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Tuesday 30 October 2007

Addiction?.........

David's (Authorblog) question this week is


What is your favourite television addiction?


If you want to join in here's what David would like you to do:
Please answer today's question on your own blog, any time until next weekend. Just link to this blog (or to this post) so I can follow the progress of the discussion.




I suppose I am addicted to soaps, namely Coronation Street, Eastenders and Neighbours. I was going to say I don't know why I'm addicted to these soaps but having just written them down I realise that they all have an underlying theme - they are all based in a Street or Square and are all about the various families who live there. Now, if I was a psychologist I would probably come up with some deep seated reason for this coincidence, but I'm not, maybe there's a psychologist reading this who could analyse it for me?

Personally, I think, (although some of the storylines are a bit too far fetched at times), mostly one can identify with what happens to the characters - weddings, funerals, births, marriages, christenings, job loss, theft, fires, car crashes, accidents etc., etc. In other words everyday life!


Often, after watching one or another of them, I find myself saying "Well, what will he/she do about that" and find myself speculating on their actions after some tragedy or crisis has befallen them. Then I admonish myself saying "You fool, it's not real". I know I'm not the only person who does this because quite often the topic of conversation at work can be what has happened in the previous night's episode of any of the soaps and the various scenarios that could be played out in the future.

Why do we get so involved with soaps? Are our own lives so dull that we have to watch some fictional character playing at real life to get excited?


Years ago I was also hooked on Dallas and Dynasty but because they were depicting rich American families I didn't identify with the characters at all, however it didn't stop me asking the burning question that was on everyone's lips some years ago.....


WHO SHOT JR?


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If you want to play the Nursery Rhymes Quiz (Saturday's post) you have until Friday to email your answers.


34 comments:

mrsnesbitt said...

Oh well done with getting rid of word verification, I had to bring it back due to the spammers wanting to know if I wanted penis enlargment! LOL!

The programmes you mention certainly brought back memories. We love non fiction. Tonight it will be Heston on BBC2 at 8.30 followed by Gordon Ramsay and recording Spooks!

Akelamalu said...

I'm hoping I won't have to put WV on again Mrs N, spammers are a damn nuisance! I love Spooks too so will be watching that later.

ann said...

tonight will be Law & Order Criminal Intent... Channel 5 at 11.00 p.m.

anything and everything with Vincent D'Onofrio is a must for
me... the man is pure dream fodder

currently got Grumpy Old Women on... funny thing is I'm kinda their age but I'm just so not in the same place... doh!

must be honest... I don't do the soaps

Queenie said...

I like a little bit of this and a litle bit of that,somthing that makes me laugh is always a must. I can watch Faulty Towers time and time again "my little nest of vipers" and what about Open all Hours and the Vicar of Dibley. Also love a good murder mystery, have a soft spot for Columbo, I'm so easy to please!!!

Linda said...

I don't really have an addiction per say but there are certain shows that I do watch semi-regularly like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Ugly Betty". Another that I recently started watching is "Cold Case" and I've become a little addicted to "House" but not so much that I go through withdrawal if I miss it!

Elaine Denning said...

I think soaps are a bit like finding a book you really like, and having it never end! Over time, you learn to love or hate the characters and enjoy watching them interact with other. You share their joys and sadness and get to laugh or cry along with them. Just because they aren't real people, it doesn't mean they can't touch us. I rarely watch the soaps now, but that'sbecause I'm usually sobbing over a good book instead!

Lo Kelween said...

my tv addiction is spanish telenovelas which last at least one year. and i love reality television programmes like Amazing race and American Idol.. :)

Akelamalu said...

I love Grumpy Old Women Ann - MWM says I am one!

Fawlty Towers is an absolute classic Queenie, I could never tire of watching that!

I have seen 'House' a few times but I didn't get hooked Linda

I think you've hit the nail on the head Miss U!

Ah reality shows - I love X Factor Elween. :)

buffalodick said...

The Food Channel! No heterosexual guy would watch (or admit it if he did!) soap operas....

Mike Minzes said...

Tag!!!! You're it! Come see

Cream said...

I guess I'm not into Soaps.
I've watched Countdown on and off since C4 started. It's not the same without Richard although our Des does a canny job.
Fawlty Towers, Rising Damp... Over and over again.

Ron said...

Morning Akelamalu~

Glad I stopped by...so much to catch up on!!!!

On T.V. show addiction:

Years ago, I was an obsessive, compulsive, addiction freak with, "Knots Landing." Every Thursday night, I would have "Knots Landing Parties" with my other addicted friends.

Then, when the season would end for the summer...I would go into massive depression...wondering WHO stole Valene's babies!!!

I went through three months of HELL!

But my all time addiction (even to this day) is..."I Love Lucy"...thank God for VHS. I just pop those tapes in, anytime I need a "Lucy Fix"

(it still makes me laugh)

Have a GRAND day my friend. It was good talking to you!

Ciao,
Ron

the rotten correspondent said...

The season premiere of Nip/Tuck last night.

Aaaah....

Akelamalu said...

Buffalo you do not need to watch the food channel you can cook already!

