The Case Against Tivo

I'm a cheapskate. I argued with my cable provider for a half an hour to get him to give me a $10 a month package rather than the standard, "basic" package at $40 a month. We get local channels only. No frills, no ESPN, no CNN, no nothing. My logic being this: if it's that important I can read about it on any number of news websites. Or, if it's really worth viewing - say a sports highlight like Roger Clemens perjuring himself - I can watch it on ESPN's website.

I watched a lot of TV as a teenager, and I had cable at the time. So, I watched every episode of shows like Three's Company, The Streets of San Francisco, Hogan's Heros, MASH, Gilligan's Island, Rawhide and so on and so on. Part of what made watching each of these old shows so ejoyable was the ritualistic 'getting ready to watch' process. It's like going to a baseball game and getting there early enough to sit back in your seats with no one else around and take in all the sacred processes that occur each day before the game starts. The groundskeepers water the infield, rake the base paths, trim the outfield and chalk the lines while the ballplayers take their swings in the cage and fielders loosen their arms and legs up in a deliberate dance that is a necessary and essential part of the game. You can't, and shouldn't be able to fast forward through that ritual.

To compensate for the derth of quality shows on network television, we have begun utilizing our Netflix subscription to rent seasons of quality viewing from HBO and Showtime. Shows like Deadwood have filled the void that the absence of cable has left in our home. As we have watched the first dozen or so episodes of Deadwood, I came to realize as I skipped through the opening montage and credits each time, that I was missing something.

Which brings me to my point: Tivo gives us too much power. Power we should not have. I enjoy hearing the theme songs that accompany each show. Some are better than others and I don't always sit and stare intently at the screen as the introduction rolls along. But to me, these songs and montages are like a school bell ringing and offer a chance to get a snack or beverage before the show begins. They are part of the ceremony of watching a show you love. They build up anticipation for what's to come.

I enjoy Deadwood very much and I have stopped skipping through the intro. The music signals the beginning, like the lawn mowers entering the stadium through the left field fence, and are a necessary part of the entire ritual of enjoying a great show.