I’ve got my eyes (box) set on you…

Anyone who knows me knows I’m a sucker for a box-set. Seriously, Christmas and Birthdays, all I need is a good box-set of one of my favourite shows and I’m done. See, I’m a ‘serial re-watcher’ which basically means that regardless of how many times I’ve seen my favourite show, I always have the capacity for another re-watch. Sometimes, in the case of The Big Bang Theory, I want the box-set because I simply need it to keep up with the sheer amount of episodes; in fact, The Big Bang Theory is one of those shows I’ve stopped watching live because I would rather wait for the box-set and then binge in one go, much to the delight of my housemates who absolutely love the theme tune (not really). When you’re a perpetual box-set viewer like me, there comes a time when you have to start categorising them, which usually determines how I consume them. So, I present to you my top three collections and just why these box-sets are among my most battered and bruised from the sheer amount of viewings.

Classic Sitcoms 

Quite possibly the reason I have so many box sets, the Classic Sitcom section is probably my most watched. By far, my two prized possessions are ‘Father Ted: The Definitive Collection’ and ‘The Royle Family: The Complete Collection’. Those two sitcoms are in a league of their own in my opinion. They never fail to cheer me up and I never fail to notice something new to laugh at every single episode. From Ted standing in a compromising position behind a perfectly square black mark on the window to Jim and Twiggy decorating to Lou Bega’s Mambo No. 5 you physically can’t not love these characters and their never-changing ways.

Doctor Who

Yes, I know this is just one show, but I love it so much that I simply had to subcategorise it (and plus, the amount of box-sets I have for this simply dictates so). To put it plainly: I’m what some would call a ‘Whovian’. Although I watch every live episode with all of my concentration, the plots are so cleverly thought-out and complex that sometimes a second (or fifty-second) viewing is necessary. For me, Doctor Who provides escapism that I can’t find with many other shows; it takes you quite literally out of your boring living room and transports you to both alien planets and literally brings all of that history you learnt in school to life. Quite frankly, there’s nothing like Doctor Who and I doubt there ever will be.

Documentaries

If TV is one thing, it’s educational. I am yet to find anyone who doesn’t like chilling out to a solid David Attenborough documentary. One of my favourite shows which managed to mix being educational and entertaining is An Idiot Abroad. Sending the ultimate ‘grump’ to the world’s most beautiful and unique places was a stroke of genius from Gervais and Merchant. Karl is probably the only person who can find faults in everything. Take the Inca Trail, one of life’s true achievements; Karl gives up right at the end because he can see it, and isn’t really that impressed. Trying the impress the unimpressible can only lead to entertainment, impressive sights and above all, cringing.

What's your most prized Boxset??

Contributed by Helen Daly