Has TV lost attraction

I have been told that 'Bake Off' starts again next week, I look forward to it.
I do like to watch TV in the evenings, as I live alone and rarely go out at that time. I usually peruse the Radio Times and circle any programmes which interest me. At the moment there is almost nothing marked. I record all sorts of stuff to view at such times, such as Escape to the Country', documentaries and, oddly, 'Car S.O.S.'.

Summmer is always a bad time for tv. Come the Autumn there may be good new series heading our way. Hope so.

BBC4 is 99% repeats at the moment; however that isn't a problem for me as I forget everything I've watched 30 seconds after it's finished [sometimes sooner ].

This summer has been the absolute nadir - a drought of anything worth turning on for, and that's with a huge range of channels to choose from.

Increasingly I find myself turning the TV off and returning to my desk, where I am typing this...

Roll on Doctor Who and Sherlock, to stem this cavalcade of crap...

I'm rewatching the Simon Shama History of England series that's currently being repeated on BBC4 and loving it as much as I did first time round. Andrew Graham Dixons new series on The Art of China is starting this week and Wild China is being repeated [I can watch that on a loop]. The Dan Cruikshank series about Country Houses is being repeated late at night on [I think] 'Yesterday' but I keep falling asleep when it's on only to wake up when the following programme is on and it's about ghosts [and I'm on my own in the dark ].

I still enjoy tv and can almost always find something to enjoy. In particular wildlife documentaries, things like Coast, travel programmes like the recent ones about Australia, etc. And anything about history. And I love my two soap operas, it gives me something to look forward to. I record any late night films and watch them another day. And then there is the News of course; I am addicted to watching News bulletins!
To be honest, tv is wonderful for people who live alone. That doesn't mean that there is nothing else in my life, I do loads of other stuff, but come the evenings and it's just me and my telly.
(there is a bit tooooo much sport at the moment!!!!)

TV? I've just about mastered he cats whiskers.

I feel for him FlicketyB. I too find the volume goes up and down, but sadly we don't have use of the volume button.

Dh has just come back into the study after an hour listening to television to dull the sound of his tinnitus, which is particularly bad today.

What's the sleep setting Annodomini ? I try and find a really dull programme and that get's me off to sleep at night.

NanKate, I only have mild tinnitus which is a constant buzz in the right ear. I too need some sound in the house to counteract it. TV or radio; I go to sleep with the radio on 'sleep' setting.

Joan I really enjoyed The Doctor Blake Mysteries although DH thought they were pretty boring. I liked seeing a different view of Australia, one forgets how much they were involved in the war.

Valid point Ginny about watching too much tv.

However some of us with tinnitus avoid silence because we have such a clatter going on in our heads. I find playing CDs, or having the radio on helps distract me from the pulsing noise in my head 24/7.

Having read through all the replies it seems that it really is a matter of personal preference. Many of the programmes mentioned as good by others I wouldn't want to watch and I'm sure vice versus. I do think we have, in general ,become too reliant on TV. for our entertainment. Whilst I realise that some people have no choice , we should cultivate more hobbies and interests. One other thing I have noticed is how many people use the TV. just as background noise as if they cannot bear the lovely sound of silence.

There is a load of old b******s on TV interspersed with some real gems. I try and head for the gems: Young Musician, Cardiff Singer, the Proms (oh joy oh rapture - how lucky we are!!), BBC 4 with its art programmes and Transatlantic Sessions, some of the crime dramas (Shetland hits the spot) - well I could go on. They are on there amidst the pap, and make the license fee worthwhile.

Oh yes - I loved those! Essie Davis did a wonderful job, as did the designers. All that beautiful design - the clothes, the decor - all of it. There are plenty of the Kerry Greenwood books though:

www.phrynefisher.com/books.html

My sister, who i totally blind, has all the audio books, and tells me they are really well acted.

Our ABC makes some good drama - just not enough of it!! You might also like the Doctor Blake Mysteries too: these are set in the late 1950s:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Doctor_Blake_Mysteries

@Joan - One of the best series from Oz that I've seen lately is The Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries. Essie Davis looks wonderful in the part!

I find I am not so interested in the TV these days , even though we have cable . I am reading my books a lot more !

There's not as much quality drama as there used to be I'm sure and ITV seems to do it better than the beeb now. As I like to craft, or knit, at the same time I usually listen to drama on the radio and I have stacks of story tapes and a subscription to Audible to listen to. I agree that Saturday night T.V is poor but perhaps we should make the effort and go out.

Pogs how can the BBC justify spending so much money on a move to Salford ? It is beyond my comprehension.

Nothing against Salford.

I'm another couch potato who substitutes the TV for an active outside social life. I pick and choose carefully, avoid soaps and game shows and the worst sort of reality show and somehow find enough to keep me interested and entertained. What I hate is the way that drama and comedy seems to be reflecting the worst aspects of modern life - all politicians are corrupt, the police are corrupt, everyone is only out for themselves, most people are idiots. I was glad to see Rev back last night. laughed at some of the grotesque characters of course but all the time I felt a sense of unease that - if the vicars are to be believed - it also reflected modern life. Perhaps I ought to stop watching the TV and turn on the radio. Or maybe get a proper social life?

Grumppa

It looks like I would have a lovely night on 'the couch' with you then.

I am just looking at BBC News on Free view 80. It can't even report the correct information on today's Retail Price Index. They are reporting it fell to 2.7% from 2.8%. Sky News and BBC Teletext are reporting it correctly as 1.7% from 2.8%, a 4 year low. . Perhaps they just don't like giving out good news.

Happens so often, do you think the BBC move to Salford has caused the BBC problems?

I live a rather boring and uneventful life so tv, for me, is a good escape route if there is something on that I enjoy watching - sadly, that is becoming less frequent.

I tend to like lighthearted stuff (Merlin, Muskateers) and programmes such as Have I Got News for You and Question Time.

I find that, more and more, I watch things on youtube or buy DVDs - makes me wonder why I bother paying a tv licence!

It isn't always a case of being a couch potato - some people don't have the kind of lifestyle that they maybe would choose if they were in better circumstances.

I think it is all a matter of personal preference.

I don't watch sport ( no, not even the Olympics ) very few detective type programmes, Top Gear, none of the soaps or 'Talent' shows.

I enjoy some of the cookery and food programmes and Sewing Bee and those that are about real people but not the 'Big Brother' type. Those about travel, nature and some quiz programmes.

I select what I want to watch or record and then I will turn the tv. off and go and do something else DH has very different preferences.

TV must be a lifeline for those who spend a lot of time on their own.

Having seen the offerings in some other countries I do think we do very well here.

My husband and I flick through what feels like a million channels every night and normally can't find a thing to watch. I hate reality T.V. and think it's a cheap cop out for decent television. The only thing worth watching last night was Raiders of the Lost Ark that is over 30 years old!!! Ugh. I went to bed and read my book. I used to love the BBC productions from classic fiction. No one does it better. But they are few and far between these days.