Dear DVR,

I've been reading a lot about this this called "DVR guilt," a backlash problem people are having with a build-up of television programming on their box that they just can't get to.

 

A quick inventory shows me I've got the entire season thus far of The Mentalist, and the entire last season of The Pick-Up Artist (embarrassing, I know, but it's so funny).  Also, there's three Without a Traces, a Dirty Sexy Money, three or four LA Inks and Dr. 90210s, three Houses, and a Work Out marathon thanks to Bravo.  I'm sure there is a bunch of other things there as well, but these are the biggest offenders.  We only just cleared down Dirty Sexy Money from the whole season to just that one episode a week or so ago, and watched two Pushing Daisies to catch up before the series (unfortunate) finale.

 

Why can't I just let go?  Even when the series isn't that good (Dirty Sexy Money) or as good as it used to be (House)?  Because i'm invested, that's why!

 

I like watching TV from all spectrums of entertainment.  Everything from the highly honored and respected to the downright ridiculous (ie Pick-Up Artist).  I invest in the characters and I refuse to let go for the most part.  Sometimes I'm willing to cut the cord if a show didn't blow me away off the bat, or got bad reviews before I ever even started watching (Fringe).  But once I'm hooked, I tend to stay there through all of the nightmarishly bad storylines right to the bitter end.

 

Not everything, though, can achieve my full attention the way that a new Amazing Race or Heroes can.  Some things just have to take a back-burner.  And sometimes those things will stay on the back-burner for quite a while.  But as long as the heat is still on, and as long as I'm still interested, that sucker is going to keep getting recorded.

 

Besides, this whole point will be moot when DTV rolls around in february and forces me to get a second DVR box in my bedroom so I can watch the news in the morning.  (And maybe record a Lost or Charm School marathon while it's just sitting there.

 

Cavalierly,

 

Patrick James