# TV shows you record, but never watch **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 16, 2018, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288 "2018-05-16T14:09:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/1 "2018-05-16T14:09:19Z")
We have a number of TV shows scheduled to record automatically on the DVR. Many of these are shows we used to watch regularly, but don’t anymore, but haven’t deleted from the recording schedule. A lot of them seem to be ABC sitcoms for some reason. I quit watching Modern Family a couple of years before I realized it was still recording. That has since been deleted, but the same thing is happening now with The Middle, The Goldbergs, and Black-ish. Twenty-something episodes pile up over a season, never watched, and then eventually get deleted to make room for other stuff we record but don’t watch. So, what shows do you record but never actually get around to watching? ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/2 "2018-05-16T14:13:09Z")
I do that with “Married with Children” It runs about 8 times a day, so the recordings pile up very quickly. I scan the list, keep my favorites that I’d like to see again, and delete many. Sometimes I’ll record a movie and end up not watching it. Sometimes it’s because it happens to come on while I’m watching TV, so I’ll just watch it in real time. I like saving up series and “binge watching” them. ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/3 "2018-05-16T14:22:53Z")
“Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.” Since it’s all topical humor, by the time I get around to watching it, the subject matter has faded from the national spotlight. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/4 "2018-05-16T14:25:47Z")
**Seal Team** I set it up to record the series before it started. Watched the first episode and found it so horribly done that I barely made it through. I thought that maybe I’d give it another chance and watch ep 2 but just can’t bring myself to try it. In the meantime the episodes pile up on the DVR. Also, **Mr. Robot**. I struggled through a few episodes but the plot is so convoluted that I’m beginning to not care. It’s a shame because Rami Malik is putting out a great performance. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/5 "2018-05-16T14:27:13Z")
_Law & Order_. My wife has our DVR set to record every episode that shows up, on whatever channel (there are like three or four channels showing _L&O_ reruns these days). Our DVR is pretty much constantly at 99-100% full, and the majority of that content is _Law & Order_ episodes. I honestly believe that there is no hour of the day in which some iteration of _Law & Order_ is not being shown on some channel somewhere. Whenever she’s bored, she will scan through the episodes, pick out one that she likes, and watch it. There is no realistic hope that she will actually watch all of them, and indeed, older ones are constantly being deleted automatically as new ones get recorded. But it does mean that she’s never at a loss for something to watch! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/6 "2018-05-16T14:47:57Z")
I’ve recorded the PBS series _Soundbreaking_ twice now. I watched a couple of episodes the first time around. Never got to the rest. Then I upgraded my box, lost everything on the DVR. Recorded the series when it got re-run, and haven’t watched a single one yet! Not sure why. I really love the subject matter. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/7 "2018-05-16T15:22:25Z")
Shows that are on the record list even though we haven’t watched them in years: _Law & Order: SVU_ _Grey’s Anatomy_. OTOH, since the DVR was recording _GA_ a couple weeks ago, I dropped down into live TV right when Nurse Olivia, who was axed from the show in season 6, turned back up. So saw a few minutes of nice/odd callback to the early, good years. I also have a generic problem in getting around to watching the last episode or so of a series. Still haven’t watched the last episode(s) of: _Pushing Daisies_, _Rescue Me_, _Monk_, _Episodes_, _Major Crimes_. Only just recently finally watched the last episode of _Portlandia_. Have a whole season of _Orphan Black_, most of a season each of _Halt and Catch Fire_ and _Mr. Robot_. Once you get into streaming, the “to-do” list is huge. Starting with the rest of the 2nd season of _Sneaky Pete_. And on and on. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/8 "2018-05-16T15:37:04Z")
I have both _The Gifted_ and _Black Lightning_ sitting on my TiVo player waiting to be watched … and I just can’t make myself watch them. Sadly, after nearly four seasons, _Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD_ is starting to fall into the same category. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/9 "2018-05-16T16:03:14Z")
My DVR is jammed with a lot of PBS programming that my wife asks me to record, but rarely wants to watch. Periodically, I go through and just delete the older stuff. She has yet to ask about any of it. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/10 "2018-05-16T16:06:47Z")
I got _Star Trek Discovery_ and _The Orville_ that I’m about to delete. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/11 "2018-05-16T16:14:56Z")
