Over the weekend, the New York Times ran a feature on CBS's NCIS, which has somehow become the most successful show on television. It's currently dominating two different nights (Tuesdays, when new episodes air, and Fridays, when it airs in repeats) and has also made a splash in reruns on cable.
This is all a little weird to me because — forgive me, NCIS fans — I've never really thought of the show as anything more than "CSI on a boat." To be TV's most-watched show, beating even the many CSIs? That seems crazy!
That got me thinking about TV shows that have risen to extreme popularity that you just don't get, no matter how hard you try. Are you baffled by your friends who arrange Thursdays around that sex-and-medicine show called Grey's Anatomy? Do you roll your eyes the second anyone says the words American Idol? Air your grievances below!
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American Idol, Knight Rider, 90210...any reality show.
1The Office, don't get it. To me it's actual torture, I'd rather watch at a blank wall for half an hour.
2stare, sorry
3The mentalist, dancing with the stars, the hills, there's more but I don't want to piss off too many people.
4I've never watched more than 5 minutes of Grey's Anatomy at a time, but I find it torturous.
5knight rider! (the new one) Please stop the remakes!
6Oh, I've got a few. I think I stand alone. The Hills, Grey's Anatomy, Family Guy, Deal or No Deal, Dancing w/ the Stars. There are plenty more but I'll stop there.
7Oh btw, I
8Agh, my comment got cut off! I said:
I love NCIS!
9I loathe and don't understand reality TV (American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, The Hills, Survivor...).
I do like NCIS, but don't agree that it's CSI on a boat. I think it has more wit than CSI and it feels more personal. I care about the characters on NCIS, I never did on CSI before I gave up watching it.
Plus...Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly are hot.
10well i'm still surprised that AI gets such high ratings year after year. i never really got into the show - not even season 1 - but i guess there are a LOT of folks who love it.
11THE BACHELOR! Why is this show still freakin on?!?
12two and a half men and boston legal!
13NCIS, JAG, Criminal Minds, Boston Legal, and any of the Law and Orders.
14I don't know...for me, I guess I don't get the appeal of all those celeb dancing shows. They bore me to death.
15Oh, and it also baffles me that people are still watching (and loving ) ER...don't get that one. At all.
16Boston Legal
17Deal or No Deal! Really what is the appeal? Regis isn't even on it!
Two & A Half Men - I actually watched an episode to try to understand America's love for the show, but HIMYM is so so much better.
18I love NCIS! I never got Sex and the City and don't like Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, supernatural or House which my sister loves and i end up having to watch half the time.
19two and a half men, american idol, according to jim (and all those other crappy sitcoms) and the ultimately boring lives of those fake girls from the hills
20Never saw the appeal of Grey's Anatomy and According to Jim, but Deal or no Deal is the worst!!!
21Knight Rider is horrible. Why is it still on?!
I could never get into Seinfeld or Everybody Loves Raymond, but everyone else loved it.
22I really like NCIS
But I am SHOCKED that Knight Rider is even on T.V!
23OH for sure Two and a half men, Survivor, Heroes, and House.
24Two and a Half Men. One of my friends likes the show and I just don't understand
25Two and a half men, ER, Life On Mars, Lost, Desperate Housewives... I know there are others but that's all I can think of.
26dancing with the stars
27Two and a Half Men. Especially because it caused one of my male co-workers to believe that Charlie Sheen's character is the kind of guy women actually go crazy over. Eep.
28It boggles my mind that Two and a Half Men is a top show. Not only is it still on, but top 10? Seriously?
29Survivor, Lost (I never caught it from beginning maybe that's why), Supernatural (why is that still on tv??!), One tree hill (I admit I used to watch it all the time but never took it seriously enough), Smallville (same with One tree hill), NCIS, Dancing with the stars, Private Practice, According to Jim, Nip Tuck ... I can go on for days and days....
30I'm going to vote with the Two and a Half Men boat... Charlie Sheen, really? Top 10? One of the highest paid??
31Love NCIS. It´s the show i won´t live without. But i don´t get the casting shows, reality shows. I don´t think they are interesting.
32On fictional Shows i don´t get the storyline of the office, 24 and Desperate Housewives and ER.
NCIS, Boston Legal, Criminal Minds, According to Jim, Law & Order (& its spin-offs), the CSI spinoffs, and ER.
Shows that aren't on anymore, but were really popular for some reason - JAG, Seinfeld, Home Improvement, and Everybody Loves Raymond
I think Two and a Half Men is okay, but I don't like the characters (especially Charlie Sheen's) and I can't believe it is the number one comedy on TV. That's sad.
