Bad TV

Sometimes when I am ready for bed, I have to go to sleep without my TV show of choice, "Law & Order". One network carries it several nights a week and I can easily drift off to sleep while listening to the episodes. Other nights I must find something else to lure me, including "Blue Bloods". BB pales next to L & O as far as writing and acting goes, but does the trick for aiding my sleep, or passing my time, as the case might be. 

Once in a while there is a desert of available programs along those lines for me so I switch to a sitcom. One such show is like a guilty pleasure, though pleasure might not be the best word. It is a horrible show, "The King of Queens", featuring Leah Remini, comedian Kevin James, and Jerry Stiller. Jerry played George's dad on "Seinfeld". Once in a while his real life wife, Ann Meara, appears as the mom of a family friend, Spence. On the order of "Seinfeld", the ensemble includes misfits, relatives, and friends from work. This show also crosses over to "Everybody Loves Raymond", as Doug is a long-time friend with Ray. 

The relationship between Carrie and Doug is fractious, not dissimilar from that of Debra and Raymond. The wife is the 'smart' one and the husband is portrayed as a bumbling dolt. Sometimes the morals of each spouse are questionable, as lying comes easily, doing dishonest things, thinking only of themselves, etc. To get ahead, anything is game, even taking advantage of Carrie's father, who lives in their basement. They hire a local dog walker to take Arthur out once a day for a walk. Arthur hangs out a Senior Center and bilks his fellow members out of money, telling them he will handle their traffic tickets, etc., but, of course, pockets the money instead. 

Doug is irresponsible in his marriage and relationships, but holds down a good job delivering for IPS, wearing a brown uniform. He is a big guy who loves to eat and watch sports on TV. Carrie works in a law office and clamors to move up in the company, no matter what she has to do to make it so. Sometimes their antics make me so uneasy that sleep is most welcome! I can listen to murder cases being solved and to court room drama much more easily than this wife belittling her already 'littled' husband. They say they love each other but it's hard to imagine sometimes. 

"The Middle" with messy kitchen counters 

A couple nights ago a program came on that I don't ordinarily watch but the remote control was over on the night stand and I didn't go to get it. The TV show is "The Middle" and the mom in that show is the one who played Debra on "....Raymond". Not being familiar with the premise, the family was taking a road trip and the mom had arranged with the neighbor to take in the mail. While they were on the road, the neighbor called to report their home had been broken into and ransacked. They came right back home to find the neighbor and police in the house, sickened and horrified at the terrible wreck they found. 

The bad part was---there was no break-in, this was how they left their home! It did look ransacked, and the policeman said the bad guys were animals for doing this to someone's home. Gulp! I turned the channel before seeing how it played out, if they used their vacation time to clean up their house or what. Glad that wasn't the last thing I saw before going to sleep, even though my desk isn't much better!