Taking a Break from the Golden Age of Television

I got the idea for a vacation from Netflix when our daughter threw up her hands across her ears at my starting to tell her some of my new favorite series.  “No!” she said.  “I can’t get into something new!  I just can’t.” 

Anyone else suffering from “Golden Age of Television” fatigue?   I am.  It’s not that I’m sick of the original shows developed by streaming networks they are still wonderful.  I’ve enjoyed Mrs. Maisel and Catastrophe on Prime and Orange is the New Black, Lovesick (formerly Scrotal Recall), GLOW, Russian Doll, Master of None, Peaky Blinders, The Crown, Grace and Frankie, Gilmore Girls and Arrested Development on Netflix.  Plus loads of other network shows that I’ve binge-watched on Netflix like Grey’s Anatomy (all 16 seasons in 18 months baby and I am now qualified to perform surgery and be useful in any number of freak accidents) and the Good Place.  

This is not a place to review the merits of these shows.  They are all great and that’s why I watched them all.  The problem is not the shows.  It’s me and my life.  I don’t know.  I kinda pictured myself being something other than a binge TV watcher when I grew up.  And, mostly, I am spending WAY too little time reading.  

I’m not much for New Year’s resolutions (how are yours going, btw?) but on December 30th I set a goal of watching no television series for 30 consecutive days.  Being a lawyer by training, I created some loopholes immediately.  I can watch movies and specials.  I cannot watch video content of any kind alone.  I cannot spend my evening watching video content of any kind more than every other night.  The rationale for that is I’m trying to avoid giving myself over to another show.  

So far, I have even broken some of these guidelines.  I decided that if I was watching with my husband I could watch even a series, just not more than every other night.  I also decided that if I was sick I could watch whatever I wanted.  After I decided that I got sick for several days straight.

However the new cruelty DOES seem to be causing me to return to lots more reading.  I am going through books at more like a rate of 2 a week than 1 a month.  And I’m even alternating in nonfiction and meatier books, not just brain candy.  What’s your story?