[e_sort]

both me and my dad, who is also hugely OCD though undiagnosed, are obsessed with Law and Order. i don't know if you know that show, but it is incredibly consistent with its formula. it's practically a ritual in and of itself.

strangers find the dead guy, cop scene, interview witnesses, go to the medical examiner, interview more witnesses, arrest someone, bail hearing, it's the wrong guy / jurisdiction / not the person "truly" responsible etc, sort out the problem, opening statements, witnesses testify, legal shenanigans "in chambers", closing statements, have you reached a verdict OR plea bargain with teary confession, crying / frowning, quip back at the office, end credits.

this has barely changed in 10 years. does anyone else watch this show? or have one like it?

[cantstopcrying]

100% addicted to all L&O shows!! Also House--someone is sick, misdiagnosed, cured.

[gimmeice]

I never really thought too much about my tv preferences being related to my ocd but now that you bring it up I can see where it probably does effect what shows I really like. I really love all the law an order shows, I remember once they changed the format and didn't show the verdict, I think it was law and order svu, the change really upset me. I also enjoy house for the same reason, it does follow a certain format. I think this is a very interesting subject.

[cantstopcrying]

Hey e-sort--you just found your dissertation!!

[e_sort]

Originally Posted by cantstopcrying

Hey e-sort--you just found your dissertation!!

yeah, cuz what I really need to be doing is watching more television :P

[cantstopcrying]

Yeah, but now it would be for research!

[digdug]

Cool topic...I really enjoy watching sports, which is strange because I'm not very athletic. But I especially enjoy football and baseball for the constant and consistent rhythm. When I was young I was obsessed with stats and collected sports cards of all kinds.

[e_sort]

i forgot about house. you're right, that show is also extremely formulaic. probably not as much as law and order, since they don't really get into anyone's personal lives (or not in the original at least, i frickin hate that SVU).

but yeah, house. someone keels over, opening credits, first doctor meeting, search the house, give some kind of treatment, horrible new symptom emerges, diagnosis is changed, patient is told of new diagnosis and is upset/happy, repeat from first treatment until person is cured or dies.

but there are too many other repetitive but not constant elements. sometimes some patient or family member gets all irritated with house's insensitivity. sometimes house "connects with a patient". sometimes cuddy has to settle a dispute.

you know i was watching law and order today and IT DID NOT START WITH A BODY. this is really going to screw up my diagram.

[digdug]

I hesitate to bring it up, but has anyone ever watched Monk? I just thought of it because it combines an OCD character with a formulaic plot structure.

OCDers seem to have mixed views about Monk. I'd be curious to hear people's thoughts.

[e_sort]

i've never watched it. mostly because it looks stupid. i guess it is kind of offensive, i mean, they don't make comedies about major depression or psychotic disorders, but honestly it is pretty low on my list of things to get outraged about.

he is in some kind of treatment though isn't he? i think i saw mention of a doctor in some promo or other. so maybe it's not as lighthearted as all that.

[cantstopcrying]

I enjoy Monk. It really isn't a comedy, it's more of a detective show, with his OCD thrown in. He is in treatment and I think it shows how debilitating OCD is because he can't touch things without having to have a wipe, and being in an elevator with other people touching his shoulders bothers him. They don't really make jokes about it--there are funny moments, but it's not really a comedy, IMO.

[digdug]

I'm not a regular watcher, but I have seen a number of episodes. It actually isn't offensive, imo...it's emphasized quite a bit that the main character is pretty much living in complete and constant misery.

I think it suffers mostly from cheaper production values...what it is on, USA? The writing is sometimes silly, though some of the crimes they come up with are quite clever. Also, it seemed to get a bit better production-wise later on, though I can say that for certain. I think it just doesn't have that "slick" look like L & O.

I think some people complain that Monk, the main character, isn't a convincing OCD case. I think that's a bit of a judgement call...they play up his compulsions more than his obsessions, but well, compulsions make for better television. And they do use his compulsions for humour, but in a pretty gentle way...they take the OCD issues serious enough.

[gimmeice]

I really like monk, it doesn't seem like they are making fun of ocd patients to me. Oddly enough monk gives me a little hope that you can accomplish a lot even with ocd.

[digdug]

Originally Posted by gimmeice

I really like monk, it doesn't seem like they are making fun of ocd patients to me. Oddly enough monk gives me a little hope that you can accomplish a lot even with ocd.

True, and the show is at its best when Monk solves cases "using" his OCD in a realistic way. It's true that people with OCD can be more perceptive about little details (oddly enough because something is "bothering" them), so when he steps into a crime scene and sees what others miss, it makes sense.

