When students want to relax, one of their favorite things to do is kick back and watch T.V. While students watch a variety of T.V. shows, there are some that are more popular than others. Shows such as Lost, Glee, and The Office are only a few of some of the more popular shows that students watch.

“On T.V., I watch Psych, The Office, 30 Rock, Glee, and Weeds,” junior Brecken Wellborn said. “30 Rock and The Office are hysterical and I just laugh the whole time. And Weeds is really appealing because it’s really funny but also really dramatic and all of the acting is superb. Psych is also really funny.”

Apart from just humorous shows, many other types are popular among students.

“I watch pretty random shows but I like them because they’re interesting and they have a more diverse plot,” junior Cecelia McEwen said. “I like Dr. Who or Lost, or just silly shows, like Family Guy or Futurama.”

The shows that are popular among the student body have many different qualities that can be appealing to students.

“[There are] some shows that relate to us more and let us get into the characters more,” junior Kylie Christian said. “[I like a show] if it has a good storyline or if it has multiple plots that would play on each other.”

Others attribute a show’s popularity to technology and social networking online.

“With the advent of the internet and popularity of Facebook, I think that people can find out about shows faster,” junior Emma Barishman said. “However, I also think that some shows catch on simply because they’re popular.”

Different genres to television are becoming more popular as well. Reality T.V. shows are watched by many students.

“I’m sure they find it interesting to watch things that are more real, that they can relate to more,” Wellborn said. “I think it’s kind of a way for some people to escape their reality to someone else’s and it gives them a chance to see something else or experience something else.”

Another reason to explain the popularity of reality T.V. shows can be attributed to the types of people who appear on the show.

“I think that reality T.V. shows catch on faster with students because we like watching people be more stupid than the average teenager generally is,” Barishman said.

At the moment, one very popular reality T.V. show among students is MTV’s Jersey Shore.

“[Jersey Shore is] just so freaking funny,” junior Ridha Ahmad said. “I really actually like the characters. Most people think it’s a stupid show about stupid people getting drunk and partying, but it’s just so addictive. I love all the drama they create and I get so into it.”

Another show that is popular right now is Pretty Little Liars.

“I hear a lot of people talking about Pretty Little Liars now that it’s back on TV,” McEwen said.

Pretty Little Liars, which is a drama, is about four girls who receive mysterious text messages that threaten to reveal all of their secrets. In addition to Pretty Little Liars, there are many other dramas that students enjoy.

“Some of the kids like to watch more of the drama-action [shows], like Pretty Little Liars, Vampire Diaries, and Nikita,” Ahmad said. “It’s nice to have a show that’s a thriller that’s not in a movie because it’s just a lot easier to watch.”

When students see commercials for new T.V. shows, most usually look for the same few things within the show before they decide to watch it.

“If a show looks like it has an interesting plot and isn’t going to just end after one cliff-hanger season, I’m likely to be interested,” Barishman said.