3 Reasons No One Wants to Watch TV with You
Learn 3 ways to avoid beinga guest no one wants to invite over.
Richie Frieman
Listen
3 Reasons No One Wants to Watch TV with You
A few weeks ago, I touched on the topic of “Proper Movie Theater Etiquette” and after seeing the great response, I knew there was more to discuss. I wanted to take my love for manners in the theater to manners in the home theater. My taste in TV shows vary depending on my mood; could be a sports game one night, a crime show the next or–yes I’ll admit it–that behind the scenes of the Oprah Show on the Oprah Winfrey Network (have you seen her office!). Regardless of your taste, nothing can ruin the experience worse than someone who lacks all TV-watching etiquette.
Proper TV Watching Etiquette
Now, some of you might be thinking, Modern Manners Guy, who really cares about TV-watching etiquette—it’s usually something you do alone or just with your partner. Though that may be true, there are a lot of situations in which I’ve found myself watching a big event–like the Super Bowl or Oscar’s–with a large group, and in those cases, I had wished my fellow TV-watching partners had been schooled in proper TV etiquette—so this one’s for them.
Without further ado, let’s tune into my top three tips for how not to annoy everyone around you and how to display proper TV watching etiquette.
Tip #1: Don’t Have The Tricky Remote Trigger Finger
I wish QuickAndDirtyTips.com was around when I was in college. Not only could Modern Manners Guy have helped my college friends and me tremendously but I’m sure some of my other hosts could have as well (Nutrition Diva would not be happy with our choices in food).
My one roommate was notorious for always flipping around during the commercial breaks. Doing that is fine when done in moderation, but never quite making it back to the show we were watching in time was not fine. I’ll never forgive him for making me miss the epic scene when Brenda confronts Kelly and Dylan on 90210.
(On a side note, he once flipped through and landed on the children’s show, “Teletubbies,” and the remote control got “stuck” (he claims); from that point on he was known as “Tinky Winky.” It’s stuck to this day.
When watching TV with others, it’s okay to flip around as long as you get back to the show before it starts. Since that can be a challenge, consider actually talking to your friends during the commercial. And before flipping channels at the end of the show, remember to wait for the scenes for the next episode (another thing Tinky Winky was awful at). Don’t make your friends shout “SCENES!!!” as a reminder.
Tip #2: Don’t Be a Chatterbox
I’ll admit I’m guilty of this one, and since realizing it, I have tried to change my unmannerly ways. I know there’s nothing more annoying than when someone constantly talks through a show. Sometimes, they like to show off their smarts by predicting what’s going to happen next: “He’s the killer, I can see it. Watch, he’s totally in the room hiding behind the bed.” Others like to doubt the show: “There is NO way he could jump from that moving car and tackle that guy on his motorcycle! No way!”
The best way to share some quality TV watching time with your friends or loved ones is to enjoy it together without saying everything your brain is thinking. Yes, you know they are behind the bed, but your friend may not, so don’t be rude and ruin it for them. And TV is entertainment, so yes, though you can’t actually jump off a moving car and actually land on top of a motorcycle without it falling over, let it slide and just enjoy the show.
If you are absolutely busting to talk about a scene, save it for the commercial break.
Tip #3: Don’t Eat the Loudest Foods Possible
There’s a time to crack walnuts and while watching TV with others is not one of them.
Even if you are watching TV in the comfort of your home, it’s always polite to think about the person next to you. Do you think they want to hear every crunch of that apple? Do you think they enjoy the clanging of your spoon against the ceramic bowl with every bite of ice cream? The last thing you want is for the evil character to reveal where he hid the money… and you not know the location until the next episode because you desperately needed that last Sun Chip.
Do you have a great story about any improper TV watching etiquette? Post them on my Modern Manners Guy Facebook page so we can all hear the details. As always, if you have another manners question, I’m look forward to hearing from you so drop me a line at manners@quickanddirtytips.comcreate new email. As well, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @MannersQDT. And of course, check back next week for more Modern Manners Guy tips.
Woman Watching TV image courtesy of Shutterstock