[jbug]

I guess I never thought about my T.V. viewing habits either and my OCD. I know I have my schedule also and it is also very rigid and quite obsessive with topics. If I am surfing through the T.V. guide and see a topic about say obesity I have to watch the show even though one of my other favorite T.V. shows is on.

Also I do love the Law and Order S.V.U. shows although I have to be careful due to other areas of my life. I like that they always get the bad guy in the end. I don't always like though that you don't see how much he gets it though like some of the reality shows. I like the Forensic shows also because they get their guy in the end also.

Jbug

[nightowl382008]

i wanted to say i love monk cause i feel like i can relate in some ways , i have 5 seasons of that show on dvd , hoping to buy more as they come out. It can be funny at times and sad at others. I hope it kind of puts a light on what its kind of like being OCD for the viewing audience.

[multipixie9]

someone said that they don't make fun of other disorders like they do ocd, however my daughter told me a new show is coming out called, "The United States of Tara" - a show on mpd/did!!! as someone who has mpd/did i find this makes me want to hurl just hearing about it. the lead character is supposed to have 2 other parts to her and it is a comedy. sure, what can be more fun than making a joke of something that happens to people only as a result of traumatic stress in early childhood? that is just as funny as can be, right?

i live with a spouse who refuses to believe that mpd/did exists. this show should do wonders for our marriage if we ever get stupid enough to watch it. which will not happen if i have any choice in the matter.

sorry for the rant, the persistent insensitivity to those of us with mental, emotional and physical challenges makes me very angry!!!!!!

[jeNeTeConnaisPas]

I have OCD really bad. And for television i can only watch law dramas, shows that are consistent like "cops" or the like. or infomercials, where ive seen every infomercial in history i can recite what they say as theyre demonstrating products...

i get aggitated watching new TV, e.g. reality shows. Drama and the unexpected, it is entertaining, but it does weird things to me. triggers me in a way.

i seem like a very disorganized person, but i compartmentalize alot.

[jeNeTeConnaisPas]

Originally Posted by multipixie9

someone said that they don't make fun of other disorders like they do ocd, however my daughter told me a new show is coming out called, "The United States of Tara" - a show on mpd/did!!! as someone who has mpd/did i find this makes me want to hurl just hearing about it. the lead character is supposed to have 2 other parts to her and it is a comedy. sure, what can be more fun than making a joke of something that happens to people only as a result of traumatic stress in early childhood? that is just as funny as can be, right?

i live with a spouse who refuses to believe that mpd/did exists. this show should do wonders for our marriage if we ever get stupid enough to watch it. which will not happen if i have any choice in the matter.

sorry for the rant, the persistent insensitivity to those of us with mental, emotional and physical challenges makes me very angry!!!!!!

I feel the same way. It isnt funny. There are movies and tv shows all over the place now where someone has an "alter ego" and its supposed to be mysterious or funny.

it bothers me the same way. Also, I dont appriciate Dr.Phil's shows. He has no respect for people. He just likes to exploit people for ratings. Sure, it can help to learn about these issues. but, at the same time, most of the people who watch it, either dont NEED to relate to it. or if they can relate to it, it just ends up being extremely triggering!.

He always mentions if children shouldnt watch the episode. But he never specifically says "This could be extremely triggering for some viewers".

hes a crock and i dont like him. ><

[Carzo10]

OMG!!! I thought I was the only one. I go crazy over L&O, CSI, 48 Hours, Cops, Missing, AMW, basicly anything to do with crime and law. I always feel like a rush of safty if I watch the whole show and see the ending. I know it's weird but I feel like these shows give me survival tips and life lessons.

[morenita]

Well, I have mild OCD and my favorite shows are Law and Order SVU, CSI Miami and New York, Prison Break, The Tudors, Gossip girl. I also watch latin telenovelas ( I am latina!),

[emkaybe]

Originally Posted by e_sort

both me and my dad, who is also hugely OCD though undiagnosed, are obsessed with Law and Order. i don't know if you know that show, but it is incredibly consistent with its formula. it's practically a ritual in and of itself.

strangers find the dead guy, cop scene, interview witnesses, go to the medical examiner, interview more witnesses, arrest someone, bail hearing, it's the wrong guy / jurisdiction / not the person "truly" responsible etc, sort out the problem, opening statements, witnesses testify, legal shenanigans "in chambers", closing statements, have you reached a verdict OR plea bargain with teary confession, crying / frowning, quip back at the office, end credits.

this has barely changed in 10 years. does anyone else watch this show? or have one like it?