Ok Mike, I'll be over shortly.

Oh yes Fawlty Towers and Rising Damp are always good for a laugh Cream :)

I (vaguely) remember 'I Love Lucy' Ron she always reminded me of my Aunty Shirley - she was just like Lucy in looks and deeds!

I think I've only caught a couple of Nip/Tuck, Correspondent - didn't really get into it.

Flowerpot said...

Doc Martin and Have I got news for you!

Akelamalu said...

Doc Martin fabulous - Does Portwen exist Flowerpot? I want to live there, but I'd travel to another doctor! :)

CG said...

I used to watch all the soaps; then one day i just stopped. It was curously liberating!!

Now I love shows like CSI and ER but I'm ADDICTED to Strictly Come Dancing!

Gledwood said...

I used to watch Dallas for the characters and Dynasty for the interiors and Joan Collins (never for one second managed to follow a single episode of Dynasty "plot"...)

Come to think of it, they were so successful, were meant to be fastmoving, full of cliffhangers, but in actuality both of them were really slow, with convoluted plots, barely anything happening for episodes on end (I mean, no storyline resolved itself in 2 episodes if they could drag it into 7 and they just didn't have the material to do that) ... Dynasty was eminently forgettable but visually sumptuous, Dallas, as I said had the great characters...

I'd love to see them again... are they on Sky anywhere?

Gledwood said...

Man! That was the voice of a true addict speaking. I just admitted I thought they were rubbish and yet asked for more!!!

;->...

RUTH said...

Eastenders is the only soap I regularly watch...even better now Scott Maslen is in it...drool.
Rx

Cindy said...

has to be "Untold Stories From the ER" I'll also watch anything with Patrick Swayze in it.

Mother of Invention said...

ER when George Clooney was on it and now it's Grey's Anatomy. My doctor said I looked like Dr. Grey!!!

Akelamalu said...

LOL SCD is a bit like a soap CG. :)

I bet they are on Sky somewhere Gleds, they'll be a bit dated now though - all those shoulder pads!

OOh yes, Scott is a welcome addition to Eastenders alright Ruth!

I agree with you there cindy - Patrick Swayze - COR!!

I have to go watch Grey's Anatomy now MOI to see what you look like! :)

Gledwood said...

Just because of you! I've posted up a 3rd video tonight... yes Joan Collins...! Do come and see.

;->...

Neoma said...

I remember watching Dallas, for quite awhile, and then one day I just stopped....so I never did find out who shot JR.....although I know quite a few people who would have liked to have shot him. haha

I find that a lot of the shows that I watch now, have a bit of a "soap opera" feel to them, even though they are not considered soaps. I think it is because the delve into feelings and emotions in show more now than they used to. Even CSI Vegas, has a soap opera feel to it at times, because they continue on with a thought through many episodes.

I don't watch anything religiously though, the only shows that I never miss are British Mysteries, right now I am watching Foyle's War. And I love it, I have NetFlix, and as soon as I finish one I send it back and get another. Love them......I feel like the people in these shows, I know personally.

Julia Phillips Smith said...

Hey - don't let any television writers hear you berating yourself for caring about their characters! That would warm their hearts, believe me.

Annelisa said...

Hiya Akelamalu! Back from the land of the Vikings... it was a great time!

Soaps? Hmmm, well, I've watched Neighbours for years, though it's one I dip in and out of, and now I'm hooked on Hollyoaks, and I Heroes.

YOu want a psychologist view on why you're into the 'streets'? :-) Ok then, how about this... all of these soaps are about Neighbours, living close together and the friction and caring brought about by that proximity. Maybe you don't have that good old neighbourly feel where you are? A feeling of belonging to something/ somewhere?? Ok, it was just an idea :-D

Akelamalu said...

Joan Collins eh, this I must see Gleds :)

I used to enjoy Foyle's War too Nea x

I suppose it would Julia! :)

You know what Annelisa you have hit the nail on the head - this is not a neighbourly place. Apart from one friend who lives opposite I don't have much to do with any of the others! Great to see you back honey, I hope you've got some photographs to show? xx

Pig in the Kitchen said...

when we lived in China I was hooked on #The Bold and the Beautiful', it was like watching a bad car crash where all the victims have been given plastic surgery. I loved it, I'd be late to give my 2pm lesson because I'd lingered by the door to catch the cringeing cliffhanger!
Pigx

sallywrites said...

I watch Neighbours - drives my hubby mad........

But it keeps me sane, a daily dose of other people's insanity!!

Akelamalu said...

I've not heard of that one Pig but if it had cliffhangers it must have been good!

I watch neighbours too Sally and I used to love Brookside! I heard on the news today that the houses that were used in Brookside Close are for sale!

Jo Beaufoix said...

Akela how do you find time to watch those??
And the Nursery Rhyme quiz, ahhh, I forgot.
I'll have a quick peep but I still have to write tonights 2000 and put Miss E to bed.
Arghhhhhhh.
Oh, and tag, you're it.

Akelamalu said...

I suppose I'm a telly addict Jo! :)

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