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What happened to TV?

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CmdrShepard35 said:
Most of the new shows created now days are crappy reality shows. Why do Americans like to watch stuff like this? Can't we have a serious show for once? I would like a show that involves these serious themes.

-political intrigue
-political corruption
-war
-genocide
-any serious topic
-Sci Fi isn't complete without evil corporations and unethical science experiments

Back in the early 2000s we had awesome epic space operas like Battlestar Galactica and Babylon 5. I used to see a lot of commercials promoting the Battlestar Galactica TV series back in 2004-05. I was never interested in sci fi until earlier this year when I played the first Mass Effect under the recommendation of a friend. I thought the Battle for the Citadel scene was epic.

Why don't we see shows like Battlestar Galactica or Babylon 5 anymore? Did the network execs decide the genre was dead? I think we need more epic space battles on TV.

Mass Effect - Battle for the Citadel - Paragon - 1080p - YouTube

It was long thought that fantasy was a genre once thought reserved for geeks but Game of Thrones has garnered a huge audience. Perhaps a well written space opera with a huge budget could appeal to a diverse audience.

Do you think this genre should be revived?
Click to expand...


TV often plays to the lowest common denominator. Also, reality tv is cheap to make. I am proud to say I never saw American Idol, any "bachelor" show, or Dancing with the Stars. But I've seen clips that were shown on other shows. You can't get away from it. I did watch "Voice" twice. I must say that I enjoyed that. Then I came to my senses. I also watched the Kardashians a few times, only to see why that show was on. It confirmed what I thought: It's a scripted, fake show about people who don't work or do anything productive with their time. They are just mega rich people who drive around shopping, going on vacation on rented yachts, and being depressed about jeans that won't fit.

I cut the cord :) so now I have a better selection of shows. I watch:

Big Bang Theory
Modern Family
House
Law and Order (occasionally)
PBS: Downton Abbey, Miss Marple mysteries, Secrets of the Dead, Ken Burns' The Roosevelts, other documentaries
Movies, movies, movies
Judge Judy (okay, this is reality...I can't help it. I love Judge Judy.)
True crime shows (these are documentaries)

On my Roku I get tons of movies, documentaries, old tv shows for FREE.

I don't miss cable at all. Monkey off my back.
 
CmdrShepard35 said:
Most of the new shows created now days are crappy reality shows. Why do Americans like to watch stuff like this? Can't we have a serious show for once? I would like a show that involves these serious themes.

-political intrigue
-political corruption
-war
-genocide
-any serious topic
-Sci Fi isn't complete without evil corporations and unethical science experiments

Back in the early 2000s we had awesome epic space operas like Battlestar Galactica and Babylon 5. I used to see a lot of commercials promoting the Battlestar Galactica TV series back in 2004-05. I was never interested in sci fi until earlier this year when I played the first Mass Effect under the recommendation of a friend. I thought the Battle for the Citadel scene was epic.

Why don't we see shows like Battlestar Galactica or Babylon 5 anymore? Did the network execs decide the genre was dead? I think we need more epic space battles on TV.

Mass Effect - Battle for the Citadel - Paragon - 1080p - YouTube

It was long thought that fantasy was a genre once thought reserved for geeks but Game of Thrones has garnered a huge audience. Perhaps a well written space opera with a huge budget could appeal to a diverse audience.

Do you think this genre should be revived?
Click to expand...

TV goes through cycles where everyone copies everyone else. Back when I was a kid, westerns reigned and nothing else came close. Then came horror and there was even a day time soap "dark Shadows" about vampires. This is not counting shows like the Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, One Step Beyond. Then Sci-fi reigned for a while. then Comedy's like Three Company and Barney Miller filled the airways. Yes, reality shows are tops today, but tomorrow something else will replace it.

This is why I have cable, if I want something serious there is the history channel, discovery, science channel. War, AHC and on and on. Sci-Fi has its own channel on cable.
 
TV is better than its ever been. You just have to get premium channels, or at least cable.

HBO has amazing stuff. Well worth it. Showtime has a couple great ones, including Shameless. Cinemax even has The Knick now.

Pay or torrent it. And dont watch reality shows.
 
CmdrShepard35 said:
Most of the new shows created now days are crappy reality shows. Why do Americans like to watch stuff like this? Can't we have a serious show for once? I would like a show that involves these serious themes.

-political intrigue
-political corruption
-war
-genocide
-any serious topic
-Sci Fi isn't complete without evil corporations and unethical science experiments

Back in the early 2000s we had awesome epic space operas like Battlestar Galactica and Babylon 5. I used to see a lot of commercials promoting the Battlestar Galactica TV series back in 2004-05. I was never interested in sci fi until earlier this year when I played the first Mass Effect under the recommendation of a friend. I thought the Battle for the Citadel scene was epic.

Why don't we see shows like Battlestar Galactica or Babylon 5 anymore? Did the network execs decide the genre was dead? I think we need more epic space battles on TV.

Mass Effect - Battle for the Citadel - Paragon - 1080p - YouTube

It was long thought that fantasy was a genre once thought reserved for geeks but Game of Thrones has garnered a huge audience. Perhaps a well written space opera with a huge budget could appeal to a diverse audience.

Do you think this genre should be revived?
Click to expand...

What?

Take a look around yourself in the "real world" and you will find plenty of what you're looking for.

People are getting their heads cut off and all you want is scandal, blood and guts...
 
radcen said:
Right. There is a lot of crap on tv, but there always has been. "My Mother the Car"? "Car 54, Where Are You?" Don't pretend that was some 'golden age'.

Like you say, there is a lot of good stuff still being made. Now, just like always, you need to be discerning, that's all.
Click to expand...

I like them. My Favorite Martian, Mr. Ed, