I think TV, in its best form, provides a nice distraction. Maybe it's the only thing that can get you to stop worrying about your busy schedule for an hour. Or maybe it's the only way a family can spend time together after a huge fight without screaming their heads off. Maybe the last episode of The Office is the only thing you can talk to your crazy aunt from Ohio about. Or maybe the sometimes-creepy little kids' shows that run during the school day are the only thing that can put you to sleep when you're staying home with a 102 degree temperature. On the other hand, you shouldn't go overboard with watching TV. It may be a good distraction, but it can lead to procrastination or even poor coping methods.
Personally, I love watching movies on TV. I can not tell you how many times I've watched Men in Black, and yet it still makes me laugh. I dislike certain shows as well, particularly the Lifetime and Disney channels. Lifetime is just frightening 90% of the time- my mom used to watch it with me to get me to carry around a bottle of pepper spray. And Disney is an atrocity. I think Walt Disney is rolling in his grave (or maybe not, he was quite the businessman). Also, the Disney movie "Don't Look Under the Bed" gave me nightmares for years.