TV shows worth watching

Let me first begin by saying that DVR is the greatest invention of my generation, hands down. Ya, the internet has lots to offer but do you remember when you had to find a "tape" to record your favorite show so you could go out on a Wednesday night? Or worse, when you forgot to set up the tape or had to call your mom to hit record right at 8? The stress of that PLUS actually having to understand the Dewey Index System in order to research your book report....kids today shouldn't be having the troubles that they do because they don't even know what stress is!

So with unending gratitude to my DVR, I am able to sample lots of shows and decide which ones stay and which ones go from my weekly regiment. I won't kid you; most stay. There's a whole ranking system of what has to be watched on the night it airs vs. what can wait for the weekend and what needs my full attention vs what can be on in the background. Some shows are best enjoyed fresh while others should be savored marathon style when a few episodes have accumulated.

Let's dissect, day by day, what you should consider adding to your DVR repertoire.

Sunday: Mob Wives, Once Upon A Time, Tough Love, NYC 22
This is just right now. Two months ago, the #1 Sunday priority was clearly Downton Abbey.
For now, I stick with Mob Wives mostly out of loyalty, something very important to the ladies' way of life. Admittedly, I am like 5 episodes behind and have not enjoyed this season nearly as much now that new characters have been introduced to the posse. I'm a little mad at VH1 for assuming I will just accept them with no warning or introduction.
Once Upon A Time is really cute. It doesn't suck me in or get priority status but it's something Hubby and I can watch together and it'd definitely creative.
Tough Love New Orleans just started a couple of weeks ago. Week 1 was really great. Week 2 was vanilla. This will only be week 3 so the jury is still our. Generally, though, this show is a fun one and Steve Ward's no nonsense style is right up my alley.
NYC 22. I haven't actually watched it yet but I keep DVRing it in the hope that I will sit down one day and get into it. I think I initially set the recording for Hubby because it looks like a lot of the shows he has loved in the past but he has been watching them on demand so I don't know if this will stay on the list for long.

                                                            image from Wikipedia

Monday:How I Met Your Mother, RuPaul's Drag Race
HIMYM is one of the few sitcoms I care to follow regularly. New episodes are infrequent, it feels, but even catching a rerun is a good time. Let's be real, it's this generation's Friends. Good humor, characters you care about. Except Robin. I really don't like Robin. Am I supposed to?
RuPaul's Drag Race is super underrated. This show is the best combination of all things. It's funny and fluffy, catty as all competition shows should be, but also sneaks in valuable lessons about bullying and social equality. Not only that but they have their own lexicon that helps me feel like one "the girls".

Tuesday:White Room Challenge
This one is new to the list. Tuesdays were empty for a while after Teen Mom ended. I just can't do 16 and pregnant; even I have limits. It feels like it's one of 3 or 4 different depressing scenarios playing out each week. So I just discovered White Room Challenge on HGTV. It's an hour of fun with four designers tasked with one of the favorite challenges from each season fo HGTV's Design Star. They each have to transform a plain white room into something amazing using random things: sometimes it's restaurant supplies, sometimes it's flowers.

Wednesday:Survivor, Criminal Minds, America's Next Top Model, Couple's Therapy
Survivor is classic reality tv and I love it. Kudos to them for always trying to change some dynamic to make each season feel different, too. This season is filled with idiots and unlikeable ladies but it's still a priority.
Criminal Minds gets taped if there's time and space. It's totally not priority but can be a good compromise when Hubby wants to watch tv with me. It's a good show, don't get me wrong. But I don't need to follow it each week.
Top Model is also kind of weak this season with it's "British Explosion". But the weird photo shoots and crazy things that come out of Tyra's mouth keep me coming back for more!
Couple's Therapy is the first season of a new VH1 show. There are people who love reality tv Bravo style and then there are VH1ers, of which I fall into the latter category. I give most of what they throw at me a try. This show combines the therapeutic elements that we knew and loved from shows like Celebrity Rehab and it does involve D list celebrities, which is interesting because you get to see a totally unexpected side of their personas. I like this show most for the therapeutic interventions. Since that's my line of work, it's really cool to me to see how they "work" with the couples.
Wednesday is my favorite tv night of the week.

                                                                 Image from Wikipedia

Thursday:The Big Bang Theory, Touch, The Pauly D Project
Big Bang is just funny. Like HIMYM, it's just a sitcom that is just as good to watch as a rerun as new. It always brings a smile.
Touch is more for Hubby. To me, it's background tv. It's clever but I don't think dramas are my thing.
Pauly D. is one of those best devoured as a marathon shows. It's not Jersey Shore. It's not wonderful by any stretch of the imagination. I kind of hope it doesn't get a second season. But on a day when you don't really want to think, you can down a few episodes effortlessly. It's the Skittles of the tv world.

Friday:Who Do You Think You Are, The Ultimate Fighter
I feel really passionate about each of these shows in totally different ways.
Who do you think you are inspired it's own blog post once. It tracks the genealogy and stories of relatives of celebrities. It's fascinating, enriching, and often brings me to tears. It's also really frustrating because so much hard work is done for them and I am jealous. There, I said it. I want to be on the show.
The Ultimate Fighter is the only sport I care about. It's Mixed Martial Arts fighting. All the guys live in one house and train as two teams under pro coaches, who also fight at the end of the season. The fights are live and exciting. I like that it shows that these guys have real heart. They are not just meatheads wanting to be violent; they have dynamic background stories and you see more of their personalities than what gets to the ring. It's such an odd thing for me to adore and I don't even watch it with my husband. But I'm a super fan and this gets priority.

                                                            Pic from MMA weekly

Saturday: nothing
Saturday is meant for catching up on last week's shows! Maybe watch some HGTV shows, a little Storage Wars, some Golden Girls or Roseanne.

Let me close by cautioning that my DVR is 70-80% full most of the time because I don't really get to watch all of this tv every week. I only feel safe revealing all of this to you because you know that I am not a 659 lb man that sits on the couch only reviewing the above shows. I read, travel, exercise, go to work, live an otherwise fulfilling life without all of this "junk". But I believe tv is great self care; sometimes you need to shut down your own head for a bit and watch the drama that ensues on the screen. That's my rationalization, at least. What are your priority shows?