DVRs are a wonderful invention. Thanks to their trusty features, TV viewers are now free to watch their favorite programming with frivolous abandon. But, as a very wise, very fictional, and sadly very dead man once said, “With great power comes great responsibility,” and so few of us seem to be up to that lofty challenge.

Is there actually a downside to watching shows on a DVR? Might you actually be better off tuning into TV live? Could there even be a reason to dust off that old VCR? OK, that last one might be a bit extreme, but there really are a few notable hitches to DVR watching that counterbalance the practice’s many advantages. Here’s a rundown of all the pros and cons, leaving the ultimate choice in your remote clutching hands.

 Pros

• Watch When You Want – This is one of the most obvious benefits of DVR use. Since your desired programming is being recorded, you’re given the freedom to watch whenever you want. This gives you the flexibility to control your own schedule, and might even free up primetime for more important activities… like spending quality time with your family. You know, the one you forgot you had.
• Fast Forwarding – While some companies are experimenting with ways to put the kibosh on this popular practice, for now, most DVRs grant their users the ability to fast forward through commercials on recorded programming. This lets you focus on the actual shows and spares you the frustration of having to watch random celebrities talk to their iPhones. (When Siri eventually becomes self-aware and rebels against the human race, she’s definitely going after Zooey Deschanel first.)
• Instant Replay – Along with fast forwarding also comes the option to rewind, giving sports enthusiasts the ability to re-watch and analyze every play during games, and non-sports enthusiasts the ability to re-watch and analyze every scene during Game of Thrones. Forget touchdowns, I just want to see Daenerys sic her dragons on those slave traders again.
• Full Seasons All in One Go – DVRs allow you to save entire seasons of shows as they air, eventually giving you the option to watch every episode in one massive marathon. This instant gratification on cliffhangers can reduce the terrible withdrawal that usually comes between episodes of Breaking Bad. Warning: binge watching should always been done in groups of friends. (Without proper supervision, Mad Men overdoses are known to be fatal.)
• Record Multiple Shows at the Same Time  – Many DVRs now give users the option to record multiple programs simultaneously, making scheduling conflicts between different series a thing of the past. This means viewers no longer have to pull a Sophie’s Choice between their favorite shows.

Cons

• Late-to-the-game Spoilers – Having the freedom to watch episodes after they’ve aired is great, but it also means that you’re now behind the times on any important plot developments, putting you at a dangerous risk for unwanted spoilers. This could send many into a neurotic, crazy spiral as they desperately try to avoid conversations at the water cooler.
• Fast Forwarding is Tricky – Yes, it might seem like an easy task, but fast forwarding through commercials can be a surprisingly risky endeavor, requiring just the right timing. Go too slow and you’ll find yourself stuck in the middle of an Allstate advertisement. Go too fast and you could skip right through portions of the show, and suddenly find yourself racing to cover your eyes with one hand as you frantically try to rewind with the other.

• Last Minute Scheduling Changes – I think we’ve all had this one happen to us.  Every now and then eleventh hour schedule shifts or extended running times end up wreaking havoc on DVRs. There’s nothing worse than getting sucked into the latest episode of Justified only for the recording to abruptly cut off right in the middle of one of Raylan’s trademark quips.
• Hoarding – With the option to stockpile on shows that you can watch at anytime, also comes the option to constantly put off actually watching them. This can lead to TV show hoarding — which is no laughing matter and is the number one cause of receiving the dreaded “Out of Recording Space” message. Basically, if you still have first-run episodes of Lost sitting on your DVR, then I think it’s time to admit that you have a problem.
• Addiction – Going along with the hoarding of shows you never watch, DVRs can also lead to television viewing addiction. With a whole world of programming at your fingertips, it can become impossible to say no to any show — even those you wouldn’t normally watch. “What’s that, TV guide?  A Swamp People marathon is airing on Saturday? Well, the premise doesn’t exactly appeal to me, but what the hell — season pass!” It’s a slippery slope, folks. A very slippery, marshy, alligator-infested slope.

