Top Five VHS Tapes You Owned But Never Actually Watched

Every household had them.

VHS tapes bought with good intentions, gifts from well-meaning relatives, or freebies bundled with something else — that somehow survived multiple clear-outs without ever making it into the VCR.

You didn’t watch them.

You meant to watch them.

But you never did.

Here are the five VHS tapes that sat there… silently judging you.

5. The “Free with the Newspaper” VHS

It arrived wrapped in cellophane, promising cinematic excellence.

In reality?

A heavily edited film, missing scenes, and an inexplicable pause halfway through for adverts that were no longer relevant.

You kept it because it was free.

You never watched it because it felt unofficial.

Why it survived:

Throwing it away felt wasteful. Watching it felt optional.

4. The Random Disney Sequel

Not The Lion King.

Not Beauty and the Beast.

But The Lion King II, Aladdin 3, or something involving a side character no one asked about.

You owned it.

You acknowledged it.

But you always went back to the original.

Why it survived:

The tape looked legit enough to deserve shelf space.

3. The Exercise or Dance Workout Tape

Bought during a brief moment of optimism.

It featured:

Lycra

A presenter shouting encouragement

Moves that required coordination you did not possess

You watched the first 30 seconds once.

Then quietly rewound it and never returned.

Why it survived:

It symbolised “future you”.

2. The Educational VHS That Felt Like Homework

Usually about:

The human body

Ancient Egypt

Space

Dinosaurs (but somehow boring)

It was meant to be “fun learning”, but felt suspiciously like school.

Why it survived:

Parents believed in it.

You did not.

1. The Home-Recorded TV Compilation

Labelled in biro:

“XMAS 1996”

“SAT MORNING CARTOONS”

“DO NOT TAPE OVER”

You never watched it because:

The tracking was awful

Half of it was adverts

Someone taped over the ending

But it stayed. Forever.

Why it survived:

It felt important. Possibly historic.