While in college, I definitely used television as my main source of entertainment. Hey, it's a great way to wind down and avoid stress when you're an introvert. And honestly, there's a reason people like the cast of the Big Bang Theory get about a million dollars as their salary. People like watching TV. It gives us an opportunity to experience a life that we wouldn't have, and it's an escape from the mundane routine of studying, a nine-to-five job, or if you don't have the energy to move after working two part-time jobs.
In Germany, TV is...interesting. First of all, you can watch most of your favorite shows here. They might be a season behind but you'll get the gist, if you understand German. (You can watch the shows in English if you have access to British TV channels.)
I don't mind watching the shows in German. It helps me practice the language and I find that the more I watch, the more likely I'm to think in German instead of English. It's also interesting to compare the languages. It always seems to take three sentences longer to say something in German versus English when I'm watching the Big Bang Theory.
There are of course German TV shows that you won't find in the US. Some are really good. I personally like cozy murder mysteries, and there's a show called Donna Leon about a Venetian police detective that is funny and interesting. Then there's the reality shows. Ummm...there's not a lot to say about them. In the kindest way possible...a lot of them suck. It's incredibly obvious that the shows are scripted so it's really awkward to endure a whole episode. But the competitive reality shows are where it's at! I am obsessed with 4 Hochzeiten und eine Traumreise. Four brides go to each other's weddings, rate them, and the bride with the most points gets a free honeymoon trip. It sounds boring, but I swear it's not! It's hilarious to see these pretty ordinary people critiquing each other. Everyone's usually nice and it's really sweet to see the weddings. And then of course you have the entertainment of watching the one bride who gives someone 6/10 points because she didn't understand the theme.
This post isn't for people who are going to Germany for vacation. You should explore the country and the culture instead! But, if you're going to live here and are worried that you won't be able to enjoy one of your favorite pastimes, never fear! Watching TV is one of the things Americans and Germans have in common.
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