The Pros and Cons of Watching TV Shows on Your DVR

Sold on the aptly named “Sign-Feld” store on Etsy, these posters take a classic quote from the NBC sitcom hit Seinfeld and print it in gorgeous, clean typography. Available in multiple sizes, characters mentioned within the series include the Soup Nazi, Frank Costanza and Lloyd Braun as well as Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer.

In addition, anyone can request their favorite quote from the show and the designer will create that poster for you. Posters are sold in eight different colors and there are multiple options for sizes as well as discounts on quantity.

Check out our ten favorite Seinfeld quotes from the collection below. If you are interested in browsing the rest of the collection or purchasing a print. head over to the Etsy store.

Seinfeld Quote Posters

Ten Seinfeld Quote Posters in Stunning Typography

Created by animation designer Andry Rajoelina, this adorable collection of illustrations depicts father figures from movies and television shows walking their children to school. Movies and television shows depicted in this collection include Breaking Bad, The Goonies, Gremlins, TMNT, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Kickass, The A Team, Misfits, Back to the Future and Ghostbusters.

Check out the entire collection of movies dads below. If interested in purchasing a print, Rajoelina has made them available through his Big Cartel store here.

Walter White and little Jesse Pinkman

Doc Brown and little Marty McFly

NYC’s Statue of Liberty and the little Ghostbusters

Chunk and the Goonies

Mr. Wing and Gizmo

Professor Henry Jones and little Indy

Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler and the kids

Big Daddy, Hit-Girl and little Kickass

Hannibal and the little A Team

Tony Morecombe and the little Misfits

Master Splinter and the little Turtles

Awesome Movie & TV Dads Walking Their Kids to School

Shopping for a 70-inch 4K TV this year? Or perhaps larger? We’ve looked through all the Black Friday ads and broken down where you can get the cheapest 70-inch TV, two of the cheapest 75-inch TVs and the cheapest 82-inch 4K TV.

Best Price on a 70-inch 4K TV: $549

Listed on the front page of the Best Buy ad, the 70-inch Samsung 6070 6 series will drop $350 from the $899 MSRP, matching the lowest Ben’s price posted earlier this month.

The Samsung UN70NU6070FXZA offers 4K / HDR 10+ / HLG functionality, Motion Rate 120 tech, and Samsung Smart TV interface. Be aware that this set only comes with two HDMI ports (one of which is ARC).

• Best Buy: 70-inch Samsung 6070 6 series

Best Price on a 75-inch 4K TV: $599

Only available online at Sam’s Club, this Philips 75″ Android TV (75PFL5704/F7) appears to be a set exclusive to the warehouse chain. It’s not listed anywhere else beyond the Philips site.

Regarding specs, the set offers 4K / HDR 10 functionality, Android TV for smart apps (Oreo), and 3 HDMI inputs (one of which is ARC). It does appear to be limited to 60Hz though.

• Sam’s Club: Philips 75″ Android TV

2nd Best Price on a 75-inch 4K TV: $749

Beating Best Buy’s price by $150, both Sam’s Club and Costco have a 75-inch Samsung in the 6900 6 series for $250 less than the MSRP. This price seems to be common among the warehouse chains, including BJ’s.

The Samsung UN75NU6950FXZA offers 4K / HDR 10+ functionality, Motion Rate 120 tech, and Samsung Smart TV interface. Similar to the 70-inch model listed above, there are only two HDMI inputs on the TV.

• Sam’s Club: 75-inch Samsung 6900 6 series
• Costco: 75-inch Samsung 6900 6 series

Best Deal on a 82-inch 4K TV: $1,599 + $150 Gift Card

Both Best Buy and Sam’s Club will be selling the LG 82″ 8070 series for $1,599 on Black Friday, but Sam’s Club is offering a bonus $150 gift card with the purchase. That’s a better overall deal than our last price low on this set, $1,569 on eBay.

