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Tuesday, July 19, 2016

It's an Addiction

Some folks might disagree that it's "a good thing" but others will understand.

My "addiction" has been binge watching the show, Gilmore Girls, now that no longer on TV and on Netflix. I'm watching all 7 seasons before the long-anticipated Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life airs exclusively on Netflix in late fall. The series will consist of four 90-minute seasonal episodes set in the fictional CT town of Stars Hollow a quaint, picturesque and altogether fictional locale, some 30 miles from Hartford.


The original Gilmore Girls debuted in 2000 and was canceled in May 2007 when it began on the WB (Warner Brothers) TV network and ran for 6 seasons before moving to the CW (CBS-Warner Brothers) television network in 2006 for its final 7th season. 


Last fall, Netflix brought back the entire 7 seasons (153 episodes total). I've been watching a couple of episodes at a time; 3-4 on weekends. I've also taken my tablet to the gym here and watched shows while using the treadmill for some exercise and entertainment!


For those unfamiliar with the storyline (yes, there may be some). The series centered around a 30-ish, attractive single mom, Lorelei Gilmore, her daughter Rory, her overbearing wealthy and status-obsessed parents, Richard and Emily, and a host of supporting characters, to name a few: Sookie, Michel, Lane, Kirk, Luke, Taylor, Miss Patty, Babette, Miss Kim, Andrew, Dean, Jess, Paris -- many live or work in Stars Hollow (or both).

Hands down, the show's best characters (at least for me) are Lorelei Graham played by Lauren Graham and Sookie St. James played by Melissa McCarthy. Both women are funny, charming, supportive and a whirlwind of activity and also best friends in the series. Their interaction really makes the viewing such fun. Kelly Bishop's performance as Emily Gilmore is not to be missed; she is so irritating at times, but a really strong character. 
Cast members of Gilmore Girls TV show

The show's tagline of "Life's short. Talk fast,"  aptly describes the fast-paced dialogue between Lorelei and Rory that usually filled with pop-culture references to film, TV shows, music, literature, and celebrity culture.
Streaming services, like Netflix, have made binging so easy since you can stop and start a show, and even re-watch favorite episodes. An added bonus is what was an hour show on network TV is reduced to less than 45 minutes without commercial interruptions. 
WHY Binge? Think of a show you enjoy now (or have enjoyed). Could you watch just one episode if you knew you had access to so many?  For me, Gilmore Girls has emotional draw, but is filled with charm, humor, plus characters I enjoy and others not so much (but they're still great fun). 
OK it's your turn. Do you have any binge addictions — if so, WHAT are they?

8 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

We've just finished The Good Wife on Netflix. The last season isn't there yet, but I hadn't watched most of the seasons.

Lois Evensen said...

I got hooked on Downton Abbey when one of the seasons was repeatedly shown on a crew channel on the ship. We now own all six seasons, I've watched them, and friends are standing in line to borrow each one. Yep, we can get hooked, all right!

William Kendall said...

I don't have Netflix, so I don't really binge watch, just catch shows as they air.

Lynn said...

Thanks! I remember hearing about this show, but never watched it. Maybe I'll binge-watch it, too. I liked Lauren Graham when she was on Parenthood (one of my all-time favorite shows.)

I binge-watched the series (on Amazon Prime) - Mozart in the Jungle. I watched Season 2 in two days a couple of weekends ago.

Connie said...

We loved this show and are eagerly waiting for its return in the fall. Another series I watched and enjoyed was Parenthood.

Emma Springfield said...

I don't really binge watch TV shows. I pretty much stay current with the regular series I watch. But I do binge watch movies that have several installment like Star Wars. I also binge watch Christmas movies during the holidays.

Kathy said...

Gilmore Girls is one of my favorite shows. I have the whole series on DVD so I binge watch at my leisure. I had heard rumors about a follow-up show but didn't know it was a done deal. I will definitely watch it. I don't have netflix so I will have to wait for the DVD to come out.

diane b said...

I haven't heard of this show but when we get hooked on one we do tend to binge watch. Breaking bad was one. Do you get the 'Wentworth" Australian series about a women's jail? It is popular in other countries besides ours apparently. Our son in law is in the show as a screw.