TV Shows and PLL

I watch a lot of TV. I don’t have cable, and I don’t even have an antenna to pick up local channels, so technically, I watch a lot of Netflix. It seems like there is some kind of distinction between “TV” and “Netflix”, or whatever streaming service you please. It seems like “TV” means scheduled programs that you can pick up locally or on cable. Netflix  (or insert streaming service here) can be watched at any time and any place as long as you have an account and a Wi-Fi connection. I'm not certain why I'm explaining this to you. Anyway.

I've watched all the good shows. I've binged Orange is the New Black, Parks and Rec, Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, Doctor Who (when it was still on Netflix, R.I.P.), and many, many more. I like shows with a lot of seasons and good plots. I like shows that are funny and some that are mysterious and some that have more substance than others. I'm not big on cop shows (and oh my god there’s so many) or military shows (Drew, however, could watch nothing but military shows and be over the moon). A lot of the shows I watch include elements of the paranormal or supernatural, like Fringe, or, well, Supernatural.

There are some shows I’ve heard are good and only made it through a few episodes before I turned them off. (I sat through the entirety of The Get Down because a friend recommended it and at the end, I still didn’t like it all that much. So, I’m not completely unwilling to give things a chance.) Some shows I watch sort of over Drew’s shoulder, so to speak. Sometimes he puts on Star Trek for his 8 millionth re-watch, and I pay attention. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the same episode twice. That’s how little I catch. Although, I like watching the show. I’m kind of the backseat driver of television when it comes to shows that Drew watches. It’s probably a little annoying for him as I ask questions trying to understand the plot of shows I don’t keep up with. If he does mind, he hides it well.

I re-watch some shows too. I used to put on Doctor Who (R.I.P.) in the background sometimes or just re-watch my favorite episodes. Years ago, I watched all the (available) seasons of The Vampire Diaries and then watched all of it again recently when more seasons were out. I always heard “If you like The Vampire Diaries, you’ll probably like Pretty Little Liars!” That seemed like a lie. I was never really interested in PLL. It came out when I was in high school, so I was the right age for it to be relatable, and to this day, I’m still into YA novels and such. But I was never into it for some reason. A few years ago, someone I follow on social media (among quite a few others I follow) was discussing PLL and it piqued my interest enough to make me try to watch it. Less than three minutes into it, I had to turn it off. The acting was terrible and I just couldn’t handle it. I tried multiple times since then to watch it when I had run out of shows I actually wanted to watch, but every time, I couldn’t make it through even a couple of minutes.

A few days ago, the same person that had made me want to watch the show a few years ago was talking about starting it over from the first season and kept mentioning the show. I decided for a 7^th (? I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve tried to watch PLL at this point) time to try to watch PLL. I turned it on expecting to turn it off right away just like before. This time I promised myself I would sit through at least one episode. It was difficult. The acting wasn’t so great. (I can forgive it though, as it was the pilot episode and maybe the actors weren’t comfortable with each other yet? But also it’s a teen drama, so I guess the acting isn’t ever really Oscar-worthy in teen dramas.) I don’t know if I liked the first episode, or if I was distracted enough by playing games on my phone (or whatever I was doing at the time) that I ended up making through and onto the next episode.

Now that I’ve given it a chance, it’s not so bad. I actually like it. I'm interested in the story line. I'm invested in the characters. I wonder how I would’ve felt watching this as a teenager rather than a person with an adult perspective. It’s funny watching shows/movies about teenagers when I was recently a teenager myself. I can remember how I would have related and responded to some things. Watching PLL now, I find myself saying things like “It doesn’t matter, you’re only 16!” and “Tell your fucking parents!” because I’ve officially become an old person. (“Parents just don’t understand” mentality, have you slipped away with my youth?? Come back, youth.)

I like TV. It’s like books, but you don’t have to do any of the brain work to create the visuals.  Just kidding I’d rather be reading books, but I don’t have the money to be buying books all the time (I’m a fast reader). “Go to a library,” you say. “No thanks,” I reply. I don’t like libraries really. I think it’s because I like to own the books I read so I can come back to them whenever I please. Re-reading my favorite books is like coming home.

I’d really like to work on beefing up my book collection.

(Jessica, make some lovely book posts please!)

TTFN,

Paige 💜