Absolutely. I hadn't thought that my "addiction to all the Law and Order shows, reruns included, and the predictablility with the formula could be the reason I watch it so much.

[Maven]

I try not to judge a show (or book, movie, etc.) before I've seen it. Before I get into the shows I like in general, I want to address MONK and THE UNITED STATES OF TARA.

Neither show really makes fun of their character's disorders. I've watched both since the beginning.

First, MONK: This show has humorous elements, but it isn't specifically a comedy. It is very well done. Monk's misery with his disorder (as well as his past and the loss of his wife, Trudy, who truly loved and accepted him) is shown and he is shown as a sympathetic, intelligent and skilled character. OCD is played for humor, I think, to get people who normally would avoid a show about a mentally ill character to watch.

Unfortunately, MONK's last season is this summer.

Now, THE UNITED STATES OF TARA: I don't have DID, so I'm not speaking for those suffering from it. I watch these kinds of shows (and other shows), keeping in mind they may not reflect the reality of disorders, diseases, problems, addictions, etc. they depict. Not everyone does that, I know. But while Tara's "alters" can be amusing, they're not always, and they cause a great deal of stress for her and her family. Her sister doesn't quite understand, and until a recent event, she thought Tara was fully conscious of when she became these alters and chose to act that way, rather than essentially becoming another person. Her husband is very supportive, but he has trouble dealing with it sometimes. She has a homosexual son and a rebellious daughter who, as teenagers, have difficulty with how it affects their lives, but they are also very loving of their mother. Again, I think the humor aspect (which isn't offensive, to me) is to get people to watch who might normally avoid such a subject.

Other shows I love: Law & Order: SVU, Lie to Me, Food Network Challenge (when they feature cakes, desserts or sweet things only), House Hunters, House Hunters International, Medium, and Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (which isn't on right now, but I know there's a new season coming).

Other shows I like: 24, Real Time with Bill Maher, The View (I mostly get annoyed with the women, but I like some of the topics), The Tyra Banks Show (again, I like her sometimes, but she also annoys me, and I watch when there's an interesting topic), The Big Bang Theory, Dr. Phil (I hate him, but again, if the topic's interesting...), and Reaper.

Sometimes I like other shows on Food Network (Ace of Cakes, Paula Deen, etc.) and HGTV (the Unsellables, Property Virgins, My First Place, etc.), but I don't watch every episode...I don't watch every episode of House Hunters and HH International, but those are faves. Sometimes I watch 20/20, Dateline and other news shows if the topics are interesting. I also sometimes catch Parking Wars, World's Dumbest... and I just discovered Operation Repo.

My boyfriend and I also watched Battlestar Galactica, but that just went off, except for the special thing this summer, where we see the events from the Cylons' point of view.

I watch a lot of documentaries on various topics, including sexuality, some GLBTQ issues, discrimination, free speech, freethought, tattooing/body modification, animals and animal rights/welfare, mental illness, history, etc.

As for formulaic shows, that pretty much covers all shows, including so-called "Reality" shows. Most of those, if not all, are at least partially scripted, and things happen on a schedule. Take Wife Swap and Supernanny, for instance. I don't watch these shows as much anymore, or I'll watch until everybody's happy (then it gets boring), and I haven't clocked them, but you can probably put it down to the minute when this or that's going to happen. There are exceptions, such as a family that had been on WS before that was put on the show again with another repeat family. Normally, the wife and/or husband will see the value of the "New Mommy" near the last 20-15 minutes of the show, but the husband of one of those families that were brought back never changed (and his wife wasn't much better)...although he did learn something in the show where he came back. (He was still a jerk, though.) But these shows have conflict, then there's a point where someone is told (by the producers, even though that's not shown) to go talk to another person and to try to sway them to another point of view, and then people keep fighting but eventually everything gets happy-happy. At the end of WS, when they sit at the table, they generally go back to fighting, then recap what they've learned. It gets predictable and boring, which is why I don't watch so much anymore.

[VanillaBean]

I have OCD (just dxed) and have always been ridiculously obsessed with Cold Case Files, Forensic Files... any show having to do with solving a grisly murder. So of course I love L&O.

When I was young I became obsessed with the Pink Panther cartoons - the ones where he didn't talk (I was so ticked off when I saw him talking in a more recent cartoon! He sounded so dumb... lol). I watched them over and over again and memorized EVERY ONE. His actions, the actions of whatever other character(s) showed up, even the sounds they made, and the music. Then I would walk around humming the theme constantly. My poor mom! Haha

[Maven]

How I loved the Pink Panther (yes, the REAL one who doesn't talk or have a son!) when I was a kid. And I danced to that theme every show! LOL!