Movies, TV shows I no longer appreciate as an adult

At the risk of sounding like a curmudgeon, I miss the way we used to consume television programming. 

We lived at the mercy of network executives, studying rating charts and market trends, who served as gatekeepers deciding what show or movie got what time slot. Television used to be a collective experience. We blocked off time each week for our certain programs and were eager to discuss them the next day at school or work. 

Cartoons, of course, were reserved for Saturday mornings, and I very much remember waking well before the sunrise to lay claim to the living room set. However, there were fewer let downs in life worse than tuning in for a favorite show and it being a rerun. 

The lack of control and the limited options ultimately gave the viewers more power, because if you didn’t like what was on the limited avenues for viewing, you simply turned the TV off and did something else. 

I’m afraid that now we, the viewers, have grown spoiled by the constant access and myriad of choices offered by the abundance of streaming services. This is no more evident than monitoring my own children’s viewing habits. There is no waiting until Saturday morning. They don’t even have to sit through opening theme songs or credits anymore. More programming can be binge watched in a day now than many of us used to consume in a week, or maybe even a month. 

Yes, I still hold the power to just turn it off, and I often do, to their chagrin. But alas, parenting is not a popularity contest. 

Now, I said all that to say this: I’ve noticed the type of shows and movies that younger me enjoyed are not the same as the present version of myself, the one trying to raise a family. My parents, particularly my mother, kept an ardent eye on the types of programming I consumed. Any show featuring loudmouthed, disobedient children was out, lest such behavior was mimicked. I’m not so strict, but there are some TV shows and movies I can no longer abide by. 

Here’s a few: 

Tom and Jerry: The classic cartoon about a never-ending game of cat-and-mouse between a cat and mouse just gets on my nerves. Tom is usually trying to mind his own business and then Jerry comes out of the wall and starts causing problems. What a little jerk. I now root for the cat every time.  

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: What student doesn’t dream of having a day like Ferris? In truth he’s a habitual liar and truant who really deserved to get caught in the end but didn’t. I once skipped Spanish class to get a gas station corn dog for lunch. Got busted. 

Dirty Dancing: Go watch that movie and really pay attention. Somebody should have put baby in the corner. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: I still like the Ninja Turtles. This show became a shared experience with my son and it inspired him to take up martial arts. But it’s just not as relatable in my current stage of life. Show me some Middle-Aged Mutant Trying to Pay the Mortgage Turtles.  

You can reach Kyle Dominy at k.l.dominy@gmail.com or write to 115 South Jefferson St. Dublin, Ga. 31021.