BBC iPlayer
I never watched much television. Having three younger sisters and a football-mad mum, I've spent my life accepting that television was for cartoons, football, or videogames. I've never minded. I spent my time on other pursuits, usually reading or videogames, and then, when broadband arrived, the Internet.

But then, 4oD came along. I downloaded it, and started to watch some of the things I'd heard people talking about. Fonejacker, Wife Swap, Dispatches- I watched them all. And I liked them.

Shortly after, the BBC presented us with a shiny new iPlayer. And there was so much goodness there. I could finally watch BBC Four programmes without having to explain to other people what BBC Four was. No longer did I need to get to my radio for 1830 to hear The Now Show; I could listen to it at any time. I could watch Sunday night's Top Gear on Wednesday afternoon. Never again would I miss From Our Own Correspondent.

Eventually, it possibly got out of hand. It might very well have been 2am, but I was going to finish watching this BBC Two documentary, before listening to FOOC. While watching, I'll just download last night's Cutting Edge on 4oD, to watch tomorrow.

I now appreciate that TV can be good. Perhaps, sometimes, too good. And I really can't fathom the idea of sitting down, at a time decided by someone else, to watch a programme.

I am slowly watching less and less, or at least watching at more appropriate times, for appropriate lengths of time. I still read, still play videogames, still work and still see my friends.

However.. I've not yet started watching any of the serial dramas, such as Merlin, Heroes, Spooks, or those others that I've been told to watch. I hope, for my own sake, that I don't begin, otherwise things could, possibly, go downhill again.
( Thinker, Tue 23 Dec 2008, 11:49, 3 replies)

yep me too
and 4OD - I dont have television as such so this is a novelty - i think its really quality being able to pick and choose stuff that interests me
(jordanchaos isn’t just any PeaRoast, this is a M&S PeaRoast, Tue 23 Dec 2008, 12:34, closed)

Yay for Radio4.
There was a great programme the other day "I was..." Douglas Adams' flatmate, anecdote-tastic.
( monkeybananaraffle, Wed 24 Dec 2008, 3:11, closed)

UKnova is probably a site you don't want to visit if you are addicted to telly
(lib319, Wed 24 Dec 2008, 10:11, closed)