I think we've gotten to the point where "watching TV" is not a thing people do anymore if they're under 70. But "having a TV" is something most people do - it just doesn't imply the same thing. I don't have a TV per se, or any black box hanging on a wall in my house, so the first thing most people mention when they visit is "you have no TV! I've been wanting to get rid of mine, or put it in the basement, but the kids....". But I do have a discreet projector for watching movies or shows (most of which I pirate). The projector itself, however, is a smart TV, although that's not something I noted when I bought it. It's full of apps that update themselves and all manner of shit I didn't ask for. My only use for it is having it play things off a USB card.
I'm actually not sure what the complaint is about "smart" TVs. Just don't give them your WiFi password, or else isolate them on a closed LAN. Plug in your own devices to play what you want to play on them. The cross-marketing is what makes them affordable... the special buttons for accidentally turning on Netflix, that Netflix paid to place in just that position on the remote control, are the reason a 60" TV is within your budget. So just control your network and take the free shit. As long as it has the ports you need. If it doesn't have ports, then obviously don't buy it.
I'm actually not sure what the complaint is about "smart" TVs. Just don't give them your WiFi password, or else isolate them on a closed LAN. Plug in your own devices to play what you want to play on them. The cross-marketing is what makes them affordable... the special buttons for accidentally turning on Netflix, that Netflix paid to place in just that position on the remote control, are the reason a 60" TV is within your budget. So just control your network and take the free shit. As long as it has the ports you need. If it doesn't have ports, then obviously don't buy it.