Television around the world

Before I started this job, I used to love returning home after a long day in the office and turning on the TV for some mindless entertainment.  Most nights, I had at least one show that I enjoyed watching.  Before falling asleep, my nightly routine always involved either "Watch What Happens Live" or a syndicated episode of "Friends" - even if I had already seen it ten times before.  I don't think I ever spent a night at home in the United States without watching at least some TV. 

On the nights that I went out after work, I was comfortable knowing that the DVR would record anything important. But, I still felt like I was missing out the next day when people would talk about what they watched the night before.  TV is an important part of the American culture and the popular shows are often a topic of conversation among my colleagues and friends. 

Everything changed when I started this job because the TV selection at hotels around the world are usually terrible!  I remember sitting in Mexico, where the only English channel was broadcasting awful shows like "2 Broke Girls" or "Mike and Molly".  I don't care how bored I am - I cannot watch that stuff. 

In most countries, I have seen shows that I recognize but the words are often dubbed in the local language.  Admittedly, I do find it amusing when the dubbed voices are so different than the real person.  I actually started laughing out loud once in Spain when the person speaking as Perez Hilton sounded all butch and masculine.  Another example is the Simpsons characters, which just sound wrong in other countries.

In India, one of my colleagues was watching "Bad Teacher" and noticed a scene where Cameron Diaz started smoking and a warning scrolled across the screen that said: "Smoking Kills".  Despite the strange warnings about smoking and drinking, India actually had a good selection of English channels, including HBO.  (This is a good thing in a place where no one wants to leave the hotel).   

Tanzania, surprisingly, offered one of the best TV selections that I can remember because there were a couple channels that showed Canadian movies (in English) throughout the day.  Most of them were low-budget, but at least I could understood them and was entertained by something new.

During my travels, I rarely turn on the TV in my room and I normally only notice the channel selection when I am using the gym equipment.  More often than not, I am forced to watch CNN International, Al Jazeera (in the Middle East), BBC news (in Europe), or Bloomberg (when I am really lucky).  None are very engaging, but at least Bloomberg keeps my attention on the treadmill as the stock prices and currency rates scroll across the bottom of the screen. 

I have grown to hate CNN International because they mostly show 'special' segments like "African Voices", which does not interest me in the least bit.  Plus, they have these annoying personalities like Richard Quest, with his annoying voice, and Christiane Amanpour, with her elaborate British prose.  For me, the only reasons to watch CNN is for Anderson Cooper and Candy Crowley! 

Annoying Richard Quest

Incredible Anderson Cooper

I have recently been watching BBC news in the morning because they have a segment where they scatter global newspapers across the desk and comment on various stories.  It's almost like watching people making fun of the daily news with friends over a coffee. 

I finally had a few hours to relax on Sunday, so I decided to check out a new show called Betrayal.  One of the main themes is corruption in Chicago and it grabbed my attention with so many suspenseful moments in the first episode alone.  After three episodes, I'm hooked.  This morning, I searched for some reviews and noticed that the show was referenced in an article titled: "Cancellation clock is ticking for a handful of new series."  Why doesn't anyone else like my favorite shows?!?   

Reading this article took me right back to last year, when I discovered 6 episodes of Ringer on a flight from Abu Dhabi to Chicago and instantly became hooked.  I returned home and spent the next week streaming the entire season, just to learn that it had been cancelled due to low ratings! Gah!!

It was not until this past weekend that I realized the 2013 premier season had come and gone without fanfare.  It is just another example where my job constantly forces me to change daily routine and adapt to new environments.  I can't just turn on the TV and expect to find any of my favorite shows.  I no longer have the opportunity to discuss my favorite shows with colleagues at lunch every day.    

Americans are so distinct from the rest of the world in their love of TV.  For me, it is like comfort food.  When I am out of the country, TV is not an important part of my day.  However, there are still some evenings when I love ordering room service and just relaxing in my room with my favorite shows.