The LG 82UM8070PUA offers 4K / HDR10 / HLG functionality, Motion Rate 240 tech (Native 120Hz), Dolby Atmos support, 4 HDMI inputs and LG’s webOS user interface for streaming.

• Sam’s Club: LG 82″ 8070 series

Here’s the cheapest 70-inch and larger 4K TVs on Black Friday 2019

If you’ve managed to blast through Jessica Jones since its release on Netflix last month and you’re looking for yet another reason to validate that subscription, the streaming company has a announced a December slate of releases to challenge your very understanding of what the service can be. Let’s be clear here: you need to love comedy and, more importantly, celebrity comedians, to get excited about Netflix in December. Unless you’re a huge John Hamm fan. If you have Mad Men withdrawals, this might be the month for you, too.

As always, here are a few carefully (consciously, at least) curated highlights for the month, followed by the full list down below.

The Ridiculous 6

Here’s the first of four films Netflix contracted Adam Sandler to produce exclusively for the streaming service. From the trailer, it’s clear the most important thing about The Ridiculous 6 is that it exists and Sandler doesn’t look quite as depressed as he has in the last few Hollywood roll-outs. In terms of budget, it’s no Pixels, but anything in common with Pixels is a bad thing. Perhaps this is a rejuvenation period for Sandler, or perhaps he’s just going to front-load another movie with all his comedy friends and cash in on his history. I’m optimistic it’s both.

Black Mirror: White Christmas

For those who’ve craved a new season of Black Mirror since they blasted through the existing episodes on Netflix, here’s your holdover until the third season finishes development. Jon Hamm stars as a man who escaped into the isolation of a snowy wilderness from a world where everyone is connected to the internet through an implant in their heads. And if you haven’t seen a single episode of the modern day Twilight Zone, it doesn’t matter. They’re all standalone stories.

Nurse Jackie

Picking up where House left off, Edie Falco’s (The Sopranos) pill-addicted nurse manipulates, lies and betrays her friends all in the name of good, old-fashioned nursing. And getting super high all the time. She’s the female anti-hero to challenge the most perplexing of her male counterparts in the last ten years of television, and noticeably more devious much of the time. The series ended just this past year, so Netflix has the entire run.

You’ll also find a number of comedy specials and shows to round out the new offerings. Bill Murray headlines his own Christmas special and Rob Schneider, of all people, put together a show about all the difficulties that come with being Rob Schneider (think Curb Your Enthusiasm or Louis C.K., except with Rob Schneider. Here’s the entire list:

December 1

#DeathToSelfie (2014)
30 for 30: Chasing Tyson (2015)
50 Shades of THEY: Season 1
A Christmas Star (2015)
A Genius Leaves the Hood: The Unauthorized Story of Jay Z (2014)
Amnesiac (2015)
Broadchurch: Season 2
CBGB (2013)
Christmas Wedding Baby (2014)
The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (2004)
Cradle 2 the Grave (2003)
Darkman (1990)
Detectorists: Season 1
I’m Brent Morin — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Jenny’s Wedding (2015)
Las mágicas historias de Plim Plim: Season 1
Ray (2004)
Real Rob: Season 1 (2015) — NETFLIX EXCLUSIVE
See You In Valhalla (2015)
Sensitive Skin: Season 1
Starting Over: Season 1
Stir of Echoes (1999)
Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming (2007)
That Touch of Mink (1962)
Tyke: Elephant Outlaw — NETFLIX EXCLUSIVE
Winning Life’s Battles: Season 1

December 2

Stations of the Cross (2014)
Tangerine (2015)

December 3

Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine (2015) 

December 4

A Very Murray Christmas (2015) — NETLIX ORIGINAL
Comedy Bang! Bang!: Season 4 – more episodes

