Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for January 25, 2024

I’m sure most of us can commiserate.

With some shows, you can eat a full course meal, before all of the commercials get done.

Hit pause!

The good old days.

If you’re going to eat loud food while watching TV, at least turn on the closed caption so you can keep up with the story while you eat more leisurely. Choking down corn chips in a hurry can’t be good for you.

If you want to have a big meal, plan around one of those great PBS shows during pledge season. Plenty of time to eat, and clean up before the show starts back up.

Why is Janis washing the dishes?

Because the commercial break is long enough to do so.

But why would anyone have to do that anymore? One person stays with the TV and pauses it when the commercials are over. We used to have to do that until VHS tape. After that we could skip watching the commercials, and as soon as digital came along, we could pause live TV and ff through the commercials. Now, with streaming, you can pause at the end of commercials. This depiction is 40 years out of date.

Is it Superbowl Sunday already?

Five minute commercials. It’s the norm.

Arlo, you could get off your hind end and help her!

Can’t be superbowl; you WATCH the commercials…

I believe he is pointing out how long the commercial breaks are.

A blast from the past.

I think the joke here is that all four panels take place during the same commercial break.

More commercials than show.

This is Super Bowl Sunday where the commercials are more fun to watch than the game! And more likely to be the topic at work on Monday as well.

If you are not watching the game live, you cannot influence the game. None of your rituals, lucky charms, cheering and screaming will even matter unless you are watching live.

This could also be a commentary on how long the commercial breaks are! Janis is halfway through the pre-rinse and Arlo can’t be sure that there won’t be a third Liberty Mutual commercial.

I really like the way Korean TV does commercials. They are only shown between programs. Say 1 program ends at 8:57pm and the next program starts at 9:04pm. The 6 min between programs is when you see the commercials. Given what people in the US do to avoid commercials, I am surprised that companies aren’t paying to have their products mentioned during the program. Product placement. I remember product placement being used in movies quite a few years ago. Don’t know if it worked or not, if it did how would they know?

Why does Janis have to wash the dishes before the program resumes?

You don’t have to do that. Just pause it.

I would rather watch the commercials. Never was a football fan.

What are they watching???

I understand because you really can’t pause LIVE TV!!

Is JJ trying to hint that Janis has OCD about housework? I recall one strip in which Janis said that she was unable to just sit with Arlo in the backyard, that she had to DO something. Arlo’s final comment was along the lines of “I can’t believe that they outlive men.”

1957

Last night, after they showed the introduction to Chicago Fire, the next 5 mins was filled with commercials. I use to complain when there were 2 or 3 commercials. Last night there had to be ar least 10, one running into the next, into the next….