What's with the movies on the "Time of Life" channels??

[mjr]

So...my wife hates those types of movies. They all seem like they're "made for TV".

But what's the deal with those? How many women really watch (and enjoy) them? Are they really that popular? And with the titles of some of them, I'm like, "do a lot of women really have this fear?"

i was flipping channels over the weekend, and saw two movies listed on two of these channels back to back. I read the descriptions, and I was like, "WTF?"

I mean, are these supposed to be "ice cream and cookie dough" movies?

I don't get it. The Mrs. doesn't, either.

Can someone explain?

[Android Kaeli]

The only movie I actually liked watching on that channel, was the movie that was made for that cat that's always grumpy. Out of that I can't see how women -- or anyone in general -- can watch the movies on that channel and not think "wasn't this the plot of six other movies but now it's with different actors and a few different twists?". The only reason why I do watch any movies on that channel, is because my aunt loves those movies and she's the type that likes chick flicks and over the top romantics.

I'm a woman but give me sci fi, fantasy, action/adventure, Michael Bay explody type movies any day.

[Trixie]

Not a chick flick kind of gal either. My niece goes nuts over the Christmas movies. I know other people do to. To me they're all the same store. Now I do admit that do rarely like a good cheesy romance but usually one of those Harlequin books. I can't sit through any of those movies. I also don't get the whole women and wine mystique which seems to fall into that category, too. But that can be a whole other topic.

[mjr]

Some of those movies would probably remind me of an interaction from the TV Show "The Big Bang Theory" when Howard and Bernadette were with Raj and they're looking for something specific for Raj's astrophysics work.

Bernadette: "You mean we're just going to sit here and look at a screen and wait for something to happen?"

Howard: "I did it with you when we watched 'The Notebook'."

[LadyofArc]

I think the only one of those movies I know of aside from the Grumpy cat one was from a Jodi Picoult novel (not My Sister's Keeper, that at least made it to Australian theatres) - Plain Truth.

Have not seen it, but the description sounds about right. (that said, Plain Truth is probably one of her better novels)

[MoonCat]

If those are the "woman meets annoying man, man is attracted to woman, woman eventually realizes they are Teh Soulmates OMG and he carries her off into the sunset" type of movies, no, those things gag me. I like science fiction and fantasy (if well done, not cheesy He-Man shit), where if there's a romance it's not the central plot point.

[notalwaysright]

I haven't had cable for a long time, but I remember those type of shows. I always thought of them as like, B movies. They exist only for me to put on and laugh at while tipsy. Nothing deeper than that. See, 30 Rock had it right. They are movies you watch while not quite in your right mind.

[Racket_Man]

LOng time ago (before we got together say 14 years ago) my GF used to watch those channels a lot. Yeah back then they were named the "Victim Channel"

[Pixelated]

LOng time ago (before we got together say 14 years ago) my GF used to watch those channels a lot. Yeah back then they were named the "Victim Channel"

Many years ago, I was fishing for Christmas ideas for my SIL.

Me: "Does she like books?"

Bro: "Yeah ..."

Me: "Well, what kind?!"

Bro: "The kind where women suffer and men are shits ..."



I took that to my local bookstore and the staff member couldn't stop laughing. "You're gonna have to narrow that down a bit ..."

Some years ago, somebody gave me a book like that as a parting gift. I suspected from the blurb on the back I wouldn't like it, but tried it anyway. However ... heroine is an amateur detective back around the early 1900s. Heroine is engaged to Filthy Rich Bad Boy, even though Filthy Rich Good Guy (FRBB's twin brother) loves her to distraction.

Heroine goes looking for something urgent (IIRC it was a nude painting of her own self ... WTF?! ) on her wedding day. Cue Admiral Akhbar: "IT'S A TRAP!!" She gets herself out and rushes to the church, even though it's now drastically past the time for her wedding. She finds FRBB and tries to explain.

He spurns her, with an emo that would do credit to any Drama Queen, telling her that she has humiliated him in front of everybody and she obviously doesn't love him and they are DONE.

So wait ... your bride-to-be was trapped and held prisoner (although the person responsible wasn't around ... at the moment, anyway); and you don't even think to ask if she's okay?? Because it's all about YOUUUUUU?!?

I threw the book across the room.

Needless to say, she spends a significant part of the rest of the book trying to get him back.

Spoiler: she succeeds.

Analysis: she's an idiot.

Yeah, not my kinda books/movies either.

[Deserted]

"Lifetime": We just fell into the doorknob of quality. Really.

I wish I could find the actual comic, but alas, Something*Positive has been running for 16+ years.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

LOng time ago (before we got together say 14 years ago) my GF used to watch those channels a lot. Yeah back then they were named the "Victim Channel"

And that's mostly when I stopped watching the channel. It used to be good, especially the two part (or more) miniseries based on true crime (one of my fave genres) but frankly it's devolved into potraying women as victims. Frankly the plotlines have more holes than a slice of Swiss . . . and the acting just as bad.

I'd rather watch the documentaries on Investgation Discovery or binge watch either SVU or Chicago PD.

[morgana]

I'd rather watch the documentaries on Investigation Discovery)

Amen! At least I can learn something, and I don't end up screaming things like, "WHAT are you doing, you stupid bitch?!" at the screen.

[mjr]

Seriously...look at the descriptions of some of these movies...

"Fatal Defense"
"After a home invasion, a single mother signs up for self-defense classes from a handsome martial arts instructor. But when her instructor develops a frightening obsession with her, he orchestrates an increasingly deadly array of "tests" to see if she has truly learned from his lessons. Stars Ashley Scott, David Cade, Laurie Fortier, and Sherylin Fenn. (2017)"

"Deadly Ex"
"When Gary Emerson reconnects with his high school girlfriend Valerie over a kiss at their reunion, he has no idea that Valerie took that kiss as in invitation to rekindle their youthful romance and has followed him cross-country to fan the fire of their old flame. Gary makes it clear that he and his wife Jenna are working on their marriage and that he will never love Valerie. This is unacceptable to Valerie, and now Jenna and Gary must fight for their lives and the safety of their two children while Valerie seeks retribution in her reign of terror. Natasha Henstridge, Marguerite Moreau, Jason Gerhardt, Sammi Hanratty star. (2016)"

I mean, seriously??

[LadyofArc]

And that's mostly when I stopped watching the channel. It used to be good, especially the two part (or more) miniseries based on true crime (one of my fave genres) but frankly it's devolved into potraying women as victims. Frankly the plotlines have more holes than a slice of Swiss . . . and the acting just as bad.

I'd rather watch the documentaries on Investgation Discovery or binge watch either SVU or Chicago PD.

Heh, my latest PD of choice has been Instinct. Something about Alan Cumming...