# Shows you'd watch... with a gun pointed at your head. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 11, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652 "2005-08-11T22:51:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/1 "2005-08-11T22:51:05Z")
Including but not limited to: 1. dog the white trash bounty hunter 2. Gerry shallow genepool Springer 3. The Gottis: a study in disfunction 4. American Idol of mediocrity 5. \ reality show 6. \ court show To paraphrase Pink Floyd, “We’ve got 50 channels of shit on the TV to choose from” ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/2 "2005-08-11T22:54:49Z")
Hey…I like Jerry Springer. Sometimes. :o ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/3 "2005-08-11T22:58:31Z")
The Golden Girls Oprah Dr. Phil Small Wonder Lifetime movie “Her struggle to break free from her cheating husband and find inner strength” or whatever ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/4 "2005-08-11T23:07:09Z")
Any reality TV 'cept _Survivor_ Awards shows _Angel_ and later seasons of _BTVS_ Seasons II - IV of _ST: DS9_ _CSI Miami/New York_ _ER_ Jay Leno’s crap Telethons Daytime soaps Anything on the Lifetime Channel Orpah or Phil Most current sitcoms. Retreads, almost all of them. I could go on… ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/5 "2005-08-11T23:28:39Z")
I might be willing to watch **According to Jim** if there were a gun pointed at my head. It would have to be a large-caliber gun, and I’d have to believe that the person pointing it is a very good shot. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/6 "2005-08-11T23:42:00Z")
Fear Factor I’ve never seen it – the promos with bugs are quite enough, thank you. Don’t people know that cockroaches and other large bugs carry mites? Probably takes years to get them out of body crevices. If then. ::shudder:: ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/7 "2005-08-11T23:46:27Z")
Oh, and auto racing. I’ll believe it takes skill to drive around in circles going really fast when one of the drivers is an old fart in a 78 Dodge doing 45 mph with his left turn signal on and his foot on the brake every five seconds, and everyone has to get out of his way. Two laps, tops. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/8 "2005-08-12T00:00:16Z")
Big Brother ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/9 "2005-08-12T00:06:05Z")
Where do I start??? [ul] [li]Boy Meets World (only good thing was Bill Daniels’ Mr. Feeny) [/li][li]Mama’s Family (unbelievably it was on the air for seven years!)[/li][li]The View (like sticking needles into my eyeballs)[/li][li]Teletubbies (just want to strangle those annoying critters)[/li][li]What’s Happening (not much)[/li][li]Will and Grace (gave it a try, just NOT funny)[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/10 "2005-08-12T00:10:11Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Fear Factor > > I’ve never seen it – the promos with bugs are quite enough, thank you. > > Don’t people know that cockroaches and other large bugs carry mites? Probably takes years to get them out of body crevices. If then. ::shudder:: Same here. I can’t even watch the commercials. My top pick would be **Everybody Loves Raymond**. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/11 "2005-08-12T01:48:42Z")
_Star Trek_. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/12 "2005-08-12T01:58:53Z")
I would say _Full House,_ but my daughter has discovered this littel gem from before her time, and manages to not need a gun. > [@AuntiePam](#): > > Oh, and auto racing. > > I’ll believe it takes skill to drive around in circles going really fast when one of the drivers is an old fart in a 78 Dodge doing 45 mph with his left turn signal on and his foot on the brake every five seconds, and everyone has to get out of his way. Two laps, tops. As the fans like to point out, it’s an oval, not a circle. I prefer to say, “Whywould I want to watch a bunch of guys make laft-hand turns all afternoon? Now if they had oncoming traffic, I’d watch that.” ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/13 "2005-08-12T01:59:40Z")
Were I in fear of my life, I might consider watching: Survivor American Idol Arrested Development Major League Baseball MI-5 Veronica Mars I think I’d rather take a bullet than watch Big Brother or Real World XIV, though. ---
