Watching TV Watching

Television watching is often an activity that some will use in order to get away from the stresses of their daily life, using it as an excuse to sit down and relax. When TV watching is done in a group setting this dynamic changes. It becomes a social situation.

Often when watching TV as a group, people will talk through important plot points, paying attention to their friends instead of the story. Many times, the plot of the show being watched will launch a story from one of the viewers that will distract the rest of the group. When people watch TV they commonly discuss the show, as well as other things and eat. I find that I am more inclined to eat while watching TV in a group setting rather than alone.

I notice that people are more inclined to talk to their television when in a social setting; because they want their friends to know what they are thinking about the show they are watching.
Occasionally people’s actions are influenced by what they watch. During a lighter scene, people are more apt to get up, move around, and chat. During a darker scene, people are usually glued to their seats in anticipation of the drama that will come out of their show.

Depending on the group watching, the talk one hears among the viewers can vary. During a drama, people often ask each other about the plot and what they think might happen. They take this much more seriously than they would a comedy. Comedies cause people to launch into their own hilarious tales, as well as make comments about what is happening on TV.

Usually, most of the talk relates to television in one way or another. Whether the show inspires a conversation to arise or it directly relates to the plot of the show, the show still inspires the conversation because it is a common ground that everyone is thinking about.

When watching television in a group setting, the pressure is off the people to keep each other entertained. They can focus on the TV, and speak if they feel like it. The presence of a TV often relaxes a social situation. It is something that the people have in common. They are both watching the same thing. It can even be a bonding experience. I would not say that TV negatively impacts social situations, but it does change them.