Three's Company TV

I always really disliked the TV show, "Three's Company". Everyone seems to like this show, but I don't. I don't know why but the whole general Three's Company formula of telling a story just kills me. Remember how they'd always have a scenario where we, the audience, know something, but the characters don't. Then, because they don't, there is always a huge misunderstanding. The whole scene gives me anxiety. One person would overhear something, it would be misconstrued, and trouble would ensue. Resolved in the end, but the whole episode, I'd have anxiety.


I feel like this is the formula for a lot of TV now. I want to be surprised along with the character. I don't want to know stuff the characters don't know. For instance, I've been watching The Good Wife on Amazon Prime, for months. At one point I almost quit because I couldn't take the anxiety. When Cary and Alicia were leaving Lockheart Gardner to start their own firm but still working for LG. Everyone convinced me to stick it out. But I did take a few weeks break before I could go back. Now I'm at the end of season six, Calinda is downloading files at Lamont Bishop's and doesn't see him coming in on the monitor. That's where I had to stop it because I can't bear to see what's going to happen. I need to push through because I WANT to watch the new spin-off with Diane, but the anxiety of what will happen to Calinda AND the back and forth Three's Company scenario of the is she or isn't she with Alicia vs Cary, Diane and David Lee is JUST. TOO. MUCH.

Why couldn't Diane, Cary and/or David just walk into the goddamned conference room and say to Alicia - "HEY, I THINK WE HAVE OUR WIRES CROSSED"!! Instead, she's working against them, they're working against her, all because of a misunderstanding we all saw and know but they don't.

I'm just at standstill! And I want to just finish it already! 

It's soap opera storytelling. I can deal on General Hospital because GH moves pretty fast. Story arcs just don't go on forever. And I can fast forward when the story is too long and the anxiety gets too much. However, that's why I can't watch Days Of Our Lives. It was ALWAYS that kind of audience-knows-but-character-doesn't plot lines. The story arcs would also go on for years. I bet if I tuned into DOOL today, I'd still know what's going on.

Before Cary and Alicia left LG, the stories weren't like this. They were riveting and you didn't know what was going to happen, but you found out the plot twist the same time the characters did. It was more about relationships and the cases. Then it went all Three's Company. You can tell a compelling story without it being like that. If I want anxiety, I can just read my Facebook feed or watch the news. When I watch Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder, or Grey's, coincidentally or not- all "Shondaland", the twisty-turny plot lines surprise you. Not just relieve your anxiety because the story ends. I had NO IDEA McDreamy was going to die. It would've ruined the whole episode if we knew and were just waiting for Meredith to find out.

I want TV to be my escape, not the source of my anxiety. I have enough anxiety in the real world. Yes, there can be suspense and cliff hangers. It's not about that. It's about the misunderstanding part. All the medical shows- Chicago Med, Grey's, Code Black- they all surprise - who lives and who dies. Who is fired and who stays. But WE don't know until they know. We don't find out then wait for them to find out later. We didn't know Alex was asleep in Meredith's bed when they didn't know whether he was in jail or not. We found out, together, with Meredith, at the end of the episode, like we SHOULD.

Ok, that's my TV rant for the day. Because now I'm done with this week's Chicago Fire, Grey's, and halfway through the finale of The Affair. Although, I have to say I'm pretty tired of Chicago Fire's overused plot devise of angry bad guy targeting someone in the fire house or the house as a whole. How many times is there going to be a baddie threatening everyone? It's happened like ten times already. Lather, rinse, repeat. I'm pretty much hate-watching it now, just for Severide.

I'm looking forward to Chicago Justice. New cases to be involved in. And The Affair- B will be glad I just watched without him. What the F kind of finale is that?? I'm a little more than halfway through and all I can ask, is, who gives a crap about the French lady and her family? I get that the show is "The Affair", and technically, Noah was having an affair with a married woman. But no one cares about her! I have to assume most people want more Cole and Alison. At this point, Alison's life and Noah's life could be two totally different shows. I'm not done with the finale but I'm assuming it's just Noah and the French lady. I'm going to be so annoyed. I could barely get through the first half hour! I'm on the treadmill having to read sub-titles? No.

Looking forward to The Catch coming back. I feel like GIRLS has been hysterical in the first two episodes of the final season. We're liking Big Little Lies so far after one episode. I have the first two episodes of Doubt on tap to watch and This is Us is everything on Tuesday nights. This is Us has plot twists and lots of drama, but we find it out with the characters. We didn't go a season knowing William was sick but having Randall not be in the know! We knew when he did! And he knew early. It wasn't a secret. There are some other things starting- American Crime and When We Rise. We plan to watch both but they are both mini series.

I still have all of Summer House (Bravo) & Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce (also Bravo) on DVR. I just haven't gotten to Summer House, and GG2D, I totally just hate-watch because I'm already invested.

And yes, maybe I need some kind of medication if TV is giving me anxiety. Whatever. I just like my stories told in a certain way!