Why does it bother me so much when people don’t watch the TV shows I love? (Like Downton Abbey)

I can’t wait for January 6, 2013, as we all know is the season premiere of Downton Abbey.  Like everyone who loves a TV show, I think everyone should be as excited as me (well, every woman and gay or sensitive man, I suppose).  I know my best friend who lives in Denver, would love Downton Abbey– she loves period British movies, she likes drama with a tinge of soap opera and has been known to watch a Lifetime Movie.  I want to shake her until her teeth rattle and tell her: “YOU MUST WATCH DOWNTON ABBEY!  IT’S OKAY IF YOU TUNE INTO SEASON 3.  YOU CAN CATCH UP.  I WATCHED SEASON 2 BEFORE SEASON 1 AND I DID JUST FINE, IN FACT, I THINK IT WAS BETTER THAT WAY!” 

I know people want to shake me until my teeth rattle when they mention some storyline from Modern Family and I am like, “meh.”  I’ve tried Modern Family, and it is too sitcom-y and dare I say, trite, for me.   I am not in love with the characters like everyone else seems to be.  I sometimes say, “ok, I’ll try again.”   But I won’t.  I won’t try again.

Then, there’s Homeland.  I watched the first episode of the first season of Homeland.  Claire Danes all beautiful and crazy eyed, I just didn’t believe she was in the CIA.  And I was tense the entire time I watched it, but not in a good Sopranos kind of tense.

And, HBO’s Girls.  I have one word for Girls: Gross.  Those girls on Girls are gross.   But the girls from Juniper Creek on Big Love are not gross.

What do I like, you may ask? The TV snob that I seem to be?  I watch all things Bravo, I love every single Housewives show.  I like me some Pattie Stanger here and there (Millionaire Matchmaker) and Top Chef.  I know it’s all trash.  But it is still keeps me more entertained than Modern Family.  And I can sleep after Million Dollar Decorators but can’t sleep after watching the guy from Malcolm in the Middle shoot someone outside of his meth lab.

I will watch a sitcom: I used to like The Office and 30 Rock.  I love Nurse Jackie and can believe Carm is a nurse/junkie who endears herself to every down-on-their-luck patient.    I like Aaron Sorkin’s Newsroom which reminds me of Sports Nite and Studio 60, what with their rapid fire dialogue (both cancelled too soon) but I never got into West Wing.   I am Leon from Curb Your Enthusiasm’s number one fan.   And I quote lines from Seinfeld and Arrested Development on a regular basis.

Which TV show do you love that you can’t believe not everyone is watching?