As you know, we are attempting to go one year without watching television.
As you may also know, one of the caveat’s is that we are allowed to watch movies.
So what constitutes a movie?
This question came up after I threatened on Twitter (follow me HERE) to borrow or steal Seasons 1-6 of Lost, mostly because Bryan Allain kept talking about it EVERY Tuesday on his blog and I finally started paying attention (by the way, if you haven’t read his recap you have to – it was apparently the most read blog ON THE PLANET on that particular day, or close to it).
Magically, “Lost: Season One” appeared on my dining room table (thanks Bryan).
Suddenly I was faced with a conundrum, a quandary, a sticky situation (can you tell I pulled these from my Word thesaurus?): is watching Lost on tv legal? TECHNICALLY, it’s not a tv show anymore, right? Maybe? Couldn’t I classify Seasons 1-6 as a really, really, really long movie?
Maile wasn’t buying it, so I took to Twitter, asking people to vote yeah or nay, hoping to garner some support.
Well, it didn’t work – I was voted down by a margin of 5-1 (actually, the total vote was 5-1).
So like a kid who loses best of three and shouts “okay, best of five” then “best of seven” then “best of nine,” I’m taking this vote to the blogosphere.
What say you? Does watching Lost: Season 1 violate our terms of “no TV for a year”? Be careful how you vote – my short-term entertainment future depends on it. And if you’ve already voted once, feel free to comment, but no way does your vote count again (unless you’re the one who voted in favor of it on Twitter, then by all accounts vote early, vote often, vote anonymously).
I will vote for anything as long as it means someone new watches Lost. :) I love Lost!!
I am all for counting Lost as a movie, and here’s why. I don’t have TV either. I hate the commercials. I hate being bound to a schedule if I want to see something, and I hate the fact that I can turn the thing on and let it play all day if I want.
But I do watch TV shows on DVD and Netflix. I allow myself this pleasure for all the reasons I listed above – no commercials, a schedule I can set, and the need to start each show individually rather than letting it play as background.
So I’m a “in favor” vote, Shawn. But don’t tell Maile if it will make her hate me. :)
my sentiments exactly
Sorry Shawn but as a married man myself i have to agree with the wife…they are always right ..even when they are wrong its amazing how they can do that and if the wife says its watching tv well then i think you know your answer…the real question here is if the majority says its a movie and you can watch it,do you go against what your wife says and watch it ?…….remember they are always right and you live with her not us Good Luck buddy !
LOST is a very long movie. There will never be another TV show like it, and there never was one before it.
My only fear for you guys is how addicting it is. Tough to NOT watch the next episode when it is sitting there on the same DVD.
The thing is, Maile will love the show because it’s smart and amazing and has great acting, great characters, great plots, and a bunch of literary references. Eventually she will be hooked. whether that’s this week or next year, that’s the question.
right now it’s looking like next year is the better bet
Pretty much what Bryan said.
JamesBrett Said On 10-05-2010
this is my favorite post of yours thus far. really enjoyed it. and props for giving up tv and sticking with it. i live in rural tanzania, and even i have a tv (no cable or satellite or channels at all for that matter, but a tv all the same).
just promise me you’re not going to go back and watch all you missed this year on dvds. that would definitely be cheating….
Shawn Said On 10-05-2010
thanks james. to clarify, we have a tv but like you no cable or satellite and cannot get any stations. the kids watch an occasional dvd, as do maile and i on date nights.
we’re not really into any tv series so i don’t think we’ll go back and watch anything in particular.
thanks James but no one read me my Miranda rights before i made that comment, so i’m pretty sure that is inadmissable evidence
I say since you have the ability (though maybe no the will) to stop after one or 2 episodes, I’d say its ok. Also, because there are no ads, it’s more like a movie then a tv show, even though it aired on TV. But despite being aired on TV, it is like one really long movie. It has continuity and a continuous storyline like a movie series would, where as most TV shows may have a big story line that is the same, but most episodes are pretty independent of each other. And the rare show that isn’t (like 24) then the storyline doesn’t really carry over from season to season like Lost does.
