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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

WW3 because I watched a TV programme

354 replies

Frances2468 · 12/06/2020 07:53

Hi everyone,

I am feeling so low today. I am feeling like I have no choice but to end my relationship. I feel so unhappy and saddened by how petty disagreements have become.

My partner is angry at me, stormed off to bed last night, and this morning asking for an apology because I watched a TV programme without him last night.

I have depression and I had been feeling well the past few months, but the past few weeks I have had a bit of a downer. Getting sick of lockdown, and all the emotions stirred from BLM, I have just been feeling very negative and sad at the world.

Anyway, last night my partner had a video call booked in with friends (1 of these friends is actually an ex FWB) so this does make me feel a bit anxious, even though I have never tried to interfere in the friendship or stop them being friends, but yes it does sometimes give me a bit of a anxious knot in my tummy when I know they are meeting up or talking on the phone or whatever.

Anyway he was upstairs in the bedroom on the video call, I was downstairs. I am not actually a big TV lover, but I was feeling a bit down so just wanted something lazy to occupy me. I decided to watch 12 years a slave, but after an hour and 10 minutes I couldn't stomach it any longer as it was very upsetting.

I went upstairs to get my PJ's on and I saw his friend on the screen and I immediately felt filled with self deprecating thoughts about myself. "She is prettier than me", "I wonder if he thinks that too" this is totally MY issue and not my partner's. I 100% recognise this. I was not going to put this on my partner, I am just trying to explain I was feeling vulnerable and not great.

I went back downstairs trying to find something to watch. I decided to watch the next episode of this cheesy reality TV programme we watch together. I just wanted something really trashy and easy going to make me feel better. I would have been happy to watch it again with my partner.

About 20 mins into the programme my partner has finished the video call and comes downstairs.

He says "I can't believe you are watching this without me!" And he is really angry. I am stunned into silence. And I really don't deal well with anger anyway and it makes me clam up. He says "I can't believe you have done that, we watch that together. I would never do that to you"

I try to explain that I just couldn't find anything else to watch.

He wants me to apologise. I feel like a kid being told off. I feel stunned at this OTT reaction.

He goes up the stairs to bed muttering that he wouldn't do that to me, and if did I would have been angry and it isn't fair.

I just think is this worth it? It is just a programme! I would have happily watched it again. I am sorry it hurt his feelings- I didnt expect that reaction at all.

This morning he says all I have to do is apologise and can we move on. I feel flabbergasted- me apologise?!?! All I did was watch a programme. I was feeling low (not that you bothered to ask me how I was feeling) and wanted to watch something trashy. Is this really worth an argument?

He says that I am patronising and I am in validating his feelings. That I have OTT reactions in the past so it is rich coming from me to say he acted out of order.

He says that I just can't handle being told off. I said I am sorry I hurt his feelings, I am not trying to invalidate him feeling disappointed or whatever but the way he handled it was just not very nice.

He says I like to play the victim.

I just feel like this is a stupid thing to get angry and punish me for! He is using this as an excuse to get angry for all the others I have done wrong to him

OP posts:
Microwaveoven · 12/06/2020 17:42

@crispysausagerolls it's weird that people don't get it. Sometimes me and DH cuddle on the sofa too.... OH MY GOD THE HORROR. Can you believe to people love each other and enjoy watching a programme together and also touching...wow! And I love our banter and commentary when we watch stuff together. We always wait for the other one. We only ever watch one programme at a time though so if one is isn't around the other one just.finds something else to watch/do.

Yes, DH and I watched GOT together. We have watched it through 3 times now. Apart from season 8! It's really not weird!!

DidoLamenting · 12/06/2020 17:44

Honestly why is it so strange that 2 people who have decided to share their lives together, including living in the same house, also might enjoy watching the same t.v programme at the same time? It's not weird or strange. It's perfectly normal

It makes you sound like teenagers- especially if you're going to throw a strop the way OP' s husband did.

Microwaveoven · 12/06/2020 17:45

Also we don't even own a t.v. We watch everything on DHs tablet!!

vanillandhoney · 12/06/2020 17:47

@DidoLamenting

I only read the first 2 pages. I'm stunned at the joined at the hip couples who have to watch television together. Weird, really weird.
On what planet is it weird to enjoy watching TV with your spouse?
Microwaveoven · 12/06/2020 17:47

@DidoLamenting

I don't throw strops as I am not a child.

Have you and your DH never say down on the sofa at the same time and watched t.v together?

StarScream22 · 12/06/2020 17:48

Watching a tv program that you watch together without the other person is against the law. And rightly so.

crispysausagerolls · 12/06/2020 17:50

@DidoLamenting

Teenagers...or people who enjoy one another’s company....

thepeopleversuswork · 12/06/2020 17:50

Microwaveoven

"Sometimes me and DH cuddle on the sofa too.... OH MY GOD THE HORROR. Can you believe to people love each other and enjoy watching a programme together and also touching...wow!"

But we're not talking about people who love each other, by the sounds of it. We've got a deeply unhappy OP who feels insecure (we don't know how valid these feelings are but she certainly doesn't feel great about the relationship) and a DP who acts like a spoiled child because she watches TV without him.

All these people saying "oh me and DH love watching TV together" are massively missing the point. There's nothing wrong with watching TV with your other half. There's something massively wrong with throwing a tantrum because she does it without him.

Microwaveoven · 12/06/2020 17:52

I love you. I want to marry you. Grow old with you. Spunk inside you and make babies.
BUT DON'T EVER EVER SIT NEXT TO ME AND WATCH TELEVISION WITH ME YOU TEENAGER CRETIN YOU.