December 5

A Case of You (2013)
Dinosaur 13 (2014)
Inside Man: Season 3

December 7

Vampire Academy (2014)

December 8

One & Two (2015)
Phoenix (2014)
Xenia (2014)

December 9

Phineas and Ferb: Season 4
Trailer Park Boys: Drunk, High And Unemployed Live In Austin (2015) — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

December 11

The Adventures of Puss in Boots: Season 2 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Ridiculous 6 (2015) — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

December 14

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

December 15

Drown (2014)
Hart of Dixie: Season 4
High Profits: Season 1
Time Out of Mind (2014)

December 16

Fresh Dressed (2015)
Helix: Season 2

December 18

F is for Family Season 1 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Glitter Force: Season 1 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Making A Murderer: Season 1 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Mike Epps: Don’t Take It Personal — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

December 19

Chloe and Theo (2015)

December 20

Leo the Lion (2013)
Magic Snowflake (2013)
Santa’s Apprentice (2010)

December 21

El Señor de los Cielos: Season 3

December 22

Queen of Earth (2015)

December 23

Invisible Sister (2015)

December 24

Dawn of the Croods: Season 1 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

December 25

Black Mirror “White Christmas” Episode

December 28

Maron: Season 3
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: Season 5

December 30

Parenthood: Season 6

December 31

Battle Creek: Season 1
Manhattan Romance (2014)
Violetta: Season 3
Nurse Jackie: Seasons 1-7

Every TV Show and Movie Coming to Netflix in December 2015

Moving into a small dorm room doesn’t necessarily mean you have to sacrifice watching movies or playing video games in a home theater environment. We have put together some great back-to-school options for home theater gear that will fit into a dorm room and still provide a quality experience for entertainment when you’re de-stressing from classes as well as privacy options when it’s time to study.

Save on Space with a Flat Screen

If you’re sending junior off to college, forcing them to take along that old SD television that weighs more than a pallet of bricks is simply a bad idea. Dorm room space is limited, and that bulky television simply doesn’t help the situation. The sweet spot for a dorm room television is probably 32 to 39 inches in size. Anything larger than that will likely require an agreement between roommates to stack furniture to make space for the television on a stand or mounted on the wall. However, they will likely be between 4 to 7 feet away from the television, thus a smaller size is better.

When shopping for a television, look for a model that’s 1080p, has multiple HDMI inputs and a direct LED backlight. If you are looking to save money, go for a 60Hz television over a 120Hz and skip features like smart applications or 3D playback. You can get all of those smart apps for streaming video in cheaper options like gaming consoles or media players. Quality name brands include Samsung, Vizio, Sharp, Sony, LG and Panasonic. Price target for a 32-inch should be $250 to $300 and 39-inch should be $300 to $375. Black Friday also yields greater deals, if your college student doesn’t mind waiting a few months.

Check Ben’s for 32-inch to 39-inch HDTV Deals

But What About the Audio?

While a dorm room is small and ideal for positioning speakers, space is still an issue. The total volume can also be a problem for neighbors within the dorm. A home-theater-in-a-box solution may be fun, but it’s also going to have the resident assistant banging on the door to turn down the volume.

To solve the space and volume issues, take a look at soundbars. Mounted underneath the television, a soundbar provides simulated surround sound for movies and significantly improved stereo sound for watching regular television. It may also come with a small subwoofer that adds just enough bass for impact, but won’t disturb your neighbors too much. Soundbars often wildly vary in price based on the brand and output wattage. However, you can find deals in the $150 to $300 range for a brand name product like Yamaha. You can do with a less expensive model, but be sure to read reviews (on Amazon and other sites) on the available features and quality of the sound.

Check Ben’s for Soundbar Deals

Steaming Video is the Future

If your college student already has a gaming console, they will already be able to access lots of streaming video services like Netflix Instant, Hulu Plus and Amazon Video on Demand. However, if they aren’t into gaming, you should look into purchasing an inexpensive media player for them.

