within video games etc etc. If I watch in game film while playing my XBox on my TV am I watching TV? What if it was a youtube video of that in game film watched on a tablet?
Likewise, TV “shows” don’t need to be watched on TV. Most networks offer popular shows for download following broadcast, or you can wait to Netflix it, or you can get the torrent. How can we define what a TV “Show” is anyways? What if a producer films some actors and puts it on youtube. Is it not a TV show because a major studio didn’t produce it.
Now, someone declaring their life is “Without Technology” is telling a more unique story.
Of course. If you watch a streaming movie on your 11" tablet and I watch it on my 42" TV, aren’t we watching the same movie? Actually, if we’re being picky, you’re watching a worse version of it.
No, it is not a TV show because it wasn’t broadcast to TV.
The term TV, as far as I know, hasn’t changed its definition to include all audio-visual media consumed via any electronic device. A TV show is a program bought by a television network for broadcasting within a specific frequency range of the radio spectrum for access by devices (televisions) that can decode that particular signal.
If a program is never broadcast for TV then it is not a TV program. For example, when Battlestar Galactica was at the height of its popularity, the network that produced the program (I forgot which network) also produced short programming exclusively for the web to provide fans better insight into the broadcast program. Those shorts were not considered nor called TV shows, even though they were directly related to broadcast TV program.
Debatable, but whether or not the quality of the picture is better on your device than mine doesn’t address the issue under current discussion. If I am watching a program on my tablet, unless I am watching a broadcast for TV program, then I am not watching TV.
Then we need a better word for it. Got any to suggest?
Also, shows produced for Netflix and Hulu are eligible for many television awards. Does that affect their “TV show” status in any way?
BSG was never broadcast on any frequency - it was a cable show, arriving at people’s homes on the same wires used to provide internet content.
Hm. You are right. I stand corrected. We are no longer in the 1970s, are we?
Bottom line - Marshal MacLuhan was full of shit. The medium is the medium, and the message is the message.
Tell that to the Emmys.
My point is that in a LOT of these threads, you have people going on about how television is trash, but in the next sentence, they list all the shows they then watch on their computers (that are ALSO broadcast on TV!). Not something that’s web exclusive. It’s basically the same thing, you’re just using a different device.
Or let’s say you watch a movie (something that’s a regular, Hollywood movie) on your computer. That counts.
And let’s face it – we ALL have our frivolous interests. We don’t have to be serious 100% of the time. I read non-fiction (I’m currently readig a biography of Elizabeth of York, along with a book about the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand), but I read fiction too (I’m re-reading Harry Potter for about the millionth time). I’m about to watch a hockey game right now, and I like watching both historical documentaries and South Park. I like hanging out with my friends and going to bars and the movies and just goofing off, and I also like visiting museums and things like that.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, my Penguins await. 