My So-Called Netflix Addiction

I know I still need to do Vacation Part II - and I will. But, I digress....

I've written before about my slight obsession with watching old TV series on Netflix while I work out on my elliptical machine in the garage. But if you missed that entry, let me refresh:

I love watching old TV series on Netflix while working out.

It keeps me going. It gives me something to look forward to after dinner while DH puts jenna to bed. It keeps me in shape. It gives me something to write about.

Watching TV shows on DVD (or Tivo or DVR) is the bomb. Not only are there no commercials and no waiting until the next episode is aired, it gives you an entirely different perspective on the show when you watch all the episodes in one sitting (wait a minute, did I say I do that??). I've pretty much given up on prime time television because I really despise reality TV. HBO and Showtime are where it's at. And, if you're like me and don't have those cable channels, Netflix has a full arsenal of past and present shows available for your viewing pleasure!

The first series I ever watched this way is Sex and the City - which is still my favorite and very near and dear to my heart. However, since I got my elliptical machine for Christmas last year, I've branched out, discovering and re-discovering the following shows:

Big Love - a brilliantly cast show about typically complicated family life. The polygamy piece is really very secondary - but totally intriguing to me.

Weeds - If you don't like Mary Louise Parker, this is probably not the show for you. If you adore her as I do, rent all 4 seasons immediately. She's amazing, and the show is very smart - although a bit raunchy sometimes too. Not to mention the actor who plays her son Silas is a hottie :)

True Blood - HBO's very popular, very sexy vampire series. 'Nough said.

In Treatment - what can I say? I'm a social worker. I love me a good therapy show!

And finally, on a whim, I just finished up a major blast from the past:

My So-Called Life

What a show. I was 16 years old when this show first came out and my sister, mom and I watched every episode and were devastated when the series was cancelled out of the blue. I wanted to be Claire Danes/Angela Chase. I wish I could find some pictures of me from 1994 so you could see how much I idolized her. I dyed my hair red, wore over-sized flannel shirts, was riddled with teen angst, and was obsessed with my version of Jordan Catalano (how hot was Jared Leto by the way!).

When I watched MSCL as a teen, I hardly remember noticing the storylines relating to Angela's parents. They weren't interesting to me at all, and I remember wishing we could just see more of Claire Danes and Jared Leto kissing in the boiler room.

My perspective has totally changed. All I could do this time around was see myself as Angela's mom and Jenna as Angela. I cried at almost every episode that had anything to do with mother/daughter relationships. How different life is as a mother!!

And thus concludes my Netflix sales pitch.

You'd think with all this exercising I've been doing I would have lost more weight..... :)