Agents of SHIELD is another one I quit watching, was still recording, and finally deleted from the schedule. And then a few weeks ago my wife and I started watching again! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/12 "2018-05-16T18:30:06Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > Sadly, after nearly four seasons, _Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD_ is starting to fall into the same category. Same here. Every time we’re looking for something on the DVR to watch, we both look hard to find something other than Agents of SHIELD. We’ll probably finish watching them eventually (we’re about halfway through the current season) but only if we’re all out of other options. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/13 "2018-05-16T18:43:21Z")
_The Flash_ and _Supergirl._ Oh, and _Trust._ I watched the first episode, and it was kind of interesting and Donald Southerland is great, but I haven’t been back to it. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/14 "2018-05-16T18:54:53Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I got _Star Trek Discovery_ and _The Orville_ that I’m about to delete. I recorded the first few episodes of Orville, heard how bad it is, and deleted 'em without watching. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/15 "2018-05-16T19:07:31Z")
I do watch Mysteries at the Museum, but only when nothing else is on and the internet connection is acting up too much to allow for streaming. I typically have 80+ episodes available. I couldn’t bring myself to watch last season’s American Horror Story…I ended up deleting the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/16 "2018-05-16T19:19:01Z")
Huh. I’m liking The Orville, Discovery, and Agents of SHIELD keeps me watching, even though I see the beginning of the plot lines and often think, “Oh, I don’t want to watch a half-season about THIS!” No, apparently I do. They drag me in. I save and marathon some things. Haven’t watched the latest season of The Expanse yet but theres no doubt that I will. Jessica Jones season 2 lingers in limbo until I feel like watching a moody drunken half-assed superhero mope through life. (I’m looking forward to a great new season of Daredevil, and another six good episodes of Luke Cage 😃 ) I found out The Evil Dead series was ending, and now I have 2-3 episodes I waited to watch all at once. Better Call Saul is another one that will sit there forever. Don’t ever seem to be in the mood to start it, and then when I do, I’ve finished it in days or a week. Onto the longer-term space-takers, and the new, uncertain ones. I have teh Dirk Gently series sitting there, that I SWEAR I will watch eventually. I wasn’t a huge fan of the books, but I hear they diverge a bit, so that might be a good thing for me. The Terror will get a watch at some point. I’m sure. Barry is sitting there waiting, as well as Counterpart and all of the seasons of Preacher. Legion is questionable - it got pretty trippy at the end of the first season, and i haven’t returned. Mr Robot was enjoyable to me for the first season, but haven’t watched it since. I’m afraid it’s the dark horse for me to ever watch it before it’s deleted, at this point. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/17 "2018-05-16T19:22:13Z")
I recorded CNN’s \*The 70’s \*and _The 80’s_ well over a year ago and I still haven’t watched them.😕 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/18 "2018-05-16T21:03:48Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > I have teh Dirk Gently series sitting there, that I SWEAR I will watch eventually. [American](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4047038/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2) or [British](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2303367/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)? > [@](#): > > I wasn’t a huge fan of the books, but I hear they diverge a bit If the former, “a bit” is an understatement. AIUI, the series takes place after the events in the books and makes references to them at times. The couch, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/19 "2018-05-16T21:25:38Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > [American](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4047038/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2) or [British](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2303367/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)?If the former, “a bit” is an understatement. AIUI, the series takes place after the events in the books and makes references to them at times. The couch, anyway. American. Should have known there was a British one as well. Might have to hunt to down so I have another show to not watch 😉 ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2018, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288/20 "2018-05-17T02:19:09Z")
The Simpsons. I am torn because I used to LOVE The Simpsons but of course it’s not quite so good anymore. Usually I have 6 or 7 episodes sitting around and sometimes I play them when I’m only halfway paying attention. Legion. This is a really intriguing show but it kind of requires you to pay attention, and I’m not always in the mood for a show I have to focus on. I’m sure that sounds weird but at least half the time the TV’s on, it’s basically background noise and not what I would call “active” viewing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-record-but-never-watch/814288.md?page=2)