Thursday, September 9, 2010

WATCHING SERIALS, SERIOUSLY

Serial watching is serious business.


Just ask my Ma.

It needs
multi-tasking (switching between channels and also doing other work at the same time),
time-management (between the same),
dexterity (with the remote),
hand-eye co-ordination (knitting and watching TV simultaneously),
an understanding of melodrama and human psychology (rightly guessing who will do what next, and also guessing what had happened in case she misses one/more episodes),
and, of course, an elephantine memory.

My Ma manages efficiently to keep abreast of all the prime-time serials in all the channels. And her 'Prime-time' extends from 7 p.m to midnight. And she manages to simultaneously cook uo delicious fish-curries for us.

When I asked her what was the secret behind her being such a SUPER SUCCESSFUL SERIAL-WATCHER, she placidly said:

"Ad breaks help a lot. When ads come on Star Plus, just switch to Zee. Then to Imagine. Then to Colors...
And, if you miss out for some reason, watch the rerun very late at night or next afternoon."

WOW!!! At least, serial-watching has a well-planned technique. Unfortunately, the never-ending serials themselves do not seem to have any such science or strategy.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe as equal as novel reading which is now-a-days converted into visuals.

Aparna said...

My mom-in-law is addicted to the Bengali channels. They are just as horrid as the Hindi ones.Daughter 1 is addicted to Star World and daughter 2 to Cartoon network.I think I need to take lessons from them on how to watch TV and still remain sane.

Kavi said...

Ah !

it needs extreme amounts of patience. When a loved one wants to watch this stuff ! Every day !

Ask me !

:)

Lazyani said...

That's what my mom does every evening. :)

Anonymous said...

You know, Sucharita, I sometimes feel left out when friends my age talk about the current happenings in these family serials.

But I am afraid to watch even one episode of a family (melo)drama because I'm afraid that I may become addicted! :)

Ugich Konitari said...

I am one of those unabashed watchers of some Marathi serials, and my daughter is often surprised when I predict whats going to happen, sometimes even in the next frame. All wonderful so long as you dont take things seriously. :-)

Onkar said...

Good observation. I am sure, your mother belongs to a huge tribe of efficient serial-watchers.

Susmita Biswas said...

tomar dadar saathe jungle thakbaar somoy serial dekhtam somoy katanor janneye. Tobe channel walla der modheye bhab aache. Advertisement er somoy sobai ek somoye dekhai. Barrackpore esse aar dorkar hoi na serial dekhbar.

Anonymous said...

My mom is addicted to all the malayalam serials too. 6 pm to 10:00 pm every day except Saturday and Sunday.Its a universal problem now. Can't blame her though, nothing much else to do at home. :)

Swaram said...

Ha ha! U r rt. The serials themselves hv nthg to teach us,but there are a few lessons we cn pick up in b/w them :P :P

sujata sengupta said...

My mom is just the same, shes addicted to colors and all the bangla chanels, its amazing how she can fight for the control of the chanels with her grandson!

Nona said...

There is a "science" behind serial watching! I came to know about it from your blog. :)

Vivek S Patwardhan said...

Just as there are "Serial Crimes," we also have now "Serial Primes."

Vivek

Nupur said...

Oh watch TV and still function sanely is something only few people can do like my MIL..she is addicted to TV serials-Hindi and Marathi both !

I sometimes feel pukish listening to the TV sound-in the other room-when its running the entire day,Sigh !!!

I guess we belong to some other planet cause majority of the junta is addicted to the serials,what say Su ? :)

Neelakshi Kotnis said...

Yes...nods her daughter in law!!

Minal said...

:) Only if she knew the amount of money that advertisers like us spend on each and every second on -air !

RGB said...

Serial-killer of time, these serials are! Though you've pointed out a totally different aspect of it! What I can't stand is when the serial-watchers discuss serials like it's part of real life!

Meira said...

Also the skill to remember the dialogues and use the same aptly on your daughter in laws :D

Suchismita said...

Hey, your mom is a woman after my own heart.My husband is completely confused, should he ever try and fathom what I watch.. i never watch any one serial everyday... they are so stereotypical, you can watch one episode each week and still figure it out :)But that is the fun of it.