“What’s “Twilight”?”
“You know, Twilight, it’s a film about vampires.”
“Never heard of it!” (the absurdly middle-class, well-travelled mother says with a proud giggle before leaving the room).
“How has she never heard of Twilight?” I ask.
“Of course she’s heard of Twilight. [reflective pause] Idiot.”

This conversation happened over a year ago, and sparked in me an increasing awareness of a certain fashion involving purposeful ignorance of national mainstream culture.

Put into practice, this fashion seems to obliterate all televisions from the homes of rich, unusually educated bohemian families for whom clarinet practice is a much more productive use of one’s time than watching Sue Perkins talk about soggy bottomed tarts on BBC2.

Don’t get me wrong I have nothing against unusual education, bohemia, or clarinets (my very own grade two certificate proves that, obviously). But I do have a problem with these replacing TV as a more culturally valuable use of time.

OK, so a lot of what is put in front of us is pretty shocking, and won’t do anyone any good. But we can’t dismiss the fact that television is that accessible thing which also gets everyone talking about everything in that typically British cynical way.

Whether it’s quality TV fiction (I’m thinking the likes of The IT Crowd, This is England, and we musn’t forget the irreplacable Noel Fielding and Richard Ayoade combo), politics, or even sex (there does seem to be a lot of that on TV at the moment, doesn’t there?), nobody need step into that scary alternative cinema, or that expensive exhibition space to see it.

Some of the best and most clever writing, acting and cinematography I’ve ever seen has come from sitcoms and serial dramas. And who else would you want telling you about a giraffe’s sexual science other than David Attenborough?

I just think it’s brilliant that we can find all these gems in our living rooms with our families and friends. Anyone who dismisses this as low culture or trash needs to step down from their high-horse and have a look at what TV actually offers - priceless communal culture that’s brought right to you. I love it.

TV picks of the week:

Later with Jools Holland
Friday, 11.05pm, BBC2

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces
Thursday, 8pm, Channel 4

The Great British Bake Off Final
Tuesday, 8pm, BBC2

Gogglebox
Wednesday, 10pm, Channel 4