The TV series, Heroes has just started showing on UK terrestrial (BBC 2). In fact, it just started 10 minutes ago. Despite the fact that I am an enormous fan of science-fiction and fantasy, I’m not watching it, and I have no intention of doing so. Why? I have nothing against the programme at all - in fact, I know very little about it, other than the basic premise [’ordinary’ people discovering they have superpowers]. It seems to have received almost exclusively positive reviews, has been nominated for awards, and is rated highly by people in the fan community whom I respect. I have no reason not to watch it. But it’s just the latest in a long line of popular programmes which I have avoided over the past few years.

[Possible spoilers for several TV series below]

I think it’s a problem of expectations. Good programmes are continually advertised and hyped. American programmes are reviewed, trailed and fanfic’d for months before we see them in the UK. Eventually, my expectations are so high that I’m almost sure to be disappointed. A series will be cancelled just as I’m beginning to enjoy it, a favourite character will leave, writing will decline, or the show will eventually become bogged down in over-complicated story arcs or characters’ personal problems which detract from the original concept. The X-Files, Spooks, Alias, Seven Days, Andromeda, Without a Trace and West Wing all suffered from one or more of these problems, and while they might not be an issue for most viewers, they have often been enough to make me turn off for good. Of course it’s unreasonable to expect that scripts are always perfect, or that actors stay with a show forever, but I’m an unreasonable person! I like things to stay the same. I want House to diagnose bizarre medical conditions and be mean to people every week; I don’t want him to engage in job-terminating wars with investors and police officers. Life has enough unpleasant surprises without spending my time worrying about what’s going to happen to people I don’t know, people who aren’t real, but who I like and sympathise with regardless.

Unfortunately, even if I do get involved with a series, sooner or later, it’s likely to do something which will really annoy me. I stopped watching all of the CSI flavours at the beginning of the most recent series of each: the enormously stilted relationship between Mac and the English woman in CSI: New York, the almost vomit-inducing thought of Gil and Sara romantically involved in CSI: Las Vegas, and worst of all, the now unbearable performance of David Caruso in CSI: Miami forced me to desert programmes I have enjoyed (and collected on DVD) since they began; and the character of Director Jenny Shepard has been an increasingly grating presence in the most recent series of NCIS (another series I have collected on DVD). I love police procedurals, but this insistence on adding pointless storylines about characters’ personal lives is irritating and detracts from the purpose of the show (solve crime!).

There are a few programmes that I have enjoyed though - I tend to buy anything I like a lot on DVD for repeat viewing, and because it’s usually good value in terms of viewing time:

• Doctor Who is a perennial favourite. We can argue about the relative quality between episodes or series if we want, but it’s always been unmissable viewing for me;
• Torchwood
  Episode quality varied in the first series, and I sometimes found the endless sex-related storylines tiresome, but it definitely has promise. Hopefully, Jack will have the monkey off his back a bit in the second series, after resolving his doctor issues. Won’t be buying either of these on DVD ’til the BBC comes up with a slightly less ridiculous pricing scheme, though;
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent. A brilliant procedural drama, which focuses the attention on how the crimes are committed and solved. Just bought Series 1 on DVD - 22 lovely episodes;
• The Invisible Man. Two series were made before cancellation; I bought the first on DVD, the second is only available through other channels;
• The Professionals. A pair of cops, car chases, gun-fights and an irascible superior - these are a few of my favourite things. The first 6 episodes have been ace, though the different DVD versions are confusing, and the picture quality isn’t always great;
• Bugs. Loved it when I was a kid, love it now. Available on DVD, but I haven’t been able to re-watch the cliffhanger final episode yet;
• Supernatural. A combination of spookiness and investigative work, with very little teen angst. What’s not to like?
• Firefly Possibly the best thing I’ve seen in the last 2 years. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve watched this series;
• Spooks I know I said it annoys me, but there’s a sweet spot somewhere, probably in the fourth series, where it gets back into the espionage thing with gusto. Completist that I am, I’ve been buying the series one at a time, waiting ’til the inevitable annoyance fades to a level where I can persuade myself to shell out for the next box set. Oh, and I also want to be Ruth;
• Hustle. I avoided it on TV, because of the hype, then caught the last episode of the third series on repeat, and had to see the whole thing. I capriciously went off it again, sight unseen, when Mickey left. Because of above-mentioned completeness issue, I’ll probably get Series 4 on DVD;
• Biker Mice from Mars. Don’t laugh - this was my best thing when I was wee. I’m pretty sure I wanted to marry Throttle. Some lovely person has put episodes up on YouTube.

I’ve also recently got (but not watched) Stargate Atlantis and Tru Calling. Things still on my wishlist (for now) include more Professionals, The Sentinel, Once a Thief and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.