Now that autumn’s here (it is, honest. There was MIST around here over the weekend! And you know what John Keats said about that), the TV has perked up! Hurrah.
We have weaned ourselves off X-Factor this year which has, truly, been hard. I feel like an ex-smoker, who just wants to go back for one more drag look and I’m going to try to get into Strictly for the first time (can you believe, it’s the thirteenth series?!) when it starts next week just because it’s the ‘in’ thing and if I don’t, I’ll miss out on sooo many girlie chats!
But there are some programmes that I just can’t bear: Downton is one (sorry, to all its legions of fans) and that Doctor Foster (again, I know I’m in a minority!) is just stupid. Why doesn’t she just TELL him she knows he’s having an affair and save us all another 3 episodes?
But what it all boils down to is, of course, that we all like different things. What floats someone’s boat, is .. erm, to attempt to continue the ‘watery’ metaphor, just a damp squib to someone else. It’s the same as books: something you love, another person might hate (what’s WRONG with them?!). There’s no point taking it personally. In fact, as writers, it’s a GOOD thing. We can never write something that will please everyone, so we might just as well write to please ourselves and hope that in doing so, we will also please some other people.
Remember this: even if one person (like an agent, or an editor) tells you they don’t like your story or novel, another one might LOVE it!
Tonight I’ll be tuning in to BBC’s ‘The Go Between‘, one of my favourite all-time novels. Ah, but so sad. Tissues at the ready….
Don’t watch Strictly; it’s too big a time commitment. If you really want to keep up with the chatter, all you have to do is read the headlines on the BBC website and save yourself the trouble of watching it. I’m the only person in the world who doesn’t like Bake Off, or indeed any of these cooking shows. They drive me crazy.
I only watch bits of ‘Bake Off’ (ie: the end!) – otherwise it’s a bit slow and dull, I know what you mean. And as for Strictly… I tried watching it last night, determined to ‘get into’ it this series but guess what.. I was bored after the first dance! So that was the end of that!
And I thought I was the only one who finds Downton Abbey a complete bore. My husband and daughter are ardent fans, and I always find myself sitting in the living room while it’s on, but nothing in it happens to change my opinion.
Also, JuliaThorley, I watched Bake Off for the first time last week (whilst staying with my daughter) and that didn’t turn me on either.
I do love The GoBetween, though. I think we missed it because of **** Downton Abbey. Hurray for iPlayer.
Thanks, Charlie. Good to know I’m not alone.
I love Strictly as it’s great escapism. Although I watch Downtown, I chose to watch The Go Between in real time and still haven’t seen the taped Downtown yet. Completely agree about Doctor Foster – again, I enjoy it to some extent but get annoyed by the main character! Loving all the BBC literary dramas.
I don’t watch any of those. They’re very popular with a lot of people though, which proves your point.