5. You Empathize with People

On Chopped, when people explain why they’re on the show, or tell a bit about themselves, it’s one of my husband’s and my favorite parts. We pick our favorite that way and then root for him or her. On The Next Food Network Star, every time someone screws up or makes something you think will be brilliant but ends up sucking, you empathize with them. I don’t know how many of Tom’s dishes I had my fingers crossed for that just blew it!

4. They’re Something to Look Forward To

Okay, I get looking forward to the next episode of your show. I usually have two shows for that myself—United States of Tara in the spring and Law and Order: SVU in the fall—so I already experience that a bit. When the shows are over, I feel a bit deflated for a bit and then forget about watching TV; now I have that sense of anticipation again. And while I don’t think that it’s the best source for such anticipation, it’s a pretty cheap one that I don’t have to leave my house for, at least.

3. I Can Watch Them with My Kid!

“My shows”—the ones I listed in the previous paragraph—are anything but kid-friendly, so I always have to make sure she’s asleep before they’re on. However, if she gets up while I watch these shows—or even if I DVR something and want to watch it with her—it’s perfectly fine. I don’t have to worry about her hearing foul language, see corpses, or any of the other things you can expect from “my shows.”

2. I Can Yap About Them with Others

I always looked at bonding over TV shows with contempt. It’s not that I’m a snob (I really hope not, anyway), it’s just that I’ve always valued other things much more than television. But now that I can talk about these shows with my sisters and friends, I guess I get the appeal. It is fun to discuss who you like the best, what dishes you saw, or even possibly doing the challenges at home or your next family gathering. (We’ve talked about doing a monthly Chopped-type event!)

1. They Help Me Relax

I suppose that’s the ultimate goal of television, isn’t it? And at the end of the day, I guess a bit of TV-watching isn’t all that bad for you—as long as it’s not interfering with time with your family, and it’s not taking up a huge chunk of your time (like the six hours a day many kids spend in front of media sources). A half hour here and an hour there does add up, I’m finding, so you do have to be careful.