I totally remember the first TV show marathon I ever watched.
It was “The Real World.” Season 1. Eric and Julie flirted a lot. The whole cast was pretty much cute as a button, and with the exception of a few lively arguments, everybody behaved.
I quit watching “The Real World” somewhere around the second New York season (oh, it got REAL real about that time), but I never lost my love for the TV marathon. Give me back-to-back episodes of a TV show in which I am even remotely interested, and I will fire up the DVR lickety-split. Maybe it’s because I tend to err on the side of impatient, but I adore the option of watching episodes of a show one right after the other. IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY.
When D and I were first married, I was always on the look-out for a Law & Order marathon. Or a Road Rules marathon (remember Road Rules? I LOVED IT). There was even one time when the Biography Channel or A&E or somebody had a Columbo marathon, and I was ALL OVER IT. Nothing like a detective show from the 1970s to make a weekend extra special, you know?
After we bought our first house, I loved the home improvement shows on BBC America, and a marathon of Changing Rooms and/or Ground Force was always a treat. Then I discovered the joy of a House Hunters marathon – back in the days when they didn’t show the prices and the people looking for a house always picked the third one.
(That reminds me: I miss Suzanne Whang.)
(I also miss Michael Payne, the man who used to host Designing for the Sexes. I mean, do y’all remember how INCREDIBLY THRILLED he would be about ABSOLUTELY NOTHING? He was a delight.)
Our TV marathon habits haven’t changed much over the last few years. We’ve plowed through all the seasons of Friday Night Lights thanks to Netflix, and when we discovered the first season of Veronica Mars a few years ago, we would watch three or four episodes a night on DVD.
And listen. If I happen to catch a marathon of a cooking show? Like Top Chef or Chopped or The Next Food Network Star? Oh my word. THIS WORLD CANNOT CONTAIN MY JOY.
So all that to say: we love us a good TV show marathon in this house. And when I got home from Louisville and saw that I had fourteen (FOURTEEN!) episodes of Say Yes To The Dress on the DVR, I wanted to dance a little jig in a fitting room at Kleinfeld’s. Now granted, D isn’t the least bit interested in a TV show about wedding dresses, so I’m running this particular marathon alone. I’m not even halfway through all the episodes, but I’ve had the best time trying to pinpoint what kind of dress each bride is going to pick and being shocked by how much they’re willing to spend and seeing the expressions on their faces when they finally find “the one.”
It’s no Friday Night Lights, mind you, but it’ll do in a pinch.
So what about you? Any shows you’d recommend for a good marathon? Any shows you wouldn’t? Anything you’re hoping to catch sometime soon?
I’m all ears. Or eyes. Or ears and eyes. Or whatever is necessary in order to solidify some TV-watching goals.
My latest are My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, Baby’s First Day, The LIttle Couple, and Friday Night Lights. I have Direct Tv so I saw the final season of FNL last year but I can’t get enough of it!
Oh, The Killing is another favorite of mine! Mystery combined with rain in my homestate (Seattle) :)
So I was going to read through and make sure I wasn’t repeating someone else but I tired out after comment 50 or so. With that in mind, please pardon me if I’m repeating but it is imperative you know about a certain bumper sticker that I, for one, would love to have. Yes, I too see the 26.2 stickers all over. However, the best sticker I’ve EVER and I mean E.V.E.R. seen was shaped just like the 26.2 but said 00.0. I kid you not! Don’t you just want to go get one today!?! Oh, how I laughed and wished I had one too!
When I bought my first house, Changing Rooms & Ground Force were on every Saturday. I could never get into House Invaders, though, when that tacky Anna Ryder Richardson person hosted. I tired of her belly button always being on display (or maybe I was just envious that mine was not fit for display). Current marathon recommendation: Life on Mars – it is on Netflix.
My husband and I have recently started watching Pawn Stars and River Monsters. Pawn Stars is great because there is history involved and I love to see how much people think their junk is worth! River Monsters is fascinating and has solidified the fact I never will get into a river again. I also watch Bethenny Ever After and Clean House. I love Clean House. It makes me feel better about my house which is never as bad as the one on TV. :)
I never watched a single episode of LOST for the first 5 seasons. Then I discovered the greatest tv show evah on the ABC website and zipped through the first 5 seasons like it was nobody’s business.
A.ma.zing.
My poor wife was a LOST widow for a couple of months.
Once again, you never fail to crack me up! I love it! The 26.2 bumper sticker. I can do “marathon sessions” of ANY Food Network “in the kitchen”. I heart watching these people cook! I don’t care if it’s Rachel or Giada or Guy or Tyler (well, I especially enjoy Tyler). It is fun and inspiring (but not inspiring enough for me to turn off the TV and actually cook something myself – HA!).
I do have to run that Friday Night Lights marathon, though, at some point! I’m determined!