Anyone else abandoning cable TV reruns and never looking back? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

clj2 · 10-02-2007, 06:53 PM

I was thinking the other day....what's the point of even watching these cable networks that are primarily reruns (TV Land, Nick at Nite, ION, TBS, etc) anymore with DVDs, VCRs, etc? I've started budgeting my money for DVDs and it works quite nicely....slowly I'm getting everything I want and it isn't that financially devastating. For the things that aren't on DVD or I don't really want to get now, I have my tapes which maybe I'll put on DVD someday. There's just no reason to watch these silly networks showing the same things over and over, with crunched credits, commercials, cuts, banners going everywhere, etc.....and on THEIR timetable.

I'm hardly even watching these networks anymore. Is anyone else feeling the same way? There just isn't really any need to watch reruns on cable TV anymore. These networks offer little variety and run things in to the ground these days.

BensonFan · 10-02-2007, 07:42 PM

I've pretty much done that already. I have just about everything I want on DVD in terms of sitcoms. I rarely watch TV to watch a sitcom, unless it's something new or not available on DVD.

The same applies to radio for me. I just listen to my CDs.

friendcarr · 10-02-2007, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Land Fan

I was thinking the other day....what's the point of even watching these cable networks that are primarily reruns (TV Land, Nick at Nite, ION, TBS, etc) anymore with DVDs, VCRs, etc? I've started budgeting my money for DVDs and it works quite nicely....slowly I'm getting everything I want and it isn't that financially devastating. For the things that aren't on DVD or I don't really want to get now, I have my tapes which maybe I'll put on DVD someday. There's just no reason to watch these silly networks showing the same things over and over, with crunched credits, commercials, cuts, banners going everywhere, etc.....and on THEIR timetable.

I'm hardly even watching these networks anymore. Is anyone else feeling the same way? There just isn't really any need to watch reruns on cable TV anymore. These networks offer little variety and run things in to the ground these days.

TV is funner.

GARFIELDKOOL · 10-02-2007, 09:16 PM

I have done that a long time ago myself. I watch Court TV a lot and the Food Network at times. Today's sitcoms, dramas, and reality TV is overrated.

OH Nuts! · 10-02-2007, 09:47 PM

Since the cable sitcom channels always seem to turn sucky, I never got cable in the first place. I just buy DVD sets, and watch what I want when I want. So many great shows never get onto the cable channels ( I do scan their scheds...)

Dean Winchester · 10-21-2007, 03:01 AM

I do it too, tho sometimes the insomniac in me will watch 227 on TV One if I can't sleep.

What I find funny about the whole thing is that now that TV-DVD's are common and now that people have TIVO's and DVD-R's, that most channels air the same **** that you can buy on DVD and so many shows air on multiple networks. You'd think that now that more and more people are starting to collect shows, that channels would try to show mroe shows that you can't get at Best Buy. TV Land is the biggest culprit, all they seem to care about is The Brady Bunch, I Love Lucy and Three's Company, three shows that are completed on DVD and any real fan already has on DVD, with all the shows from the 50's-80's that you can't get on DVD and have large fanbases, why show the same damn shows that are played to death and the fans have already been satisfied on DVD.

Chelsea · 10-21-2007, 03:14 AM

I'm a game show fan. Aside from a couple sporadic sets with a small fraction of episodes, there's not a heck of a lot out there for TV DVD.

megamanj2004 · 10-21-2007, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean Winchester

I do it too, tho sometimes the insomniac in me will watch 227 on TV One if I can't sleep.

What I find funny about the whole thing is that now that TV-DVD's are common and now that people have TIVO's and DVD-R's, that most channels air the same **** that you can buy on DVD and so many shows air on multiple networks. You'd think that now that more and more people are starting to collect shows, that channels would try to show mroe shows that you can't get at Best Buy. TV Land is the biggest culprit, all they seem to care about is The Brady Bunch, I Love Lucy and Three's Company, three shows that are completed on DVD and any real fan already has on DVD, with all the shows from the 50's-80's that you can't get on DVD and have large fanbases, why show the same damn shows that are played to death and the fans have already been satisfied on DVD.

