What Nat's watching ...

I'm not a commmitted TV viewer. I tend to avoid anything that adds unnecessary anxiety and drama to an already melodramatic, overly anxious psyche. And when I watch TV I almost always multi-task by reading a book or surfing the net or writing e-mails at the same time. (Hey, that's what I'm doing right now!) These are likely the reasons I've never gotten into shows like Lost and Grey's Anatomy and 24 that everyone else I know seems to love. I just can't commit.

Instead, outside of the occasional Masterpiece Theatre experience, I choose to watch shows that don't require regular viewership and either make me laugh or cheer or say "hmmm...interesting." In that light, I give you - in no particular order - Natalie's top 8 TV shows, circa August 2008.

1) Conan O'Brien (NBC)
I'm a Conan junkie. I attribute my inability to fall asleep before midnight to Conan. If I hadn't met Matt when I did, I may have become a Conan stalker. Okay, that might be going a little bit far, but I do have a thing for a guy with a snarky, intelligent sense of humor and crazy hair. I can't wait for Jay Leno to go away ... and I'm not the only one!



2) Forensic Files (TruTV)
Matt doesn't get this one, given the whole avoiding stress and anxiety thing. My explanation is that the sad ending - someone's dead - is just a given, so I can relax and enjoy the scientific process for figuring out who's the bad guy. Plus, the narrator has the coolest voice ever and I can usually count on it being on early in the morning if I have trouble sleeping.

3) My Boys (TBS)
We have the Delaneys to thank for the discovery of this way too hidden gem. A sort-of sitcom without the painful laugh track, My Boys features strong writing, great actors and a group of characters that you just want to hang out with.



4) The Soup (E!)
Talk about snarky. If snarky was a real word, one might find this show in the dictionary as its definition. Wait...I've got to check the dictionary. Dang it! Snarky is there already ("Rudely sarcastic or disrespectful; snide"). Well, this snarky show gleefully makes fun of almost everything on TV and I gleefully go along for the ride.



5) Project Runway (Bravo)
Are you in or are you out? Although my idea of fashion can be found in combining Old Navy with TJ Maxx, I love watching the designers at work. Whether or not I understand why some outfits are better than others according to the judges, the cast of characters never disappoints. Make it work! Ahh, I love Tim Gunn.



6) The Office (NBC)
If there was a particular order to this list, The Office would likely be #1. Matt and I came late to game and we still haven't finished all of season 4, but there is nothing like this show to make me laugh until my stomach hurts. Maybe it's because Steve Carrell is a genius or because Pam & Jim have had the most realistic relationship arc on TV or because I've spent way too much time in an office myself. Always quotable, always memorable. Schrute for VP!



7) Cops (Fox and TruTV)
A classic. I have no real explanation as to the “why?” of my interest in this show. I suppose partially because it’s always on somewhere and requires no real brain power. If I drank more, I’d make up a drinking game related to the number of scenes showing wife beater t-shirts or nudity. Hmm…let me check on that one, too.

8) Reno 911! (Comedy Central and others)
A brilliant parody of a classic. And on TV almost as much as Cops. A bit surreal but always hilarious, this show follows only The Office and Conan in its ability to make me laugh out loud.