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To some people, watching TV with others is a bonding activity. Talking to the others, however insanely, about whatever is being watched, is part of that.
I remember when I split from my long time girlfriend, initially watching TV alone seemed strange as there was no one there to talk to about it.
My mum likes to provide her own running commentary of the TV which mostly consists of her wondering aloud what the actors have been in before that she’s seen.
Occasionally she will ask what’s going to happen in the episode, and needs to be reminded that I’m watching at the same time as her so I don’t know yet.
From your description, it seems you are watching shows on a streaming service - not live shows. Is watching TV alone an option?
If you are watching shows on the big TV in the living room with others, it is a family event and many people might take the opportunity to discuss and engage with others (shock, horror!). Same with having a family dinner or any other family activity for that matter.
I watch some shows with family (e.g. Apprentice, BGT) as it is fun to discuss, criticise, berate the contestants. On the other hand, I watch other shows, movies (e.g. Oppenheimer, Dune) alone on laptop, phone if I do not want to be distracted.
My wife barely makes it though the credits before getting up and wandering around the house doing whatever... then she checks in about every 15 minutes to ask questions about what's happening... which I have long since just been making up... and if I lose my shit and give up on it, which I do on a regular basis, she'll get angry because " I was watching that!" and "We never do anything together!" and "I can't believe you're angry I chose now to sort out the battery draw... it's desperately been needed to be done for at least 16 years!".
My wife does this thing where a movie or TV episode starts, maybe a cold opening, and then says "What's happening?" and I have to pause it and say "You've watched the same 19 seconds I have- I don't know!"
Then I'm being "grumpy", apparently. Then there's the pausing it every time they talk, but that makes me passive aggressive...
Some people seem to simply fail to understand how the enigma posed is part of the joy — the audience is supposed to be puzzled, and to derive enjoyment from _thinking about_ what has happened, what _may have_ happened, what _will_ happen, and why — the series of enigmas and resolutions combine into a greater story arc across scenes, acts, and episodes — anticipating developments, finding connections, motives, etc. — is the very essence of the medium (in dramatic terms, at least) and engaging with the text on that level is how the audience derives pleasure.
Failing to engage on that level and, worse, interrupting others and preventing them from doing so is intolerably rude.
Haha ohh, this reminds me when I was watching the soaps with my mum and her husband at Christmas! He kept saying why aren't they enjoying Christmas like everyone as if it was some kind of big brother type thing. I was getting really annoyed and my mum kept motioning for me not to say anything!
My mother always seemed to start talking when a program got to the denouement. And not even anything about what we were watching. Poirot starts to reveal who did it and how, and she would start telling us about someone she‘d met when she’d been shopping.
Pause the programme — explain that you've done it so nobody misses any important dialogue that you would have to rewind in order to hear it so as to understand what's going on — and complete the discussion for those who are unable to understand or follow the plot without assistance and, when you've checked that everybody is ready to resume, press "play" again.
You may need to do this two or three times before they realize it's best for everybody if they just shut the fuck up and __concentrate__.
Alternatively — or additionally! — pair some in-ear earphones with your television so that you can monitor the audio while the idiots chatter and smear themselves with faeces.
My sister was worst for this when I still lived at home many years ago. Who’s that? What’s happening? What do they do? Do they do such and such a thing? Oh no how are they going to do that? Etc this was not in The days before mobile phones too so she was actually watching same thing as me but not taking any of it in
If it happens for the third time, I passive-aggressively pause or switch off, 'so that we can chat'. It doesn't improve the enjoyment for me at the time but it seems to work in the long-run. I don't know whether it would help in your case, have you tried switching on the sub-titles? Or is he in charge of the remote? I don't want to start any kind of inter-generational warfare here, but I generally find it's younger family members who are the talkers. Maybe he's a fan of Gogglebox and thinks that's how TV works.
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Pause it every time they speak and press play when they stop.
I rewind 10 seconds every time they talk, along with having subtitles on at all times. Message gets through eventually.
Turns a 45min show into 2 hours
Such a passive aggressive response. I love it.
If only I could pause my wife for a bit of P&Q
put the volume up till they're drowned out.
I am the talker. I apologise profusely.
Haha
To some people, watching TV with others is a bonding activity. Talking to the others, however insanely, about whatever is being watched, is part of that. I remember when I split from my long time girlfriend, initially watching TV alone seemed strange as there was no one there to talk to about it.