And let us not forget how many times TV Land airs Andy Frickin' Griffith and murder M*A*S*H, too?

Same goes for N@N w/ Roseanne and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Cable used to be fun, but now that all these corporate jackasses have taken over, it's just a barren wasteland w/ channels killing each other for petty ratings, coupled w/ who can cram in the most commercials, who can crunch/spli-screen their credits the worst, who can overpromote shows, etc.?

Cases in point, ION, N@N, TV Land, and especially GSN, TBS (on certain shows more often than not), WE (Women's Entertainment), CMT (they started this practice of split-screens late last year, early in '07 on "Dukes of Hazzard" reruns), TNT, etc.

Face it, Corporate America with greedy network execs have taken over cable and we have to put up w/ the bogus treatments of the shows on their sked.

clj2 · 10-21-2007, 09:37 AM

We don't even have cable anymore.....it got near $70 a month and wasn't worth it! We split the money used for that up and everyone in the family (my parents and myself) just split the money monthly and buy DVDs with it. All we really watched were reruns and sports (which can be found on the locals). I still keep up with the channel's schedules just out of curiosity, but I don't miss them. We're lucky to have good local channels here......if we just had ION and can get a RTN station, I'd be thrilled.

catlover79 · 10-21-2007, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BensonFan

I've pretty much done that already. I have just about everything I want on DVD in terms of sitcoms. I rarely watch TV to watch a sitcom, unless it's something new or not available on DVD.

The same applies to radio for me. I just listen to my CDs.

That's me in a nutshell. I have my favorite shows uncut on DVD, same with my CDs. That way you don't have to worry about commericals, annoying announcers, edits, etc.

friendsfan77 · 10-21-2007, 10:14 AM

It depends on what the show is. Some stuff I don't need to watch anymore (or don't watch anymore because of rerun abuse), some stuff I do. A lot of the favorite type stuff I like (game shows, soaps) aren't on DVD. Or I may be new to a certain show and want to watch reruns of it first before buying seasons of it on DVD. So in a number of cases, reruns can be beneficial for me.

Tubehead · 10-21-2007, 10:54 AM

I mostly watch dvd now. I don't hardly watch tv land. I'm starting to like the andy griffth show. I also like I love lucy and sanford and son and the jerfferon's. I mostly like to watch my dvd. they don't have any Commercials in them.

Chocoholic · 10-21-2007, 01:34 PM

I mainly watch my DVD's now too. I like watching uncut, uninterrupted episodes when I feel like watching them. I watch reruns on DVd instead of the current shows.

Ireneparalegal · 10-21-2007, 01:42 PM

I recently cancelled my HBO, Starz, Showtime, etc. for that reason. Same ol' movies you seen 1000000000000 times.

Dean Winchester · 10-21-2007, 03:56 PM

when you think about TV Land, I looked at a schedule and here's what I find:
Andy Griffith Show - Complete Series on DVD, played to death
M*A*S*H - Complete Series on DVD, played to death
Sanford And Son - Complete Series on DVD, played a lot but not to death
The Jeffersons - 6/11 seasons on DVD, played reasonably
Designing Women - 0/7 seasons on DVD except for a best of, played in the late hours and early morning
Good Times - Complete Series on DVD, played late but was played to death for awhile
Three's Company - Complete Series on DVD, played late but was played to death for awhile
Leave It To Beaver - 2/6 season on DVD, leave it to 4:30 AM
I Love Lucy - Complete Series on DVD, currently played late but will be played to death next month
Star Trek - Complete Series on DVD, currently played at 6 AM but has never been out of syndication since it ended
Night Court - 1/9 seasons on DVD plus a best of, played in the wee hours
Wings - 5/8 seasons on DVD, played early in the morning
Cheers - 8/11 seasons on DVD, played early in the morning
All In The Family - 6/9 seasons on DVD, was played to death, now moved to morning
Bonanza - 0/14 seasons on DVD, played in three hour blocks in the afternoon
Gunsmoke - 1/20 seasons on DVD, played a lot on the weekends
Cosby Show - 6/8 seasons on DVD as of next month, played at night sometimes.

