Television - Live TV vs. DVD Etc.

Merlin_Bodhi · 03-10-2007, 07:23 PM

I was wondering

Are you more of a fan if you watch a tv show live?
If you go through the commercials, the week inbetween episodes and hiatuses?
Do huge events hold more value?

The reason I ask is that TV, more than ever before has become more accessible. You can watch, traditionally Live... or you can buy/rent DVD's or watch online/download to catch up.
If you pick the latter, this means you can just watch in a steady marathon flow.

Does it make you less of a fan of show if you decide to do this?
Does it make big events not as big if you watched everything without breaks??

Are you more of a fan of the shows that you have watched on TV from the beginning as appossed to shows you have caught up on?

I was just wondering what people's opinions on this are.

----

Disclaimer: the mention of downloading TV is not to advertise or condone it. It is however something that is there and part of this discussion. No asking whether you can find the episode of {insert show name here} in this discussion. It just mentioned because it's a part of what is making TV so accessible in this day in age.

***Wildfire Girl*** · 03-11-2007, 06:53 AM

Interesting topic.

Most shows I watch live. I prefer personally to be able to know what has happened right away, to have seen it, and often times I love to come on here and post about the episode as it's airing or right after. Now some shows I do watch later, as you said, due to ease of availability these days, and due to the fact some air at the same time. But my preference is always live.

Subject · 03-11-2007, 09:42 AM

This topic!

I can't download shows but I do watch some shows from dvd only. Due to a number of reasons. Either I didn't think the show was good at first then heard from a friend, or I don't have the channel that carries it. Most of the shows I watch I do watch live or tape them while I'm watching another show and then watch it right after.

Some events do hold more weight when your watching live. Like single episode shockers because you can't just go ahead and watch the next episode right away. So your mind goes crazy and emotions turn high waiting for that next episode to come the following week.

Season Finales do hold the same impact though, unless you have the next season to watch right away as well. Finales were made to have that long break in mind. Something to keep you thinking and wanting to see what happens next with a show. Without that break in time, it would be like seeing a single episode shocker.

As for being more of a fan. It doesn't matter if you watch it live or not. The only thing to measure the level of a fan that you are is the passion that you have for the show and the impact that the show has had on you. I don't care if you watch a show now or 10 years from now. If that passion is there then you do set yourself apart from the casual viewer of a show into a real member of it's fandom.

Merlin_Bodhi · 03-11-2007, 04:50 PM

I think part of it, at least the watching Live part is you remember what you were doing when you started watching it. Like over seasons... which is over years.
Some shows really do grow with you and you learn to relate to it differently.

Music is Life · 03-11-2007, 06:11 PM

Cool topic. Personally, I'd rather watch TV without the commercials on a DVD, or to be able to fastforward through them on my DVR. But at the same time, I hardly ever do. I have to see it the moment it comes on, so I'm stuck with the commercials usually.

I don't really like watching shows on the computer though. I'd watch it on TV over the computer any day of the week.

And when it comes to being a fan of the show or not, I don't think it matters how you watch it. If you do watch it, and you do enjoy it, and you want to watch more of it, I think that makes you a fan of the show. Not how or when you watch it.

***Enigma*** · 03-12-2007, 08:38 PM

Great topic.

I personally love watching shows live week by week. It's so much fun to discuss and speculate, etc. while everything is going on. It just doesn't have the same impact when you're watching after the majority of people have. I mean it does, but it's not the same in the sense that when you want to gush and talk about it with other people they may be kind of over it.

But, DVDs are definitely wonderful...............I love not having to wait a week or weeks to watch the next ep. Plus if there are shows I pass over at first, I can catch up later on DVD if I hear great things about it. And if I like it and it's still on the air, I may end up watching it live after I'm caught up.

I love Itunes and being able to download shows legally. I also love that the networks have some shows available online.

Subject · 03-13-2007, 12:00 AM

The best thing about watching a show in a marathon like on dvd is that you have time to really focus all your engery on those characters. So much that something the emotional impact of what happens to them makes you react in ways that you might not have if watching week to week.

I remember watching Dark Angel in a marathon, first time I saw it ever I bought the dvd. Watched it and when Max was in heat and slept with someone other than Logan it broke my heart. I cried and had a hard time putting in the next episode because of that moment.

Merlin_Bodhi · 03-13-2007, 12:12 AM

You really get into the world.
I did the same thing with House, then I was upset when my marathon was over and I am stuck watching week to week again.

***Enigma*** · 03-13-2007, 06:53 PM

Good point about DVD marathons. I can agree with that

**Just Peachy.** · 03-13-2007, 10:27 PM

Great topic!

I watch a lot of my shows live and or tape them at the same time, so I can re-watch them. Watching them live is exciting as it has the feeling of what's going to happen after the break.

Though I do own a lot of TV shows on DVD and I :love; my DVD marathons. Recently I watched 8 episodes of Caroline in the City back to back (each ep is 20 minutes)

Music is Life · 03-14-2007, 11:16 AM

Yeah, watching DVD marathons is great, but then when the DVDs are done, and you have to watch them week to week, it sucks.

Merlin_Bodhi · 03-14-2007, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just Peachy. (View Post)

Great topic!

I watch a lot of my shows live and or tape them at the same time, so I can re-watch them. Watching them live is exciting as it has the feeling of what's going to happen after the break.

Though I do own a lot of TV shows on DVD and I :love; my DVD marathons. Recently I watched 8 episodes of Caroline in the City back to back (each ep is 20 minutes)

Its soo easy to watch sitcoms back to back. You could sit for a whole day and like watch a Season.

**Lost in Translation** · 03-15-2007, 06:47 AM

I watch most of my shows live, and if I'm a huge fan I'll buy the dvds. If i miss a show or it's on against something else, or if it's not on tv here I tend to download it. I find that the marathon-watching style of downloading shows makes the show more exciting, but once I'm downloading the show once a week(to keep up with audiences who get to watch it live) the excitement peters away a bit, at that point the best aspect of watching a show that way is to skip the commercials.