Oldest and I were talking yesterday (phone, he is in grad school on east coast).
Several years ago the girls and I started watching Fringe. Cannot remember if it was DVD's through Netflix or the library or if it was on demand or what. I think it was a very long time ago.
And we loved it. We only got a season or two into the series when oldest said the series went downhill for the rest of the seasons. So we stopped watching.
Yesterday oldest said he had downtime over the weekend and was watching Fringe. I think he said he started back at the beginning. And he said he stood corrected. He said watching it all together, it was most excellent and the plot line was creative, tight, sophisticated. He said little things were all woven together, all the way through the seasons, which he missed the first time watching one episode a week, and only watching part way through the series.
He said it ranked between Stargate and Star Trek, both beloved at our house.
In having this discussion we talked about how we really cannot stand to watch a series, one episode a week, any more. We like to emerse ourselves in a series and watch only that series, from start to finish.
For things like American Idol, America's Got Talent, The Voice - I let them pile on the DVR and we watch Netflix style.
So we might watch all of the chair turn auditions, back to back over several days, during The Voice season. And then let the face to face part of the competition accumulate and watch all of it, consecutively.
Sing-off which is a very short accapella competition, the girls and I recorded all of it and watched Netflix style when we all had free time.
I blink (special button on remote that skips a set amount, I keep it set at 1 minute) through the commercials for all recorded shows. So I NEVER see any commercials.
I increased our Netflix subscription from 2 to 4. So four TV's, anywhere in country, can be on our subscription at the same time.
Neither oldest nor middle has cable TV, they only watch Netfix or on line.
And we only have ONE TV hooked up to cable at home these days.
Youngest has Netflix running on her laptop as background while she does certain kinds of homework.
All three of those kids have a tough academic year. I want them to be able to get on, when they need to get on.
Plus, middle and her boy watch a lot (Dexter and Twighlight Zone series currently, I am going to tell them to try Fringe next) as date night when they are together. They live in same college town, but do not have much free time because of full class loads. When they have time to watch, together, I want them to be able to get on easily.
Husband watches on Eliptical daily.
And I watch in streaks - when I am in my little room under the stairs sewing, which is kind of like a background/company thing, or when I REALLY can't sleep, I watch on my iPad in bed. Normally I only watch TV, with my husband, in the evenings. Those other two are exceptions.
TV is a release, relaxation thing for all of us. And as long as everyone is getting what they are supposed to be doing, done, I have no issues with it, personally.