Of that roster, Designing Women and Bonanza are the only shows that don't have at least one season on N@N. 7 out of the 17 shows are already finished on DVD, many of which have deluxe "complete series" collections, and these are generally the shows that have the best timeslots. All of those shows are ones that the real fans already have on DVD, so why not spread the wealth with shows that may not have deluxe Complete Series editions sitting on shelves?

What happened to when TV Land was meant to appeal to the TV fan and provide shows that aren't constantly rammed down our throat? Of that list, only Night Court, Wings (if you shave off the years on USA which was a very long time ago) and Designing Women haven't been played to death in the past 5-10 years. Go back to the old TV Land, show more of a variety!!! Give us fandamoniums of shows that aren't regularly shown. Bring back the Kitsch-en, etc...

10-02-2007, 06:53 PM	#1
clj2 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 16, 2005 Location: SC Posts: 3,501	Anyone else abandoning cable TV reruns and never looking back? I was thinking the other day....what's the point of even watching these cable networks that are primarily reruns (TV Land, Nick at Nite, ION, TBS, etc) anymore with DVDs, VCRs, etc? I've started budgeting my money for DVDs and it works quite nicely....slowly I'm getting everything I want and it isn't that financially devastating. For the things that aren't on DVD or I don't really want to get now, I have my tapes which maybe I'll put on DVD someday. There's just no reason to watch these silly networks showing the same things over and over, with crunched credits, commercials, cuts, banners going everywhere, etc.....and on THEIR timetable. I'm hardly even watching these networks anymore. Is anyone else feeling the same way? There just isn't really any need to watch reruns on cable TV anymore. These networks offer little variety and run things in to the ground these days.
	__________________ -Chris

10-21-2007, 03:14 AM	#7
Chelsea Semi-retired Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 07, 2001 Location: Washington Posts: 5,727	I'm a game show fan. Aside from a couple sporadic sets with a small fraction of episodes, there's not a heck of a lot out there for TV DVD.
	__________________ Chelsea Former Administrator, 2005-2012 Former Member, DVD Review Team, 2004-2010.

10-21-2007, 10:54 AM	#12
Tubehead Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 12, 2007 Location: chattanooga.tn Posts: 5,139	tv land I mostly watch dvd now. I don't hardly watch tv land. I'm starting to like the andy griffth show. I also like I love lucy and sanford and son and the jerfferon's. I mostly like to watch my dvd. they don't have any Commercials in them.

10-21-2007, 01:42 PM	#14
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	I recently cancelled my HBO, Starz, Showtime, etc. for that reason. Same ol' movies you seen 1000000000000 times.
	__________________ DALLAS COWBOYS ARE HERE AT TRAINING CAMP!!!

10-02-2007, 07:42 PM	#2
BensonFan Board Psychologist Senior Member Join Date: Mar 16, 2004 Location: Chicago, IL USA Posts: 2,733	I've pretty much done that already. I have just about everything I want on DVD in terms of sitcoms. I rarely watch TV to watch a sitcom, unless it's something new or not available on DVD. The same applies to radio for me. I just listen to my CDs.

10-02-2007, 09:16 PM	#4
GARFIELDKOOL Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 02, 2004 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 7,204	I have done that a long time ago myself. I watch Court TV a lot and the Food Network at times. Today's sitcoms, dramas, and reality TV is overrated.

10-02-2007, 09:47 PM	#5
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	Since the cable sitcom channels always seem to turn sucky, I never got cable in the first place. I just buy DVD sets, and watch what I want when I want. So many great shows never get onto the cable channels ( I do scan their scheds...)

