Learn Me Cable TV

I haven't had cable TV since I moved out of my parents' house more than a decade ago. I originally didn't get it because it was expensive and I was a starving student. It was weird for about a month, then I didn't miss it. To wit, when I travel today, I don't even turn on the TV in my hotel room; it usually ends up being a place to hang clothes. I would rather read a book, play a video game, or interact with the great GRM hive mind.

However, SWMBO moved in and insists on not living like a luddite and getting cable TV, so now I've got a little box beneath my television set and a remote control with about 50 buttons on it. Since I've been "out of the game" for so long, what good shows and channels are worth watching? Is there anything automotive related and/or intelligent on? Or is everything asinine, juvenile, and stupid Kardashian stuff?

Except for live races, which are rare, there isn't much automotive related television. I stick to the Science Channel and all the A&E channels. The sciencey and TRUE reality are my thing. True being Th First 48 and things like that.

science channel, travel channel... I avoid the politics on the weather channel.

I have cable due to my roommate insisting on it for his 49's and NASCAR (price built into my rent). Other than hockey, Top Gear, and an occasional movie on TBS or A&E, I find that I only watch stuff that is on network tv. There is so much bad programming on TV, that I just turn it off.

When I move out, I will not have it--I figure that to get a package that gets you more than The Weather Channel, network, and TV Korea, I have to pay between $40 and $80 a month. $480 to $960 a year. For $528 a year, I can go out to a bar for 60% of the hockey games. I'd much rather do that, since you get beer with the package.

Now all that being said, AMC has some phenominal shows (Mad Men, Walking Dead, Breaking Bad), and BBC America has some really good ones as well(Copper). While we are suffering through possibly the worst programming ever with all of the "reality" tv, we also have some of the best of all time if you are willing to find it. Even PBS has Downton Abbey, which ranks right up with everything else.

Pretty much sums it up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5scpDev1qps

^Only $10 per visit to the bar? You're a better man than I.

z31maniac wrote: ^Only $10 per visit to the bar? You're a better man than I.

"Dive Bar" down the street. They have free popcorn and cheap drinks--I can get two 22 oz glasses of something good for $8 (including tip), or 2 pitchers of Miller for $10.

EDIT: Oh, and on Taco Tuesday they have taco's for $1.50 (not a good taco, but 2 will fill you up) and margarita's for $1.00. The margarita is shockingly decent. I got it the first time expecting to not be able to finish it, but the thing is very drinkable.

Mrs. DX and I had cable when we first moved in together in an apartment a couple years back had Cable and then got rid of it when our we bought our house last year to save money. Looking back, both of us haven't missed cable that much. The only things I really miss are hockey coverage and Tour De France coverage but I can listen to the games on the radio and watch TDF coverage online. There are enough channels on the good ole antenna to keep us satisfied.

Ever since I got Netflix, I don't think I've watched Cable for more than about 10 minutes at a time.

To the OP, there's nothing on good any more. I rarely watch network channels and the former good ones, A&E, history channel, science channel, natgeo, etc seem to be coming more and more political. I used to watch a bunch of DYI, but the Direct package we have doesn't carry it. Can't take but so much HGTV.

Question: Is SWMBO paying for the cable?

turboswede wrote: Question: Is SWMBO paying for the cable?

What difference does that make?

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote:

turboswede wrote: Question: Is SWMBO paying for the cable?

What difference does that make?

Because she is requesting it?

We don't have cable just Netflix/high speed internet. The wife has hinted she might like cable again after nearly 4 years, I've told her the same thing (I pay all our car/health insurance and utilities), if she wants cable TV she has to pick up the cost beyond what I pay now.

Then again our finances our separate, so it's a bit different for us.

The problem is that there's lots and lots of bad programming, and there's actually a LOT of good programming out there.

But you're going to pay dearly for it.

I watch: Food Network, Cooking Channel, HGTV, whatever the other home/travel one is, Esquire network (Tons of good lifestyle type shows on there, i especially like "Boundless" and "Brew Dogs.")

Other shows:

Banshee
Strike Back
Magic City
Black Sails
Shameless
Homeland
Hunted
Dexter

There's lots of great shows on SHOtime, Cinemax, HBO, etc..

The downside? My cable/internet bill is HORRID. An absurd amount i'm not sure i want to admit. U-Verse is berkeleying me pretty hard.

I can't WAIT for "a la carte" channel packages.

Just remember that TLC used to stand for "The Learning Channel"
There once was a time when they brought us Junkyard Wars:

and, this cute little tart:

What it stands for now is rather disgraceful.

I have basic cable since that's the only way I could get Internet at the time. I typically watch A&E (not so much since Breaking Bad is gone ) TCM, sometimes FX and Comedy Central. HGTV is in small doses only, I can only accept so much over the top conspicuous consumption before I snap. I don't watch stick and ball sports at all. Yeah, I know: man card. Now. I used to watch SPEED till it was made unwatchable, now that it's gone I don't really miss it. Strangely, I don't find myself as drawn to watching racing as I used to be. I guess it's like porn; I prefer participation to observation.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote:

turboswede wrote: Question: Is SWMBO paying for the cable?

What difference does that make?

If she isn't, then turn it off. Its a waste of time and money. Pick up a book/magazine/talk to each other/build or buy a streaming media solution so at least you're not paying a bunch of money for mostly useless channels. Just my opinion take it for what it is worth.

Yes, she's paying for it. I pay for Netflix, because it has pretty much the only "TV show" I watch: House of Cards. I will probably cancel it after I finish watching the second season next month, because I'm a cheapskate.

You guys convinced me to not even bother turning the cable box on.