There’s no contest in this category: the Roku 3 is the obvious choice. It launches content significantly faster than anything on the market, including all current gaming consoles. It’s extremely user friendly and the interface is speedy, responsive and well laid out. You can read our full review here (9 out of 10) if you would like more information about the handy media player. Look for deals on the Roku 3 in the $85 to $90 range. By the way, you may see cheaper deals for the Roku 2 XS, but the upgrade to the Roku 3 is definitely worth the additional cost due to the increased speed of the device. The Roku 3 remote also includes a headphone jack for increased privacy.

Check Ben’s for Roku 3 Deals

But Don’t Forget About Redbox

While physical discs are slowly losing the battle to streaming video services these days, Blu-ray is still a fantastic way to watch a film in glorious 1080p and listen in 7.1 surround sound. Redbox is a particularly good deal for college students since the price of rentals is cheaper than any traditional movie rental store. A Netflix subscription is also an inexpensive option for renting Blu-ray discs.

However, you are going to need a Blu-ray player to take advantage of this. Once again, if you already have a PlayStation 3 or are planning to purchase one of the new gaming consoles in November, don’t worry about purchasing a standalone player. However, if you own a Xbox 360 or simply aren’t into gaming, you should be able to find a decent Blu-ray player in the $40 to $80 range.

Check Ben’s for Blu-ray Player Deals

The Best Solution for Study Time

There’s nothing worse than a roommate who refuses to turn down the sound of the television when it’s time to study. It’s also a pain to keep the television off when the dorm has specific quiet hours. This is where a quality set of headphones is perfect for the dorm room for those situations.

If your student is really into surround sound and gaming, look into the Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset G930. It’s somewhat pricey at $100ish, but the headphones are wireless, offer simulated 7.1 surround sound and include a microphone for multiplayer gaming. The Plantronics GameCom 780 is another great 7.1 solution (and less expensive). If you want to save some money, 5.1 options are less expensive and you can forgo the microphone to reduce the cost, as well. If you do purchase a wired set, make sure the cord is a minimum of 10 feet long to stretch across the length of the room.

Check Ben’s for Surround Sound Headphone Deals

Excellent Home Theater Equipment for Dorm Life

With all of my favorite TV shows on summer break, I’m happily snatching up any Must-See TV crumbs I can find, whether it’s following celebs on twitter or checking out summer movies starring familiar faces. Parks and Recreation happens to be a favorite of mine, and I’m not ashamed to say I let out a little squeal when I came across Jen Lewis‘ interpretation of classic children’s books with Parks and Recreation characters over on Flavorwire. I got the giggles with every new title, from Where the Wyatt Things Are to Donna and the Giant Mimosa.

I feel like there must be a market for these books, and with such brilliant covers, most of the work is done. I’m officially asking someone to write about Chris Traeger’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Literally Bad Day. A break between season seems like a perfect time to get to writing fan fiction.

See all twelve Parks and Recreation childrens’ books over at Flavorwire.

Must Read TV: Parks and Recreation Kids Books

Created by the folks over at College Humor, this set of illustrations details the best possible angles to take when attempting to convince friends, co-workers and family members to watch a TV show. Popular shows recommended within the set include AMC’s Breaking Bad, BBC’s Doctor Who, HBO’s Game of Thrones and BBC/PBS’s Downton Abbey.

Check out the full collection below:

How to Convince Friends, Family to Watch a Popular TV Show

In honor of Mother’s Day this Sunday (quick, get your mom something if you haven’t already!), here are 10 of the coolest TV and movie moms who each remind us why mothers really are worth celebrating.

1. Jill Taylor, Home Improvement

Moms of boys deserve some sort of special award (and I’m not just saying that because I have one myself!). Jill not only had three rambunctious sons, but a crazy husband who was basically a fourth child to look after. Jill not only put up with all their crazy antics, but often got in on the fun and one-upped them all.

