TV Watchers Get ÔSeriousÕ

Third-party research commissioned by LG has identified a phenomenon called the Weird Sick Aberrant Serious Watcher. “Many Americans will do almost anything to watch their favorite content,” the study warns.

Nearly one in three said they would break up with their significant other for spoiling the ending of a beloved show. Another 42 percent say they know more about favorite characters than about their own friends. Three-quarters miss social events to allow more TV time.

Thirty-seven percent skip their own children’s birthday parties, sporting events, school plays, or PTA meetings if they conflict with an important show. Twenty-two percent have missed multiple events. A whopping 82 percent sometimes put kids to bed early—and 59 percent do so routinely—to get them out of the TV den. One-third would cut short a family trip.

Employers, please note: 80 percent of these folks watch TV at work, 24 percent have called in sick to watch TV, and 20 percent have missed a deadline while “working” at home.

Serious Watching “is a way of life” among millennials, says the study. It plays a part in the love lives of 78 percent, and more than a third include favorite shows in their dating profiles. Eighty-three percent have skipped a party to stay home and watch TV.

The research, from an undisclosed but surely unimpeachable source, did not tackle what activities people skip to listen to vinyl.

“TV consumption today is no longer a passive, leisurely American activity,” says LG exec Michelle Fernandez. “Consumers have heightened emotional connections to their favorite shows and characters, and it’s woven into their everyday lives. Recognizing this phenomenon early on, LG was the first to introduce the transformative OLED technology to television, enabling the Serious Watcher to enjoy their favorite entertainment on the TV that’s been hailed by experts as the best ever.”

Well, that should help.