I also think The Office is overrated (sorry). I watched the pilot and I have seen a few episodes here and there, but i don't get the appeal. It's funny sometimes, but rarely. I need to watch all of the episodes from the beginning I guess...
33The Hills
34Gossip Girls
Priviledged
the new 90210
Any celeb or reality TV show
Dancing With The stars
American Idol
Grey's Anatomy
Chuck
Heroes
lol I LOVE the bachelor!!! and I used to like two and a half men too, it's at least funny. But I agree, American Idol needs to go and all the other "talent"/ singing shows, and anything hosted by nick lachey, bleh.
35anything that's impossible, like buffy or charmed or other stupid sci-fi crap
36Anything reality. I loathe Survivor and Big Brother. And I L-O-V-E NCIS. I wish I worked with someone like Abby Sciuto. She's so fun!
37The Hills- Lost brain cells just looking at pictures of the show, i know its a "guilty pleasure" for some, but I would think less of anyone who seriously watches it.
Gossip Girl- the books were insipid nonsense and so is the show.
Ugly Betty- I cant buy it, no matter what Bettys getup is ridiculous and campy and the show is stupid. I have tried to watch it, and found myself regretting the lost time.
NCIS- the goth girl lost it for me.
38NCIS rocks! even with the goth girl..
but on the other hand, I can't stand most of the "reality" shows. And yeah, knight rider is still on? even my friend, who loved the car told me that the show was a joke.
ER isn't over yet? and the Hills? everybody hates Spencer and Heidi, still, the shows is on, and there's supposed to be a reason.
We can't go putting a list of 20 shows we hate, that's kind of nonsense, but really, I don't understand the "ratings", they don't give any show a one season ticket, on 2nd episode they said "OK, you're out, bye" and they put some reality show, and they're running out of ideas (kid nation!? WTF).
39THE FREAKING HILLS. I cannot stand that show. And the new 90210. Why does that exist?
40I don't get why there needs to be more than 1 CSI. I don't get how Knight Rider is any competition for Pushing Daisies. I would probably say most or all reality shows and maybe several sitcoms I already saw mentioned.
41I'm amazed that Knight Rider is still on. I cringe when I watch it. I'm a little bummed that someone mentioned Chuck, it's such a loveable show. I can undertand people not liking Lost, you have to start from the beginning in order for it to even remotely make sense.
42I don't like any reality contesty shows. Sometimes I'll watch American Idol, but only for the guest singer if it's a good one. I don't mind reality shows like home impreovement and such, but things like the hills and the bachelor are trash. Also I do not get the appeal of gossip girl or priveleged or things like that. Great bratty trashy rich kids. Just what I want to waste my time on.
The office. I know everyone seems to love it, and I usually LOVE Campy comedy but not this one. Steve Carrell is great, yes, but he would be the ONLY reason I watched it if I did. I watched one episode and just didn't like it.
4324, Kath & Kim (surely that one won't last), and I agree about CSI...I never got into it, and I'd much rather watch Law & Order. CSI was on TV Land the other day! I couldn't believe it!
44Sorry, but I can't believe I left off 30 Rock. I tried to watch to understand it, but I just can't. The only reason it's popular is because the celebrities love to watch shows about their lives. I also don't get Family Guy...I think I'm dumber for ever seeing an episode.
45I love 30 Rock! (And I am not a celebrity.) I think with 30 Rock and The Office, you have to have a very specific sense of humor. Also, I am appalled that people don't like Seinfeld! (No offense to any of you; I just LOVE it!)
When I was reading through these comments, I said to myself, "According to Jim is still on?" So yeah, According to Jim. And Two and a Half Men. I don't absolutely hate it, but I don't think there's anything great about it, either.
By the way, slightly off-subject, but does anyone watch Psych? I love it!
46The Office (don't get the appeal, don't think it's funny, don't think Jim's cute), American Idol (please God, make it stop), Survivor. And I know they're not still on, but I've never understood the appeal of Friends or Will and Grace.
47mrscharles, i totally have a rant for you. I also hate family guy and they are giving seth macfarlane (the creator) another show for the fox sunday night lineup which means he will have three of the four shows (his other is american dad). they're all garbage!!!
future fox line-up:
48the simpsons
garbage
more garbage
and even more garbage
I generally don't get reality TV, I just don't see the point to most of those shows.
49Most reality shows.
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