Aardvarkitsabloodyaardvark · 12/06/2020 17:55

When you love someone so much that watching a fucking reality TV show together means everything. Grow up for God's sake.

thepeopleversuswork · 12/06/2020 18:00

Aardvarkitsabloodyaardvark

This.

everythingbackbutyou · 12/06/2020 18:04

For what it's worth, I got the "I wouldn't do that to you" from my abusive stbxh over the fact that I wanted to go to bed a bit later than him. Your partner's reaction raises massive red flags for me. It's a massively sanctimonious thing to say to distract you from the things that he WOULD do to you - throwing tantrums, intentionally punishing the person he supposedly loves etc.

crispysausagerolls · 12/06/2020 18:05

Again, I think it’s just a thoughtless and shitty thing to do, like cooking dinner for yourself and not your partner if you usually eat together. Just why? Why do it?

everythingbackbutyou · 12/06/2020 18:07

I understand about feeling like a kid being told off - I spent much of our 25 year relationship feeling like that. I also have the tendency to clam up around anger - my mind totally shuts down and goes blank and I can't think of a thing to say. So frustrating.

Jkslays · 12/06/2020 18:10

@crispysausagerolls

Again, I think it’s just a thoughtless and shitty thing to do, like cooking dinner for yourself and not your partner if you usually eat together. Just why? Why do it?
Ffs! Mental 😂😂😂
Jkslays · 12/06/2020 18:11

@Aardvarkitsabloodyaardvark

When you love someone so much that watching a fucking reality TV show together means everything. Grow up for God's sake.
Agreed!! Sad as fuck!
Jkslays · 12/06/2020 18:12

@Microwaveoven

Also we don't even own a t.v. We watch everything on DHs tablet!!
What do you both hold it with one hand each?

🤮🤮🤮

thepeopleversuswork · 12/06/2020 18:13

crispysausagerolls

"Again, I think it’s just a thoughtless and shitty thing to do, like cooking dinner for yourself and not your partner if you usually eat together. Just why? Why do it?"

It's really not at all like not cooking dinner for your partner. Not cooking dinner for your partner creates additional work for them and potentially deprives them of food.

Watching a TV programme is a totally non-essential activity. Why do it? Maybe just because she felt like it? Would you insist that you and your DH had to go to the pub with you, or go running or go to the theatre? Presumably not, you would do some things on your own, or with others.

I just don't get why watching TV together has become this sacred activity which couples have to do together to maintain harmony in their relationship. I find it utterly baffling.

BashStreetKid · 12/06/2020 18:13

@crispysausagerolls

I think throwing a strop because your OH doesn't ask your permission to watch "our programme" is all kinds of fucked up

I think watching an episode of a show you ALWAYS watch with your partner/they probably look forward to watching with you, without them, is a dick move and a pretty unpleasant thing to do. To me it’s the same as making myself a cup of coffee and not asking my husband if he wants one when he’s sitting there too. Or cooking dinner for me and not him when he’s there. It’s just not how someone in a team behaves. But yes, we won’t agree on that 😄

FFS. It's a TV show. It's not even something like the final episode of a big thriller series, it's just one episode in a cheesy reality show. How on earth does it hurt your partner if you watch it without them, particularly if you're happy to watch it again? The comparison with coffee/dinner simply doesn't work, because at the time OP wanted to watch the show her partner was well into his second hour of talking to his mates with no indication when he might stop.
crispysausagerolls · 12/06/2020 18:14

But it’s not some random tv show - it’s one specific thing they watch TOGETHER. Eg he will have been looking forward to watching it with her after his call. Like looking forward to eating the last yum yum or something and some bastard getting there and eating it first. It’s maddening.

crispysausagerolls · 12/06/2020 18:15

Did OP even really want to watch it? Sounds like she isn’t big into Tv at all

Microwaveoven · 12/06/2020 18:15

What do you both hold it with one hand each? No, with one foot each.

Jkslays · 12/06/2020 18:16

[quote Microwaveoven]@DidoLamenting

I don't throw strops as I am not a child.

Have you and your DH never say down on the sofa at the same time and watched t.v together?[/quote]
Yes fucking loads. Been with him over a decade and never in those years did he pull his face if I watched something first.

Sometimes if I was feeling really spicy I’d watched Game of Thrones whilst he was at work and he would have to wait to watch it when he got in Shock

nellodee · 12/06/2020 18:17

We all have different contracts in our relationships. In mine, watching a shared TV programme alone would definitely be a passive aggressive "screw you" to the other half.

BashStreetKid · 12/06/2020 18:20

People have off days and get annoyed. That’s how life is. This isn’t some dramatic yelling and calling her names, or getting nasty. He was just upset and overreacted

It's a bit more than that, isn't it? He starts of by being "really angry" about this utterly trivial issue, goes on at OP about how he wouldn't do it and demands and apology, then strops off upstairs still in a mood. OP apologises to him when she goes to bed, but apparently that's not good enough, he demands an apology again the following morning and goes off into another rant about how is precious feelings are being invalidated (whilst totally ignoring OP's feelings about being left on her own whilst he chats to his mates) and how she ought to be able to handle being told off by her lord and master.

OP, I think you're right. It just isn't worth this sort of drama, let alone the anxiety which the entire relationship seems to be causing you anyway. I'd seriously consider telling him to sling his hook and leave you to watch whatever you like on TV, and whenever you like.

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