Hey, it’s the General, and I’m here to warn you about the perils of the PVR - the Personal Video Recorder.
If you have one, you know what I’m talking about.
If you don’t - consider my words before you step into this world. You may think the PVR is just a fancier version of your trusty old VCR, but it’s not. It’s so much better - so much easier - so much EVERYTHING - it will not only change the way you watch television, but it will alter your attention span - making it nearly impossible to ever watch live TV again.
Remember Thursday nights on NBC? Must See TV.
For almost 2 decades they were a formulaic powerhouse in primetime - 4 sitcoms followed by a drama.
In the 80s, you knew Thursday meant Cosby at 8, Cheers at 9, and Hill Street Blues at 10.
By the 90s, if someone tried calling between 8 and 11 Thursday night, you’d actually look at the phone and shake your head.
Don’t they know?
It’s Thursday night. Friends at 8, Seinfeld at 9, ER at 10. Go away!
Your schedule revolved around the TV schedule.
Well - not anymore.
Someone calls - you pause live tv.
You miss some dialogue, you rewind it.
I couldn’t even tell you when most shows are on - or what station carries them.
All I know is that once I’ve set the PVR to record, it shows up in my list of shows - it might tape every day, it might tape every week - whatever I’ve set it to do - and I watch it whenever…
Live TV is actually frustrating to watch - and once you step into the PVR world, there’s no going back. I’m telling you - it’s not a guy thing either - no one is safe.
My wife resisted getting the PVR too, but now…
As soon as she realized she could start watching Grey’s Anatomy at 9:20 - fast forward through commercials - catch up to the program in real time - and still be done by 10 o’clock, she was done.
It changes you. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