10-21-2007, 03:01 AM	#6
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	I do it too, tho sometimes the insomniac in me will watch 227 on TV One if I can't sleep. What I find funny about the whole thing is that now that TV-DVD's are common and now that people have TIVO's and DVD-R's, that most channels air the same **** that you can buy on DVD and so many shows air on multiple networks. You'd think that now that more and more people are starting to collect shows, that channels would try to show mroe shows that you can't get at Best Buy. TV Land is the biggest culprit, all they seem to care about is The Brady Bunch, I Love Lucy and Three's Company, three shows that are completed on DVD and any real fan already has on DVD, with all the shows from the 50's-80's that you can't get on DVD and have large fanbases, why show the same damn shows that are played to death and the fans have already been satisfied on DVD.

10-21-2007, 09:37 AM	#9
clj2 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 16, 2005 Location: SC Posts: 3,501	We don't even have cable anymore.....it got near $70 a month and wasn't worth it! We split the money used for that up and everyone in the family (my parents and myself) just split the money monthly and buy DVDs with it. All we really watched were reruns and sports (which can be found on the locals). I still keep up with the channel's schedules just out of curiosity, but I don't miss them. We're lucky to have good local channels here......if we just had ION and can get a RTN station, I'd be thrilled.

10-21-2007, 10:14 AM	#11
friendsfan77 - Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 02, 2004 Location: Duluth, GA Posts: 3,165	It depends on what the show is. Some stuff I don't need to watch anymore (or don't watch anymore because of rerun abuse), some stuff I do. A lot of the favorite type stuff I like (game shows, soaps) aren't on DVD. Or I may be new to a certain show and want to watch reruns of it first before buying seasons of it on DVD. So in a number of cases, reruns can be beneficial for me.

10-21-2007, 01:34 PM	#13
Chocoholic Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 01, 2000 Location: Between a rock and a hard place. Posts: 11,235	I mainly watch my DVD's now too. I like watching uncut, uninterrupted episodes when I feel like watching them. I watch reruns on DVd instead of the current shows.

10-21-2007, 03:56 PM	#15
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	when you think about TV Land, I looked at a schedule and here's what I find: Andy Griffith Show - Complete Series on DVD, played to death MAS*H - Complete Series on DVD, played to death Sanford And Son - Complete Series on DVD, played a lot but not to death The Jeffersons - 6/11 seasons on DVD, played reasonably Designing Women - 0/7 seasons on DVD except for a best of, played in the late hours and early morning Good Times - Complete Series on DVD, played late but was played to death for awhile Three's Company - Complete Series on DVD, played late but was played to death for awhile Leave It To Beaver - 2/6 season on DVD, leave it to 4:30 AM I Love Lucy - Complete Series on DVD, currently played late but will be played to death next month Star Trek - Complete Series on DVD, currently played at 6 AM but has never been out of syndication since it ended Night Court - 1/9 seasons on DVD plus a best of, played in the wee hours Wings - 5/8 seasons on DVD, played early in the morning Cheers - 8/11 seasons on DVD, played early in the morning All In The Family - 6/9 seasons on DVD, was played to death, now moved to morning Bonanza - 0/14 seasons on DVD, played in three hour blocks in the afternoon Gunsmoke - 1/20 seasons on DVD, played a lot on the weekends Cosby Show - 6/8 seasons on DVD as of next month, played at night sometimes. Of that roster, Designing Women and Bonanza are the only shows that don't have at least one season on N@N. 7 out of the 17 shows are already finished on DVD, many of which have deluxe "complete series" collections, and these are generally the shows that have the best timeslots. All of those shows are ones that the real fans already have on DVD, so why not spread the wealth with shows that may not have deluxe Complete Series editions sitting on shelves? What happened to when TV Land was meant to appeal to the TV fan and provide shows that aren't constantly rammed down our throat? Of that list, only Night Court, Wings (if you shave off the years on USA which was a very long time ago) and Designing Women haven't been played to death in the past 5-10 years. Go back to the old TV Land, show more of a variety!!! Give us fandamoniums of shows that aren't regularly shown. Bring back the Kitsch-en, etc...