'Don't watch the next episode without me!'

The commitment, and oftentimes struggle, to watching television with your significant other haunts students in relationships. Photo illustration by EMILY PARIS, Staff Photographer

Relationship 101 typically consists of open communication, active listening and perhaps occasional public displays of affection — no matter how cringey. But another golden rule in the realm of couples nowadays seems to be the ability to agree on a television show to watch. 

When sophomore television writing and production major Charli Masson and her boyfriend sit down on the couch and grab the remote control, the conversations consist of "No, we've watched too many sit-coms" or "This does not have enough of a complex storyline."

Right out of a page of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, they never seem to find a show that is just right for the both of them together.

"As (for) the story and understanding and following the plot, (for him) it's easy to do homework and watch (TV), whereas I like to sit and watch something 100% without talking,” Masson said. “Sometimes I go back and rewatch and replay things to pick up on Easter eggs or a specific shot that I like.”

Even with the advancements in technology over the years, it seems almost impossible for significant others to find something they both want to binge watch. The Netflix Recommended section ain't got nothing on indecisive couples. 

Freshman psychology major Karen Alfaro told The Panther she gravitates toward reality TV and mushy romantic comedies, while her boyfriend prefers "Game of Thrones." Alfaro said it's her stubbornness that gets in the way of them finding something to watch. 

"I think it's mostly me; I feel like he usually is the one that will fold to whatever I want to watch,” Alfaro said. “I'm just like, ‘If I don't like it, I don't like it, and I'm not gonna have a good time.’ I just usually don't want to agree with what he wants to watch."

Similarly, Olivia Foreman, a senior business administration and religious studies double major,  said she butts heads with her boyfriend when selecting entertainment to watch — with their opinions on romance movies being at opposite ends of the spectrum.

"Usually in regard to movies, it's harder because he doesn't want to sit through something that's super girly, or anything that's like romance-drama," Foreman said. "He doesn't have siblings, so he has never been exposed to any of those types of movies. And not even with his mom. So I'm like, 'We have to watch The Notebook.' And he's like, 'Absolutely not.'"

But miraculously, there are situations where the streaming-gods descend from the heavens and offer a show that couples both eagerly await to watch each time they are together. Hulu's "Pam and Tommy" has been the show of choice for Foreman and her boyfriend. 

They’re both equally committed to not watching unless the other is present — with an occasional slip-up every once in a while.

"One time I got super drunk, and I was like, 'Oh, look, I have something to tell you. I watched an episode of 'Pam and Tommy' without you,'" Foreman said. "And he was like, 'That's your confession to me?' And I was like, 'Because we always watch it together and that's our thing.' And I felt really bad.”

Another couple that finally struck luck in finding common ground is sophomore health science major Shae Smith and her boyfriend. Smith said that even though she prefers a Disney movie and her boyfriend enjoys adult cartoons like "South Park," their ability to compromise their typical content has since helped them bond over watching "New Girl" together. 

"It always seems like a compromise at first, which is fine, because we both end up enjoying it," Smith said. "But there's always something that someone wants to watch more. So we ended up just alternating a lot."

Even though finally finding a show to watch feels like discovering a landmine full of gold, Foreman said the anxiety of finding a new one creeps around sooner than expected. But she said figuring out niche topics both parties are interested in keeps the tradition of watching a series together alive — like how Foreman and her boyfriend found a love for true crime and the  TLC series "Extreme Cheapskates."

"I really like true crime shows or like docu-series that are based on real events," Foreman said. "So that's something that (my partner and I) have in common. He also likes the really niche crime or thriller suspense type of shows. So usually, we land on something like that." 

The process of scrolling through Netflix for hours, desperately searching for something to agree on seems agonizing, but Masson said to remember that watching television with your significant other is a trivial aspect of a sturdy relationship. Though Masson and her boyfriend may not always find common ground in the media they wish to consume, she said their interests in cooking, gossiping and snuggling take priority.  

"I don't think we've ever had one show that we wait to watch with each other (as an activity)," Masson said. "Our schedules are kind of very conflicting. He'll want to watch TV at like 3:00 in the morning whereas for me, I like to come home from school and sit in silence and watch it. Also, this is gross and corny, but just like cuddling — that's my favorite activity."