My vote: Watch it, but only in 1-3 episode segments (that would be the length of a movie…)
I’ll give you an “A” for effort Joel.
Shawn, you weren’t by any chance responsible for vote-counting in Florida ooh, 9 years or so ago, were you? Or in, well, any of the Stans during any recent election ever?
Just sayin….
hmmm. we actually lived in Florida during all of that.
Alright Shawn, heres the deal – LOST is amazing. It’s brilliant. It’s entertaining. It’s addictive.
I would almost always, always, always tell someone to start watching Lost.
But it’s a TV show. I don’t care what anyone says. It’s always been a TV show, and it always will be. (Have I mentioned it’s an incredible TV show?)
My advice – put aside the fact that the show in questions is Lost and go back to your original intentions of giving up TV, (or maybe Mailes.) If you can justify sitting in front of that square box for hours on addictive hours, then go for it. But if a little voice inside your head is screaming – “You big cheater!” then don’t watch it this year.
On a different note, you guys kind of motivated me to give up TV as well. Not completely, but I’d say I cut out a good 85% of my TV watching. I gotta say – I don’t miss it. I mean really, I could care less what happens on Grey’s now or what funny Joke Tina Fey has for 30 Rock.
Now watching it on a computer might be allowed. After all, it’s not technically a TV. Right?
Yikes…that’s a hard one! Now, I am without question a LOST fan so in my book everyone MUST watch it….at some point! It’s loooong….as you know! Therefore my vote is it’s tv…yes it’s on dvd but it was tv and again it’s loooong…how can you justify watching that much tv…come on shawn…if you have to question it I think you know the answer…stick to your guns, you can do it!!!
My conservative Mennonite parents (no TV, church rules) watch TV shows on the computer, via Hulu, etc., so by those rules you should be good to go, watching Lost.
I’ve never watched Lost, and can’t figure out why it’s so special, I guess I’ll have to give it go sometime. Now if it was 24, V, or, my favorite, Justified, then yes, I would say definitely watch it on DVD if you have too.
All of this is a moot point, though. If Maile has already veto’d the idea, this is really just an academic exercise, as I know you are a wise man, and realize that this is not a discussion that you can win, under any circumstances.
Let me put it this way, if Maile said the sky was green, and we all voted that it was blue…. what would be gained for your happiness and peace by insisting on blue?
LOST doesn’t count as tv if you are watching it on DVD’s…but it IS addicting so if you begin watching it, plan to not get much sleep. As one episode ends you’ll say “just one more” until the next thing you know it is 4am and you have to get up for work the next day….or so I’ve heard :)
I say watch it, but that is b/c I hate rules and love gray areas. ;) Don’t tell Maile.
We have been without cable/tv for a few months now (just to save $), but we watch stuff online and watch dvds on the weekends (hello foreign film fridays!). There is a little more reading in the house, a little more quiet in the evenings, but also more Wii time – Ha!
I am all for the spirit of things vs sticking to hard fast rules, but it sounds like you and Maile made a pact and those are hard to break with the ones you love and LOST will always be there.
Top 10 reasons you should watch “Lost”:
1. It’s an awesome show.
2. It will facilitate a lot of great conversation away from the TV.
3. It’s a really great show.
4. The strength of the story will inspire your writings.
5. The show is incredible.
6. Bryan said so.
7. It’s on a DVD, so it qualifies as a movie.
8. Lost is one of the best shows ever.
9. The Physician’s Assistant said so (you have to read between the lines).
10. Did I mention how great the show is?
I am just going to point out that the fact that you are asking this question and seeking validation only goes to support the idea that you should not watch it.
Secondly, watching the show is like taking marijuana. It is a gateway drug. Say no to the gateway man…just say no.
Third, it is only June. And you have a long long way to go to complete your year. There are so many other things that are going to pop up and what will be your standard for compromise then?
Just sayin’.
ouch
Thanks for deleting that spam comment…now my Physician’s Assistant reference makes no sense! :)