Importance Of Breakfast Re-examined, CVS Stops Selling Tobacco, TV Shows To Binge Watch

Air Date:
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You’ve probably heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We talk to the author of the “Phys Ed” column for the New York Times who says skipping breakfast may not be such a big deal. Then, we talk to a TV critic about his recommendations for binge watching. Plus, CVS Pharmacy has ended its sale of tobacco products in an effort to reframe its brand. We’ll find out whether it’s enough to convince shoppers to kick the habit.

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  • What Makes A TV Show 'Bingeable'?

    As more and more TV shows become available on DVD or through on-demand services, binge-watching — the trend of watching multiple episodes or even seasons of television in one sitting— has grown in popularity.

    The idea of staring at a screen for hours on end might seem repulsive for some people, but Christopher John Farley, a senior editor at The Wall Street Journal and the author of “Game World,” actually finds a special joy in binge-watching.

    “It’s an immersive experience when you binge-watch,” said Farley. “There are details you catch that you wouldn’t catch if you’re watching it from week to week. There’s some instant gratification in that when there’s a cliff-hanger, you know the next day or the next hour you’ll get to see what happened with that cliff-hanger rather than you have to wait for the next season.”

    He does, however, acknowledge that there are downsides to binging.

    “The long wait for another season to come on … That can drive you literally crazy,” he said.

    Farley has some specific parameters for what makes a show “bingeable.”

    “You want it to be set in the distant past or the future, because that helps sort of suck you into this whole new world. It’s also good if it’s set on distant lands, like ‘Outlander,’ or some world you’ve never been to before,” Farley said.

    Extreme morality, wide-ranging casts of characters, and characters that an audience can come to know over the course of multiple episodes or seasons also make a show easy to binge on.

    For those who enjoy binging on television, it’s often hard to know what to watch next. Below are some shows that Farley recommends.

    “Battlestar Galactica”

    Battlestar Galactica

    “Rome”

    Rome

    “Outlander”

    Outlander

    “Orphan Black”

    Orphan Black

    “Sleeper Cell”

    Sleeper Cell

    “Spartacus”

    Spartacus

    “Game of Thrones”

    Game of Thrones

    “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (for children)

    Avatar

  • Is Breakfast Really The Most Important Meal Of The Day?

    We’ve always heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but new research casts doubt on this conventional wisdom. A health columnist discusses some of the most recent studies on the importance of breakfast.

  • CVS Stops Selling Tobacco Products. Does It Matter?

    CVS Pharmacy ended the sale of its tobacco products almost a month ahead of schedule. Additionally, the store won’t carry e-cigarettes and other smoking alternatives. What impact, if any, does this move make on the market? Will smokers stop smoking, or will they simply shop elsewhere? Our guest weighs in on what it takes to get smokers to switch gears.

  • Share Some Binge-Watchable TV Shows

    From a new release of the Wire to classic episodes of the Newhart show to the latest season of Boardwalk Empire, there’s a world of new releases of tv shows ready for binge-watching. On this week’s edition of “Share Something,” a tv critic shares some great shows to watch in a marathon session.

Episode Credits

  • Rob Ferrett Host
  • Veronica Rueckert Host
  • Rob Ferrett Producer
  • Amanda Magnus Producer
  • Cynthia Schuster Producer
  • Christopher John Farley Guest
  • Gretchen Reynolds Guest
  • Dr. Michael Fiore Guest

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