"What Did He Say?..."

I don't enjoy watching television with others. This is less the case with televised sports, but it still mostly holds true. Among scripted shows, I most enjoy those with a) several different stories being told simultaneously, b) dense, quick dialogue, c) aspects of the stories told through visual cues as well as dialogue), d) an ensemble cast, and e) an understanding - if not an appreciation - of historical factors that influence the story being told. The most obvious example would be The West Wing. My appreciation for the show is only growing as I listen to the commentaries for the the first two seasons. Other such shows include Arrested Development and Community.

When watching television with others, the chances of no one talking for the entire 22 or 42 minutes is nearly zero. Someone is going to say something, whether it related to the show or not. Inevitably, they and/or you will end up not paying attention to the show, be it dialogue or a visual cue. Realizing they missed something potentially important, your friends ask, "What did he say?" You then have to recite the dialogue for them. In the process, you miss more of the show. When you're watching shows that demand your constant and full attention, interruptions like this only serve to diminish what should be an enjoyable experience. With a show like Arrested Development, much of the humor is subtle, and can be very easy to miss unless you're paying full attention.

For example: here's a video of Henry Winkler's character, Barry Zuckercorn, jumping over a toy shark. In of itself, why would you consider this funny, or even something noteworthy? You probably would, if you realized that the term "jumping the shark" - which now refers to a moment or an episode in which a television series is thought to have become over-the-top ridiculous - originated from an episode of Happy Days in which Henry Winkler's character, Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli literally jumps over a shark. Zuckercorn jumping over the toy shark is a nod to the audience, effectively breaking the fourth wall.

In another episode of Arrested Development, Byron "Buster" Bluth tries to injure himself by standing in the way of a falling wall from one of the Bluths' model homes. Fortunately (or unfortunately, if you asked Buster), the spot where Buster was standing on the ground is where the window portion of the wall came down, leaving Buster unharmed. Again, funny moment, but so what, right? Well, if you understand the history of film and comedy, you might know that the legendary Buster Keaton's film Steamboat Bill, Jr. featured this scene. Little revelations like that, at least for me, make shows like Arrested Development that much more enjoyable.

As for televised sports, it completely depends on which teams are on the court, and who the commentators are. I'm a big fan of the X's and O's of basketball, and cherish any opportunity to learn more. To that extent, I try and listen whenever Bob Knight calls a college basketball game. He's a great teacher of the game with a proven track record. Listening to him talk about the subtle things gives me a greater appreciation for the game. Even though he's a homer, I very much enjoy listening to Phil Chenier call Wizards games.