MSCL.com

Can you estimate how many times you've watched the entire show?

I've discovered the show about 10 months ago. I think I've watched it 4 times thus far (granted, the frequency is going to drop radically as of right now).

How do you watch the show when you want to get some MSCL dose?
Do you just watch a single episode? do you revisit the entire 19 episodes each time?

Please share your habits

I discovered MSCL like a year ago, and since then I think I've watched the whole series times. I think the Graham/Patty scenes are really boring so I usually skip them. Those scenes are of course important for the show but I kind of just watch MSCL for Rayanne

I tend to watch an episode a week starting in late August- through late January (like how the show originally aired).

stburr91 wrote:I tend to watch an episode a week starting in late August- through late January (like how the show originally aired).

Nice habit, I might just adopt it myself

I go in spurts due to my sometimes crazy schedule (like who doesn't have a crazy schedule?). I travel a decent amount for my job during certain times of the year and my iPad with the entire series loaded on it is a fabulous companion.

I have no idea how many times I've seen MSCL. I watched the original run on ABC and the reruns on MTV. My sister and I taped the episodes and we would have marathons over summer vacation or Christmas where we'd stay up all night and watch the entire series in a few nights. After the series came out on DVD, I watched the entire series several times. Now that I think about it, MSCL is kind of an all or nothing thing for me. I either watch all the episodes or none. There are other series where I will watch one or two random episodes but for some reason, I can't do that with MSCL. I think that's because the show is so addictive that I'm not satisfied with just one episode because it's like a crumb when I want the whole meal.

There is no way to guess how many time I've watched the show either! Just thinking about trying makes my brain spin! I didn't have MTV growing up so I saw the show when it originally aired, and I was 14. I remember having the Halloween episode taped on a random VHS tape years later and it being such a prized possession I would have grabbed it before running out of the house if it was on fire! It was all I had and this was before the days of Hulu and YouTube! And then eventually getting the entire season on DVD. This was before I had kids and I could just sit and watch and absord it all with no distractions, over and over and over and over LOL. I don't have much time nowadays but every once in awhile I watch the episodes in order, and depending on what's going on it takes a month or 2 to get through the whole season.

What would people think about some kind of viewing party? We could get a bunch of members to commit to watching the whole series, one episode per week, and comment in the appropriate thread. If we plan this in advance maybe we could get as many as *gasp* 10 people involved? It might be a good way to reinvigorate discussion around here. Any thoughts?

4aliftaime, loved your 'story', thanks for sharing!
As someone who only discovered about the show recently and cherished it ever since, I can totally relate to your one-episode-on-a-VHS story...

As for a viewing "party", I'm up for it, though I think we need a minimum of like 6-7 people... I doubt we can get that many.

Candygirl et al already did this, but yeah, I'll join in, see if I still have anything new to say...

Jody Barsch* wrote:Candygirl et al already did this, but yeah, I'll join in, see if I still have anything new to say...

Yeah, I also believe that we'll have (probably) very little to add to those wonderful episode discussions.
Jody, 2 questions:
1. Why the * at the end of your user name?
2. Watching habits?

Hey Mutajon,
I was going to link to where I talked about my asterisk, but after several searches I can't find any reference to it (and I know that there has been some)... I'm wondering now if it all happened in the old (what was it called?) "Shout" post sprawl at the top of the page? Anyway, here's the bit on my avatar (and the only reference I found to my asterisk). Basically, the *'s there A.) Because it kind of goes along with the unknowability of the actual Jody Barsch, and B.) I made the account in college and had a thing for stars back then. [If it's confusing reading that second link, for a night Grim4746, and then Nostradamus, borrowed my avatar.]

As for my viewing habits, I never just sit down and watch just one episode (but I can't do that with most of the shows I own on DVD). Looong spans of time go by without my watching any MSCL, but when I do, I don't usually watch them in order, I'll pick and choose. And when I hit upon one that isn't in high rotation I'm always pleasantly surprised by how good, and funny it is. Mostly I'll skip to favorite scenes or line deliveries. When I'm home sick, or in deep throws of procrastination, writing MSCL fanfic, mostly unposted, is one of the things I turn to; so, sometimes I'll go to a scene for diction and cadence reference.

As for the discussions, it seems like there's usually 6-12 people browsing the site an any given time, there just needs to be something to compel them to login and post. I appreciate yours and other's efforts to spark conversation What we really need is for the damn Bots to join in and stop lurking the forums
(Natasha, I've said it before, but you've got me hooked on Mr. Green)

Thanks for sharing with such details.

Because it kind of goes along with the unknowability of the actual Jody Barsch

That was my initial assumption...

Mostly I'll skip to favorite scenes or line deliveries.

That's what I'm "afraid" will happen to me eventually as well. I don't know, it's kinda sad, in a way, to come to that. I already miss the times when the show was new to me, and (almost) every scene was exciting...

Mutajon wrote:

Mostly I'll skip to favorite scenes or line deliveries.

That's what I'm "afraid" will happen to me eventually as well. I don't know, it's kinda sad, in a way, to come to that. I already miss the times when the show was new to me, and (almost) every scene was exciting...

Yeah, I see that. But after doing that for a while, the times you do return to the show as a whole it will feel fresh and exciting again.

I hadn't seen "Resolutions" (still entitled "Reservations" on Netflix) -- now I can't remember -- either ever, or more than it's original broadcast, so years later when the first DVDs came out, it was like an entirely new "lost" episode. Also, my taped copy of "Pressure" cut off right after Angela comments on how she'll miss his hair; I always remembered the expression on Graham's face (a favorite moment of mine), and Angela's voice over and bike ride, but the kiss was a bonus I'd forgotten. Growing up on homemade VHS does this though. Because of cuts for commercial breaks, I'm still seeing scenes or lines in classic movies that I never knew existed -- better than most DVD extras! Parent Trap, Annie, Sound of Music, Troop Beverly Hills, Newsies, etc.

Jody Barsch* wrote:Growing up on homemade VHS does this though. Because of cuts for commercial breaks, I'm still seeing scenes or lines in classic movies that I never knew existed -- better than most DVD extras!

Made me laugh That is better than any extras...

And not watching an episode for sooooo long that it almost becomes new again is actually a "bonus" I haven't thought about. Hmmmm... I might just start doing that now with some of my least favorite episodes.