Don Your Way column: Why I’ve never watched Game of Thrones or Peaky Blinders

I'm not a big watcher of TV.

There, I said it.

There's lots of stuff that comes on the box that everyone rants and raves about but which has never crossed my radar.

Read More
Don Your Way column: Lazy Doncaster journalist? Here’s the photo to prove it

Game of Thrones? Never seen a single episode. Peaky Blinders? Nope, that's another one that hasn't entered into my atmosphere either.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And the list goes on. Bodyguard, Call The Midwife, acclaimed comedies, dramas, whatever, there's many programmes which I just seem to miss out on.

It's not because I'm trying to avoid them and somehow feel hip because I haven't bowed down to public pressure to take in the latest must-see show, I just don't seem to have the time, or I'm not in at the start when they're creating a buzz.

I feel that if I miss the first episode, I'm playing catch up. And then I have to sit in an office of people saying 'did you see so and so last night?' and then covering my ears while the latest plot and turns from the latest episode are picked apart.

I know in this day and age it is impossible to miss anything on TV.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Younger people binge watch all the shows via Netflix and Amazon and iPlayer and the like.

That's something else I struggle with. My kids can happily watch shows back to back one after the other and rattle off an entire series in a day.

I'm still programmed into the one episode a week ethos of the 80s where you had to be plonked in front of the box whenever a show was on and if you missed it, tough.

Well, unless you had a top-loading video recorder then you could at least watch a grainy playback on a mangled VHS 180 tape - only to be left sitting their fuming at the end of your record because the snooker had over-run, therefore missing the last vital five minutes of Neighbours or the like.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

TV viewing habits have certainly changed. My kids can sit glued to watching short clips on YouTube for hours, rejecting the normal TV viewing habits.

All that said, this past week, I've managed to enjoy a few TV gems.

If you haven't seen it, go looking for the new Ricky Gervais drama After Life. Its a dark, poignant, moving comedy drama about a middle-aged man coming to terms with the death of his wife and its beautifully presented and acted.

If you think it's The Office part two, think again. You will be hugely surprised and glad you tracked it down.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And while we're at it, also check out The Umbrella Academy, another hugely entertaining slice of US fantasy drama that has also had me and the kids gripped over the last few weeks or so.

When I do track down shows, I thoroughly enjoy them.

Just wish I had time to find and enjoy a few more.