The View-Master

Rock the vote

Must of us have rich memories of the rise and fall of NBC's cleverly trademarked, "Must See TV", but television audiences today are experiencing a spike in a different brand of must see TV.  This is to say, the television we insist you must see!

We are your family and friends. We are your co-workers. We are those lucky few you have endowed as reputable and whom are deserving of faithfulness in your, sometimes, whimsical tastes. 

. . .There are. . . many, many reasons we perform this perverted peer pressure game—and why we politely participate. . .

· because you "know us so well"
· because we have "similar tastes"
· because that one time you suggested Veronica Mars and we were all like "really" and it was all like "awesome"!
· because we want to be able to plug into your conversation about the season finale
· because we want to fully understand you when you say you are "just like Don Draper"

. . .and so on. 

Seeing as we are nowhere near the subject of nepotism—I will escort us there. A few of you may have recognized that this winning blog suggestion came from my little sister, Helen (aww). 
She won fair and square*. 
I like to believe we both have substantial persuasion over one another, especially when it comes to media and literature (and the names of our lovers).  <----I'm meandering. . .

When Helen and I were roommates, later in life (adults vs children), we adopted many of each other's viewing habits**. 
One show in particular that Helen loved to watch (with minimal guilt) was America's Next Top Model.
I cringed. 
I had a pretty sweet Myspace blog post about how much I abhorred ANTM and other reality shows. I recently (just now) spent the last 30 minutes trying to access it, but it appears that it is gone forever. 
Oh well, you get the point. 
She gently nudged me into becoming a full time viewer. I can't be sure if I watched it because I wanted to spend more time with her (in the living room) or because I wanted to satisfy my morbid curiosity. 
Regardless, both needs were fulfilled. 
And just like she attested, it wasn't as bad as I thought. 
I learned a lot about myself—and too much about Tyra Banks.
But that is for another blog. 

Many things happen to us when we are told we must watch a particular television show: 
1) We agree flamboyantly that, yes, we must watch that show. We have been dying to see it. We just haven't made the time yet. Oh woe is us!
2) We hesitate and offer some type of counterclaim that, "we heard from (someone) that show was (something or another) and sit back while our friend mercilessly advocates for their show (as if their ability to pitch us on it is the only lifeblood for the series {which is sometimes the case}). 
3) We try to defend ourselves by ascending to a superior place where: 
            we are too busy to adopt yet another show
    (or)  we insist we don't watch that much TV
    (or)  we won't pay for cable—so maybe we will consider it again       
            in the future (when it's "less expensive" to watch)
    

But regardless of our enactment we never stop yearning for a good recommendation. 
And we never stop the pursuit of sharing with others the things that we love and enjoy. 
And if you're like me—you love and enjoy TV!    

There are many pitfalls, annoyances, anxieties, and tribulations that occur when encountering peer pressure to watch a particular show. . . (like the judgement you suffer for not yet having seen something—or the frustration you feel when people will not watch these great shows and they are cast aside by networks). . .
but I did not want this assignment to focus on the negative.

So let's end on a positive. 
I positively have been putting off watching my little sister's last recommendation (because I haven't had enough time*** (and) because the entire series of Felicity isn't going to re-watch itself****).


In the comment field please offer:
· suggestions of shows we must see!
· an anecdote of a time you peer pressured someone to watch a show and they loved/hated/were indifferent about it.
· a show you have been peer pressured to watch but haven't yet.
· or just any miscellaneous feelings about this subject. 

Thank you guys! (ya'll, depending)

*we assume?

**I adopted many of her viewing habits.

***you guys, I really haven't.

****unless you count this time.