2. Beatrix Kiddo AKA The Bride AKA Black Mamba AKA Mommy, Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2

Beatrix Kiddo kills 93 people (including Bill) because they played a part in taking her daughter away from her. Proof that the scariest place really is in between a mother and her child!

 3. Mrs. Jumbo, Dumbo

If you can make it through Dumbo without shedding at least one tear, you might be missing a heart. Dumbo’s mom loves him for who he his, big goofy ears and all. She reminds us that even when you’re feeling lame or down about yourself, you know there’s at least one person out there who thinks you’re literally the greatest person to ever exist: your mom.

4. Mrs. Weir, Freaks and Geeks

I remember getting so annoyed at my mom for forcing my brother and me to spend Friday nights participating in things like “family game night” as a teenager. But now, I really appreciate all those silly activities. Lindsay and Sam’s mom makes family dinners every night, and even insists on dressing up and handing out Halloween candy together every year. We’ll never know for certain since the show was sadly cancelled after just one season, but I bet there’s a very well-adjusted and grown up Lindsay Weir out there somewhere, all thanks to her dorky mom.

5. Sarah Connor, Terminator 2: Judgment Day

All Sarah cares about is protecting her son (makes sense since if he dies all of humanity dies with him, but still). I think every mother has that instinct to protect their offspring from any sort of harm; it’s a shame we can’t all look this badass while doing it.

 6. Maria Von Trapp, The Sound of Music

Maria is the ultimate stepmom. She’s kind, she’s loving, and she sings. Basically Mary Poppins without the umbrella.

7. Shmi Skywalker, Star Wars Episode I

In the perfect display of sacrificial love, young Annakin’s mother sends him off with Qui-Gon to become a Jedi. While it obviously pains her to part with her only son, she ultimately wants a better life for him. Of course he does end up becoming one of the evil-est bad guys of all time, but she could never have predicted the outcome (and who knows, maybe it was all because he didn’t have his mom around to help straighten him out!)

8. Clair Huxtable, The Cosby Show

Clair Huxtable is, like, the perfect mom, period. She’s smart, witty, has the perfect balance of career and family, and has the one raised eyebrow “mom look” down to a science. Plus she’s a lawyer and never loses an argument. Hmm…there must be a reason she isn’t real!

9. Etheline Tenenbaum, The Royal Tenenbaums

Sure, the Tenenbaum’s were just a bit dysfunctional, but one thing Etheline did right was encourage her kids to go after the things they were passionate about, whether it be playwriting, international finance, tennis, their adopted sister (oh, wait…).

10. Marge Simson, The Simpsons

The “real” Marge, the mother of Simpsons creator Matt Groening, and the inspiration behind the huge-hearted, blue-haired TV mom we all know and love, just passed away this week at the age of 94. She clearly did something right to have raised the man who gave the world the Simpsons.

Top Ten Coolest TV & Movie Moms

Detailed in a blog post on Shutterstock, the designers at the stock photo site envisioned what items best represent the main characters within AMC’s Mad Men and compared the 21st-century equivalent of each one. For instance, if Christina Hendricks’ Joan Harris was carrying a notepad in the 1960’s, she would probably be carrying around an iPad Mini in this decade.

Mad Men recently returned to AMC for a sixth season, continuing to detail the lives of an ad agency in the 1960s. After this season, the show will only continue for one more season before wrapping up completely.

With 50 years between the two time periods, they asked themselves how Don Draper, Peggy Olsen, Joan Harris, Pete Campbell, Roger Sterling and Betty Francis (formerly Betty Draper) would interact with tech gadgets and 2013 trends. Check out the minimal concepts below:

 Mad Men’s Don Draper

Joan Harris

Peggy Olsen

Pete Campbell

Roger Sterling

Betty Francis

What if Mad Men was set in the 21st-century?