Ah, Super Bowl Sunday. The television event that's all about football, halftime shows, and ads. And while it's also a day where you have carte blanche to eat and drink all you want, you still may have no desire to tune in. But thankfully, there is plenty of TV to watch instead of the Super Bowl. Sure, the television powers that be may have convinced the nation that the only thing that matters on Feb. 3 is the New England Patriots playing the Los Angeles Rams. Yet, there's actually lots of programming on Super Bowl Sunday that may be more your speed if you're not so into rushing yards, field goals, and touchdowns.
With all the hype surrounding the Super Bowl, there's pressure to watch this sports and pop culture event so you don't miss out. But the NFL is powerless over you. Maybe you don't want to watch the Super Bowl because you don't like football or sports in general. Maybe you don't want to watch because you take issue with the NFL. (Player safety, domestic violence, Colin Kaepernick — take your pick.) Maybe you don't want to watch because you really can't stand Tom Brady and/or Maroon 5. (Very fair.) Maybe you don't want to watch because you can't imagine having to sit through another emotionally-manipulative Budweiser commercial.
Whatever the reason, you certainly shouldn't feel forced to watch the Super Bowl. Because while the NFL championship may seem like the most patriotic thing ever, what's more American than having the right to watch whatever TV you want?
CBS is airing Super Bowl LII, which means that pretty much every other station won't be playing the big game. So here are 16 alternative things on TV to watch on Sunday night.
All times listed are ET. Please check your local listings, since TV schedules may vary based on location.
1
Puppy Bowl XV
The Puppy Bowl first premieres at 3 p.m., but there are repeat showings on Animal Planet at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. since these pups playing on a football field is the original alternative to the Super Bowl.
2
Kitten Bowl VI
Like the Puppy Bowl, the Kitten Bowl is on earlier in the afternoon, but you can also watch it during the game on the Hallmark Channel from 5 to 7 p.m. You may want to tune in an hour earlier to check out the inaugural Cat Bowl as well, which premieres the night before.
3
'Blue Planet'
If you prefer marine species to cats and dogs, watch a marathon of Blue Planet and Blue Planet II that runs from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (with repeat episodes going into the next day) on BBC America.
4
'The Office'
Once upon a time, The Office was the show that followed the Super Bowl. Times were simpler then, but you can catch an Office marathon on Comedy Central from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. if you need a Michael Scott fix and Steve Carrell's Super Bowl Pepsi commercial just isn't doing it for you.
5
'Victoria'
Is football just too crassly American for you? Watch something that's more your temperament with the new episode of Masterpiece's Victoria (Season 3, Episode 4) at 9 p.m. on your local PBS station.
6
'Walk The Line'
Listen to Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix sing their hearts out as June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash in Walk the Line on CMT during game time at 6:15 p.m.
7
'Dr. Pimple Popper: The Poppy Bowl'
Have you seen all of Dr. Sandra Lee's online pimple popping videos? Well, Super Bowl Sunday is your chance to check out every episode of her new TLC series starting at 5 p.m.
8
'Finding Nemo' Double Feature
Find Nemo and Dory with a Pixar double feature on Freeform. Finding Nemo is on at 4:45 followed by Finding Dory at 7:15 p.m. Who needs touchdowns when you can swim?
9
'Charmed'
Whether or not you're into the reboot, you can watch Phoebe, Piper, and Paige in a good chunk of Charmed Season 5 starting at 4 p.m. on Pop.
10
'Botched'
If you want a day full of plastic surgery fixes, E! has a marathon from 12 a.m. to 12 p.m. (and then some!) of Dr. Terry Dubrow and Dr. Paul Nassif working their magic on Botched.
11
'True Detective'
Catch up on Season 3 of True Detective (or rewatch for more clues) with the first four episodes airing on HBO2 starting at 4:45 p.m., followed by the new episode on regular HBO at 9 p.m.
12
'Harry Potter' Marathon
If you prefer Quidditch over football, turn on USA where there's a Harry Potter marathon from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. with the last three original movies — The Half-Blood Prince, The Deathly Hallows: Part 1, and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 — and Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them.
13
'The Hunger Games' Marathon
Or maybe you prefer dystopian battle royales? In that case, put on TBS, which is airing The Hunger Games: Catching Fire at 6:00 p.m. followed by Mockingjay: Part I and Mockingjay: Part 2.
14
'The Real Housewives Of Atlanta'
You can watch The Real Housewives of Atlanta on Bravo all the way from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. before a rather random episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs.
15
'Titanic'
Can you never let go of Jack and Rose? Then watch Titanic for the umpteenth time on TNT at 8 p.m. because this movie is far more epic than a football game.
16
'The Secret Life Of Pets'
Check out what goes in The Secret Life of Pets on FX at 8 p.m. with a repeat showing at 10 p.m. It will be a good follow-up after the Puppy and Kitten Bowls.
With these programming alternatives — and the wide world of streaming — you can spend Super Bowl Sunday not even realizing that the Super Bowl exists. But, hey, you're still entitled to wings and beer.