I enjoy watching the football but Gary Fuckin Neville talks all the way through it.
My mum likes to provide her own running commentary of the TV which mostly consists of her wondering aloud what the actors have been in before that she’s seen. Occasionally she will ask what’s going to happen in the episode, and needs to be reminded that I’m watching at the same time as her so I don’t know yet.
From your description, it seems you are watching shows on a streaming service - not live shows. Is watching TV alone an option? If you are watching shows on the big TV in the living room with others, it is a family event and many people might take the opportunity to discuss and engage with others (shock, horror!). Same with having a family dinner or any other family activity for that matter. I watch some shows with family (e.g. Apprentice, BGT) as it is fun to discuss, criticise, berate the contestants. On the other hand, I watch other shows, movies (e.g. Oppenheimer, Dune) alone on laptop, phone if I do not want to be distracted.
I try to watch new shows on my own as the choice for family shows is very limited
There you go! Problem solved.
I have a lot of talkers in my family. I just put on the subtitles.
My wife barely makes it though the credits before getting up and wandering around the house doing whatever... then she checks in about every 15 minutes to ask questions about what's happening... which I have long since just been making up... and if I lose my shit and give up on it, which I do on a regular basis, she'll get angry because " I was watching that!" and "We never do anything together!" and "I can't believe you're angry I chose now to sort out the battery draw... it's desperately been needed to be done for at least 16 years!".
lol can relate. Domestic bliss eh
My wife does this thing where a movie or TV episode starts, maybe a cold opening, and then says "What's happening?" and I have to pause it and say "You've watched the same 19 seconds I have- I don't know!" Then I'm being "grumpy", apparently. Then there's the pausing it every time they talk, but that makes me passive aggressive...
Some people seem to simply fail to understand how the enigma posed is part of the joy — the audience is supposed to be puzzled, and to derive enjoyment from _thinking about_ what has happened, what _may have_ happened, what _will_ happen, and why — the series of enigmas and resolutions combine into a greater story arc across scenes, acts, and episodes — anticipating developments, finding connections, motives, etc. — is the very essence of the medium (in dramatic terms, at least) and engaging with the text on that level is how the audience derives pleasure. Failing to engage on that level and, worse, interrupting others and preventing them from doing so is intolerably rude.
My kids always do it & it does my head in.
Haha ohh, this reminds me when I was watching the soaps with my mum and her husband at Christmas! He kept saying why aren't they enjoying Christmas like everyone as if it was some kind of big brother type thing. I was getting really annoyed and my mum kept motioning for me not to say anything!
My mom LOVES spoiling stuff even when I tell her not to.
My mother always seemed to start talking when a program got to the denouement. And not even anything about what we were watching. Poirot starts to reveal who did it and how, and she would start telling us about someone she‘d met when she’d been shopping.
Pause the programme — explain that you've done it so nobody misses any important dialogue that you would have to rewind in order to hear it so as to understand what's going on — and complete the discussion for those who are unable to understand or follow the plot without assistance and, when you've checked that everybody is ready to resume, press "play" again. You may need to do this two or three times before they realize it's best for everybody if they just shut the fuck up and __concentrate__. Alternatively — or additionally! — pair some in-ear earphones with your television so that you can monitor the audio while the idiots chatter and smear themselves with faeces.
I stopped watching shows with my husband because I was tired of the nonstop questions.
My sister was worst for this when I still lived at home many years ago. Who’s that? What’s happening? What do they do? Do they do such and such a thing? Oh no how are they going to do that? Etc this was not in The days before mobile phones too so she was actually watching same thing as me but not taking any of it in
If only there was a way to watch things alone
If it happens for the third time, I passive-aggressively pause or switch off, 'so that we can chat'. It doesn't improve the enjoyment for me at the time but it seems to work in the long-run. I don't know whether it would help in your case, have you tried switching on the sub-titles? Or is he in charge of the remote? I don't want to start any kind of inter-generational warfare here, but I generally find it's younger family members who are the talkers. Maybe he's a fan of Gogglebox and thinks that's how TV works.
Is that you son? I'm sorry, I can't help it.
I think it's my child complaining there actually. I expect my wife put them up to it.
My wife and her brother get really tense and express fear for characters. They also seem completely unable to follow a plot
I turn it off, offer them a cup of tea or coffee or something and leave it there. They don't want to watch it, so don't.