What TV show should I watch with my friend while Skype-chatting?
June 17, 2015 10:36 AM Subscribe
A friend and I have a tradition of watching RuPaul's Drag Race (and its companion show Untucked) "together" while Skype-chatting. Now that season 7 is over, what other shows would lend themselves to watching this way?
Competition reality TV seems tailor-made for our needs, since there is a formula to the show so we have some idea of when we can look away to read/type our Skype chats. The Amazing Race, Top Chef, Face Off (on SyFy), and Project Runway would all probably work well, but I've unfortunately seen them already. I'm not opposed to scripted TV, but I do worry that we would inadvertently miss jokes or important plot points.
Here's what we love about Drag Race (besides everything): It's funny, it's a competition (so we feel invested in the ultimate outcome), it's available online to stream, and there are lots of easily-predictable moments where we can look away from the video screen to the chat window. We both enjoyed Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Breaking Bad, Pushing Daisies, Twin Peaks...basically most of the acclaimed season-long-arc dramas (and I've seen lots of them already), but I'm not sure how well they would work for watching while Skype-chatting. I hate to miss important things! We also enjoy comedies like Arrested Development, but I don't want to miss any of the visual jokes! We've kicked around the idea of watching The X-Files this way (which I haven't seen all of), but I'm worried it's too visual and unpredictable for our purposes.
Ideally, our next show would be available to stream online via Netflix, Hulu+, or Amazon Prime, but I'll take any suggestions in case shows become available later.
I am by no means a TV snob, so I'm willing to entertain suggestions from any genre of television.
Has anyone else done this successfully with any particular shows before? I'd love your recommendations!
Competition reality TV seems tailor-made for our needs, since there is a formula to the show so we have some idea of when we can look away to read/type our Skype chats. The Amazing Race, Top Chef, Face Off (on SyFy), and Project Runway would all probably work well, but I've unfortunately seen them already. I'm not opposed to scripted TV, but I do worry that we would inadvertently miss jokes or important plot points.
Here's what we love about Drag Race (besides everything): It's funny, it's a competition (so we feel invested in the ultimate outcome), it's available online to stream, and there are lots of easily-predictable moments where we can look away from the video screen to the chat window. We both enjoyed Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Breaking Bad, Pushing Daisies, Twin Peaks...basically most of the acclaimed season-long-arc dramas (and I've seen lots of them already), but I'm not sure how well they would work for watching while Skype-chatting. I hate to miss important things! We also enjoy comedies like Arrested Development, but I don't want to miss any of the visual jokes! We've kicked around the idea of watching The X-Files this way (which I haven't seen all of), but I'm worried it's too visual and unpredictable for our purposes.
Ideally, our next show would be available to stream online via Netflix, Hulu+, or Amazon Prime, but I'll take any suggestions in case shows become available later.
I am by no means a TV snob, so I'm willing to entertain suggestions from any genre of television.
Has anyone else done this successfully with any particular shows before? I'd love your recommendations!
Ink Master. Available on Hulu. My boyfriend and I were obsessed with it for a while.
posted by Juliet Banana at 10:53 AM on June 17, 2015
posted by Juliet Banana at 10:53 AM on June 17, 2015
Project Runway and Top Chef are go-to indulgence TV for my boyfriend and I. And we love to talk during shows (because we're Satan incarnate), so they're easy to chat/predict/freak out about.
posted by easter queen at 11:06 AM on June 17, 2015
posted by easter queen at 11:06 AM on June 17, 2015
Adding America's Next Top Model to that list, as well as The Bachelor/ette (if you're into that kind of thing, I'm not quite but watched it a bit last season and it was definitely casual junk food watching). Any of the Kardashian shows would also qualify, I'd imagine.
But I stand by Top Chef and Project Runway as indulgent reality TV that also has some legitimately interesting content (delicious food, pseudo-amateur-designer clothes!) ANTM is a little more lightweight, but Tyra is never boring.
posted by easter queen at 11:08 AM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
But I stand by Top Chef and Project Runway as indulgent reality TV that also has some legitimately interesting content (delicious food, pseudo-amateur-designer clothes!) ANTM is a little more lightweight, but Tyra is never boring.
posted by easter queen at 11:08 AM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Love & Hip Hop Atlanta is one of the most bewildering reality shows I've ever watched, and reminds me a lot of RuPaul in the extreme factor.
posted by yueliang at 11:14 AM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by yueliang at 11:14 AM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
I do this (with texting) with a good friend for the Bachelor/Bachelorette/Bachelor in Paradise shows. Definitely the ridiculous/trashy levels are high here, but we enjoy it. :)
posted by rainbowbrite at 12:34 PM on June 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by rainbowbrite at 12:34 PM on June 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
From personal experience, a bad tv show that allows for a lot of snarking can be good fun - I (in London) and a friend (in NYC) watched almost every episode of Walker Texas Ranger over Skype. I regret nothing.
posted by Partario at 12:47 PM on June 17, 2015
posted by Partario at 12:47 PM on June 17, 2015
There's no season arcs, but Chopped is on Netflix and might fill some of the same things Top Chef did for you.
posted by deludingmyself at 2:29 PM on June 17, 2015
posted by deludingmyself at 2:29 PM on June 17, 2015
It's not a competition show, but Mythbusters might suit you. The fun, explody bits are usually telegraphed way in advance.
Plus, rumor has it that Adam Savage lurks on Metafilter using a sooper-sekrit code name.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 2:51 PM on June 17, 2015
Plus, rumor has it that Adam Savage lurks on Metafilter using a sooper-sekrit code name.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 2:51 PM on June 17, 2015
You've seen the US PR, but have you seen the Australian version? It was on YouTube a while back.
Also Tim Gunn had a version with some previous contestants mentoring designers. I know the infamous Anya was one of the mentors.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 3:22 PM on June 17, 2015
Also Tim Gunn had a version with some previous contestants mentoring designers. I know the infamous Anya was one of the mentors.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 3:22 PM on June 17, 2015
RuPaul is a judge on Skin Wars, a body painting competition. His presence is the only reason I watched season one, but I ended up getting into the artistry and creativity of the competition. Season Two just started!
posted by missmary6 at 8:20 PM on June 17, 2015
posted by missmary6 at 8:20 PM on June 17, 2015
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posted by The Master and Margarita Mix at 10:53 AM on June 17, 2015