(Perhaps this belongs in Cafe Society, but it’s more about my pointless opinions than anything else.)
My TV watching has been on-again, off-again, mostly off. My sister and I had some favorite TV series in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Some series I remember are Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip, Route 66, and – very vaguely – It’s a Man’s World. This last-named was our favorite but it was canceled quite quickly. There were many other seriees I watched as a youngster: Avengers with Diana Rigg, Secret Agent, Eastwood’s Rawhide the spoofy Batman, Car 54 Where are You, Get Smart, etc.
I re-emerged briefly for the 1993-94 season; favorites were NYPD Blue (Season 1) and, in reruns, Kojak and Columbo. Then I went without TV again. I’ve been out-of-touch so much (even when living in America) that I sometimes think of myself as a Rip Van Winkle. For example, Dopers were surprised I’d never heard of Natalie Portman.
At some point I started watching DVD’s of TV series. I loved Sopranos, CSI was OK, CSI Miami and CSI New York not so much. For Bones, NCIS, Gray’s Anatomy, Lie to Me, etc. I just want my money back. 
24 is supposed to be fast-moving, but I find it too tedious unless I play it on computer where higher speed is an option; it holds my interest at 140% playback speed. :dubious:
I’m constrained by the paucity of DVD’s available where I live. I liked E.R. seasons 1 & 2 and The Wire seasons 1 & 2, but haven’t found other seasons for sale. At one point I found the complete Wire on YouTube! I watched seasons 3-7 in a few marathon days – fortunately, since of course it was soon removed by order of the copyright owner.
Recently I stumbled on a website which gives access to a huge number of TV series and movies without downloading any BitTorrent software. Dexter annoyed me at first, but it grew on me and now I’m up-to-date, hoping the new season begins soon. I like Steve Buscemi but one season of Boardwalk Empire is enough for me. My son insists on downloading Prison Break, but I don’t like it. Downloading is error-prone – in part I think because my provider “blocks BitTorrent” and some of these downloads may appear such to them.(?) But, I’m downloading West Wing pilot episode as I write this.
Another I watched, at SDMB recommendation, is Breaking Bad. I suppose it took most of you five years to watch its first five seasons. I’m embarrased to reveal how long it took me – let’s just say it was much MUCH less than five years. :smack: But now I’m in the same boat as everyone else, lucky to get one episode a week.