# TV shows you're forced to watch because of your spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 4, 2005, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317 "2005-05-04T02:23:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/1 "2005-05-04T02:23:20Z")
My wife likes to watch two TV shows that drive me insane. She likes **Everybody Loves Raymond** , the show with lazy, deceptive, and lazy Ray, borderline abusive Deborah…well, actually, after the episode where she belted Ray in the nuts to keep him from telling his whiny brother Robert about a setup Deborah and Marie put him in, maybe it’s not so borderline. Of course there’s, as mentioned, the whiny brother Robert, and Frank and Marie, who constantly bicker. Yeah, lots of laughs :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: She also likes Malcolm In The Middle. Lot’s of yelling and screaming, and “jokes” and “gags” you can see coming a mile away. I’m usually on the computer when the shows are on, but even having to listen to them gets on my nerves. So, are there any shows you have to put up with because of your wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend? ---
**Author:** ![Kitchen\_Wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kitchen\_Wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitchen_Wench)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/2 "2005-05-04T03:14:34Z")
The old black and white episodes of Gunsmoke. At first, I would groan about having to watch it, but I actually got to liking the show. And hey, Matt Dillon was a total hottie! Sucks now that we dropped the digital cable and can’t get the Western channel. Watching the later, colorized Gunsmoke just isn’t the same. And boxing. But I’ve sorta become interested in that too. Not to the point that I will stay up after my bed time, but at least I don’t bitch about it anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/3 "2005-05-04T03:32:26Z")
My wife likes _Murder She Wrote_ and _Medium_. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/4 "2005-05-04T03:47:32Z")
Well, an old GF forced me to watch Buffy…then I liked it. But the first several episodes were pretty much forced. Of course, I forced her to watch Futurama in return, and she ended up loving it almost as much as me. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/5 "2005-05-04T04:05:43Z")
I’m not in a relationship, nor do I own a TV, but I have to sit through _Law & Order_ and _Charmed_ while at work. The former’s just never did much for me at all and reminds me of boring weekends with my dad and stepmom and, so far, the latter’s just not impressed me much. Seeing Alyssa Milano as a mermaid was enough for me to forgive the show its flaws so far though. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/6 "2005-05-04T04:19:53Z")
Yeah. I’m _forced_ to watch tv all the time. :rolleyes:. I watch my guilty pleasure shows (mostly on HGTV), but if he doesn’t want to, he doesn’t have to. He loves ST: TOS, but I could care less. I don’t watch. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/7 "2005-05-04T04:32:06Z")
My first love was a huge Dawson’s Creek fan. That doesn’t explain why I kept watching it two years after we broke up… ---
**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:** [May 4, 2005, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/8 "2005-05-04T04:34:46Z")
I certainly don’t feel forced to watch, but I like to spend time with my husband, so I stick around while he watches the tedious bimbo-in-a-bookstore show _Stacked_. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/9 "2005-05-04T04:48:03Z")
Anything on the Military Channel. Blech. ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/10 "2005-05-04T04:48:17Z")
Survivor, Amazing Race, and 24. My boyfriend, Paul, watches these religiously. I never watched them before I knew him, but now I watch them and actually like them. This is my 2nd season of Survivor, 1st season of The Amazing Race, and 1st season of 24. ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/11 "2005-05-04T06:20:11Z")
Wife likes to watch _CSI: Vegas, Miami, NY_. She doesnt force me to watch 'em but when they’re on, she _owns_ the remote, which to a guy, is like losing a limb. 🙂 ---
**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 4, 2005, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/12 "2005-05-04T07:51:41Z")
American Idol. :rolleyes: I only get about 6 minutes into it before I head to the garage to crank up some real music, play darts or pinball and bust open a few beers. Damn Dish Network! ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/13 "2005-05-04T09:03:07Z")
> [@gatopescado](#): > > American Idol. :rolleyes: > > I only get about 6 minutes into it before I head to the garage to crank up some real music, play darts or pinball and bust open a few beers. > > Damn Dish Network! Dude. You get to listen to good music, play a game, and drink some beers, _instead of watching crappy TV_. I weep for you. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/14 "2005-05-04T09:50:19Z")
My wife watches _The West Wing_. It’s a good show, as far as dramas go, I guess. But I don’t like to watch stressful work-related drama, especially right before going to bed on a weeknight. Those people on that show talk so fast, and they’re alway on about some earth-shaking crisis. They never seem to go home and just chill the fuck out. Yeah, I know, they’re running the country and all. I just don’t like watching that sort of thing. In fact, I don’t want to know about anything even remotely resembling work when I’m not at work. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/15 "2005-05-04T10:57:59Z")
> [@FilmGeek](#): > > Yeah. I’m _forced_ to watch tv all the time. :rolleyes:. > > I watch my guilty pleasure shows (mostly on HGTV), but if he doesn’t want to, he doesn’t have to. He loves ST: TOS, but I could care less. I don’t watch. It just wouldn’t be the Dope without someone getting their nose out of joint for no reason! I occasionally watch Cold Case and CSI with my girlfriend. If you want to talk about forced though, I have to watch State of Origin with her and her brother every year. I gotta say, with the enthusiasm they bring I can actually see why a lot of people watch televised sports. I still don’t watch 'em on my own though ;). ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/16 "2005-05-04T11:03:25Z")
I’m “forced” to watch little, the joyful thing about lady friend is that she and I first got together after expressing an appreciation for shows like Farscape and the like over emails 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/17 "2005-05-04T12:22:21Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > I’m “forced” to watch little, the joyful thing about lady friend is that she and I first got together after expressing an appreciation for shows like Farscape and the like over emails 🙂 Ahhh, you’re both into long running series with huge fan bases I see 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/18 "2005-05-04T12:57:15Z")
I think I’ve seen ever episode of _The Nanny_ since my GF and I started dating. Not by choice, either. While Fran Drescher has her obvious charms, I really dislike her character on that show. Of course, GF has tried to watch _The West Wing_ with me, but has never lasted one episode. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/19 "2005-05-04T13:17:27Z")
When “The Sopranos” first came out, I insisted that it was stupid and wrong to romanticize mob life. So I’d hang out on the couch and read while my husband watched. Pretty soon, I found myself getting into it and asking him questions about characters, plot lines, etc. Damn him. Now it’s my favorite show. ---
**Author:** ![MissGypsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@MissGypsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissGypsy)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317/20 "2005-05-04T13:19:31Z")
I’m subjected to Stargate frequently, as well as any other show on the Sci-Fi channel. Yawn. He also likes CSI and Law & Order, but I’ve finally managed to cultivate an interest in those. Of course, he cringes when I find a Brady Bunch marathon. 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-youre-forced-to-watch-because-of-your-spouse-boyfriend-girlfriend/302317.md?page=2)