Gripe, gripe, gripe.........

OK -- I don't watch much TV, at least not directly.  The television is usually just background noise while I'm working online.  And when it's my choice -- it's often either FOX news or the History Channel (or something similar).  However, when your Significant Other likes the types of movies which are regularly featured on the Hallmark Channel -- and you are force-fed with them in the process -- then you begin to notice certain things.

(Heh - and she even agreed with me about this one.......)

How many times can the Hallmark Channel write the same story over an over again?!!!!!  The plot line always involves a personally conflicted big-city type who has to go off (usually unwillingly) to a farm / ranch somewhere in rural Montana / Arkansas / Idaho / Wisconsin in order to 'find' themselves.  Of course, you always have the standard roster of stock characters, too -- the Friendly Old Codger / Mentor who has worked on the farm / ranch for the past 50 years; the Local Yokle Love Interest (male or female -- depending upon the opposite gender of the main character); the Rebellious Unhappy Child (sometimes a teenager); the Evil Villan (ordinarily an Evil Capitalist who has nefarious designs on taking the farm away so that they can build a strip mine & destroy the Environment while Getting Rich, or getting Richer -- and oh, yeah: then Evil Villan always wants to kill of the pretty wild horses, too); the Long Lost Relative (father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, father/mother-in-law, aunt, uncle, cousin, brother, sister......whoever) with whom one had a falling out many years ago -- and with whom one now has an estranged relationship which will always get worse before it gets better throughout the running time of the movie (everyone ultimately -- and inevitably -- hugs each other at the end of the movie.  All is forgiven).  And of course -- hanging around in the background -- there's always the standard collection of "local flavor" Small Town Simple Country Folk who live an idyllic small town simple country life -- all smiles and sunshine, in contrast to the horrible city life that the main character came from.

The plot line invariably involves learning to take care of animals in some form or fashion.......animals which the Evil Villan lusts to chop up into dog food and / or ship off to the glue factory or fur coat manufacturer.  The main character always ends up milking cows; slopping hogs (although these types of stories usually avoid pigs -- not cute enough :m_pig:); feeding goats/sheep; riding / grooming horses; and raising puppies.

There's the standard Town Gathering / Family Reunion scene at about the middle of the movie -- where the Small Town Simple Country Folk smilingly dance to country & western tunes, obviously knowing in themselves that life is so much better for them than it is for the city slickers.  Of course: the Small Town Simple Country Folk always look like they are all actually from LA, and that they've been dressed up in cowboy boots and hats for the occasion.

The main character -- without fail -- Comes To Realize that life can only be lived to its fullest on a farm / ranch in Montana.  Or in Nebraska.  Or Iowa.  Or..........

Of course, the story happily resolves itself in 1.5-to-2 hours (with breaks for commercials).  The main character obtains personal peace; reconciles with the Long Lost Relative; and marries the Love Interest.  The Rebellious Child (teenager) Comes to Realize the Error of Their Ways, and Sees the Light -- going on to joyously milk cows and ride horses.  And, one would assume, attend a red one-room country schoolhouse with a bell rope.  The Evil Villan capitalist is forced to eat dirt and die.  And the **Friendly Old Codger / Mentor **looks on with approval as all of these events transpire, offering occasional Sage Advice -- usually to the Rebellious Child.

Tell me: HOW many times can Hallmark write that story?  How many times?????

Grrrrrrrrrrr........!!!!!!  :m_whine:

Oh, well......I suppose that it could be worse.  I could be watching Democratic political debates on CNN..........:m_thumbd:

Good thing that I've got online work to do every night.  As I've already mentioned: the television set can be mentally tuned out: it becomes background noise.

Something To Do At 3:00AM