Guilty Pleasures

So, I’m going to be completely honest with you now. As an avid coach potato, I love TV. When there are shows in which I feel physically sick at the thought of watching (Big Brother, Made in Chelsea, Only way is Essex… you know the type) there are some, ok a few, I really shouldn’t like, but LOVE to indulge in.

In true High Fidelity form, here is my top 5 TV Guilty Pleasures.

#5 Antiques Road Trip

This is just a lovely British programme, with very British presenters trying to scoop up deals from very British traders. They travel around the UK seeking out history in furniture, crockery, vases, sporting equipment, in fact anything with a story. Its just lovely. I don't need to support my argument as to why this is a guilty pleasure, it speaks for its self.

#4 Don’t just stand there; I’m having your baby.

This is a new one. I have only seen a couple of episodes so far, but it’s a mixture of 'One born every minute' and a BBC Three’s Cherry Healy documentary. Basically it follows couples up until the birth of their child, making the men get more involved and learn a bit more about the process of labour. It usually comes on just before I go to bed, and I’ve found that instead of turning the TV off, I just sit and stare at it. So far, I’ve cursed relentlessly at most of the men for being so narrow minded and controlling. One man criticising ‘his woman’ for wanting the option of pain relief during labour and passing any insight off from midwives with “how painful can it be?” Great, just great. Having said that, these men have, so far, seen the error of their ways once in the room with a very powerful and angry woman in labour, who are subsequently (with use of a metaphor) pushing a camel through the eye of a needle (originally I was going to use another description instead of needle that had something to do with the male anatomy, if only it were not for fear of my mum or dad reading this).

#3 Jeremy Kyle

This is the root of all evil. It’s brilliant, but evil. I used to loath this programme, and I still kind of do. But I just can’t take my eyes off it! Nothing makes you feel better than watching Jezza’ re-offenders scream at each other about who’s sleeping with who, who stole this or how many men/women they have had behind the kebab shop. Yes, this is people’s miserable lives we are taking pleasure in, but at least you have never acted out in their fashion. You have been good to others, you have gone to work, worked hard, been patient… you deserve to get angry at the woman who seems to be cheating on five guys all at once, to then not understand how she has done so in the first place (not to sound prejudice or judgemental, but have you seen some of these men and women!?). Anyway, its pure guilt.

#2 21 Jump Street

A lot of people couldn't understand my excitement when the remake with Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum was in the pipeline back in 2009/2010, but some of you may not know that 21 Jump Street was an American TV series in the 80s starring Johnny Depp. I have all five of the original series on DVD. If you ever get the chance to watch it, or see a clip on youtube, it is very ‘corny’ and very much an ‘after school special’ sorta’ show. It has morals and a message and a DON’T DO DRUGS attitude, but it just works for me. It’s not too serious, but when it needs to be, the message is clear. Plus it has real 80s fashion and a baby faced Johnny Depp! What more could you want!?

#1 Monk

For those of you who have never had the pleasure of watching the legend that is Monk, I’ll give you a quick update. Adrian Monk was once a detective of the San Francisco Police Department, until his wife Trudy is killed in a car bomb. Trudy’s death led Monk into a nervous breakdown, in which he refused to leave his house for three and a half years. During this time he developed crippling OCD and a fear of milk, ladybugs, harmonicas, heights, driving, germs… you get the picture. With his intense need for perfection, and a sense and keen eye for detail, he pieces some of the strangest and most obscure murder plots no-one would ever think of. IT’S FANTASTIC. It’s funny, sad, silly, heart warming, easy to watch and the acting isn’t half bad. Tony Shaloub (Monk) is just wonderful. The last few episodes of the final series made me cry and I’m not ashamed to say it. He makes me want to reach in the TV and give him a hand shake, while respectfully passing him a hand wipe and some hand sanitiser.