The Nevada Sagebrush

"Bad" television shows such as TLC’s “Toddler’s & Tiaras” are entertaining after a long day but can become habit-forming. TLC.

Lesley Beavers

Hi, my name is Lesley, and I am addicted to bad television. Well, I’m not addicted to all bad television — just a few shows here and there — but I am addicted nonetheless. I crave each new episode, and I am only satisfied once I get my fix.

Perhaps I should define what I mean by bad television. Bad television consists of shows that lack depth in the plot and characters and kill more brain cells than a night of heavy drinking. After viewing pointless shows, it is not uncommon to have trouble forming complete sentences or solving simple math problems.

Here are some examples of bad television so you can determine for yourself if you are an addict:

• “Make It or Break It” – This show follows four teenage girls pursuing their dream of being in the 2012 Olympics. Because it is a fictional account of the lives of full-time gymnasts, drama in all forms and shapes ensues, from a boyfriend cheating on his girlfriend with her best friend to another girl fracturing her spine and overcoming her injury.

• Toddlers & Tiaras” – This show follows families whose children compete in beauty pageants. The entire process from start to finish is documented, including the children practicing their routines and getting their hair and makeup done before going on stage. Parents (typically moms) are often seen yelling at their children (typically girls) and telling them that they need to win.

• “I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant” – This show recounts mothers’ tales of, believe it or not, not knowing they were pregnant. Each episode features women talking about their lack of pregnancy symptoms and their surprise when they ended up giving birth (sometimes to multiple children).

Friends and family have voiced their concerns with my addiction, but they don’t understand how hard it is to quit watching bad television cold turkey. Besides, my DVR is only enabling me to continue the addiction: I can watch all the shallow programs I love when no one is home to stop me.

While friends and family may have their doubts, bad television can be healthy in reasonable amounts. After a hard day at school, it is only natural that one might need a mental vacation. Bad television provides the perfect mental vacation because it does not require any critical thinking by the viewer.

If the majority of the shows you watch fall in the terribble TV category, however, you may want to add a couple of shows that fall in the good-television category, such as the six o’clock news and Discovery Channel’s “Life.”

I am currently fighting my addiction by striking a balance between good and bad television. “Lost” has been a great help in getting my mind working again with all of its cliffhanger episodes, and Discovery Channel’s documentaries have provided new knowledge that will surely come in handy. My brain cells should be flourishing in no time.

Lesley Beavers can be reached at lbeavers@nevadasagebrush.com.

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