**Author:** ![Baggins111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@Baggins111](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baggins111)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/14 "2005-08-12T02:53:03Z")
Dr. pompous-ass-can’t-stand-the-condescending-cadence-of-his-voice Phil. Plus, his eyes are too close together for his baldness. I think I’d rather take the bullet if I was given the choice. Law & Order Montel Springer Pretty much any show where people make an ass of themselves by pretending to be surprised that their son/daughter is a foul mouth prostitute dressed in bad clothing and the best thing for them is a boot camp and a fashion makeover. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/15 "2005-08-12T05:30:06Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > _Star Trek_. Hey! Watch where you say that on these boards. 😉 Uh, if I actually had a gun pointed at me I’d probably do just about anything. But that answer’s no fun, so let’s go with: … um … I got nothin’. Seriously, with some notable exceptions (like _House_, _the Simpsons_, _Family Guy_, some of the stuff on the science channels, when they actually do new stuff, and reruns of shows like _Star Trek_ and classic cartoons like Invader Zim and Animaniacs) everything on TV is crap now. EVERYTHING. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/16 "2005-08-12T05:37:53Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > To paraphrase Pink Floyd, “We’ve got 50 channels of shit on the TV to choose from” It’s thirteen. :o Anyway, mine are: Everybody Loves Raymond Fear Factor Maury “I wonna find out who mah baby dadday” Povich Newer Simpsons episodes ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/17 "2005-08-12T12:43:05Z")
> [@saoirse](#): > > I would say _Full House,_ but my daughter has discovered this littel gem from before her time, and manages to not need a gun. My son has recently discovered it, too. Boy, it really _was_ baaaad. > [@](#): > > As the fans like to point out, it’s an oval, not a circle. > > I prefer to say, “Whywould I want to watch a bunch of guys make laft-hand turns all afternoon? Now if they had oncoming traffic, I’d watch that.” As I’ve said before, it would be a lot more interesting if half the drivers went the opposite direction. _That_, I’d watch. 🆒 (My husband likes NASCAR) As for the OP: _Fear Factor_ (I like the stunts, I can’t stand the bugs and gross eating parts) Any of the Jerry Springer/Maury Povich type shows Anything with Paris Hilton Anything on MTV Any kind of Find-true-love-from-these-12-people-we’ve-picked-for-you show (The Bachelor, Who Wants To Marry My Dad, etc.) Most reality shows (with the exception of _Survivor_ and _The Amazing Race_. I like those two.) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/18 "2005-08-12T12:52:41Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > _Fear Factor_ (I like the stunts, I can’t stand the bugs and gross eating parts) I figure I’d get my revenge on the gun wielder by barfing on his shoes. HaHA! ---
**Author:** ![cantara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/19 "2005-08-12T13:16:36Z")
**[Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy](http://www.ohhla.com/anonymous/dh_ofhip/luxury/drug.dhh.txt)** > [@](#): > > … > [chorus:] > Television, the drug of the Nation > Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation > (2x) > > T.V., it > satellite links > our United States of Unconsciousness > Apathetic therapeutic and extremely addictive > The methadone metronome pumping out > 150 channels 24 hours a day > you can flip through all of them > and still there’s nothing worth watching > T.V. is the reason why less than 10 per cent of our > Nation reads books daily > Why most people think Central Amerika > means Kansas > Socialism means unamerican > and Apartheid is a new headache remedy > absorbed in it’s world it’s so hard to find us > It shapes our mind the most > maybe the mother of our Nation > should remind us > that we’re sitting too close to… > > [Chorus:] > Television, the drug of the Nation > Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation > (2x) > > … I am so TVs bitch…there’s nothing I won’t watch. I’ll even watch infomercials or televangelists. I don’t like everything I see, but am unable to remove myself from the soothing warming warming glow. I used to be smart, but my brain has turned to swiss cheese making it easier to watch the insipid adventures of abrasive people on unscripted shows in exotic locales performing far-fetched rituals and stunts vieing for a large sum of money to be paid out as a 30-year annuity. Fortunately my addled mind has not been damaged enough to care about them. Oh, wait…Full House, I stay away from Full House… ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-youd-watch-with-a-gun-pointed-at-your-head/316652/20 "2005-08-12T16:06:44Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > My son has recently discovered it, too. Boy, it really _was_ baaaad. Gaaah! It must be an epidemic–my 10 year old daughter has discovered it also. She has a near-obsession with the show. There’s shows on MTV that I don’t think I’d be able to watch even with a gun pointed to my head. I’ve only seen the commercials for this new crop of summer shows-Stankervision, I think is the names of one of the shows. Of course, I think I’ve outgrown MTV’s target demographic by about 15 years so maybe that’s why. Also, those godawful countdown shows on E channel that are blatant and poorly constructed ripoffs of the slightly more entertaining shows on VH1, like I love the 70s, 80s, and 90s.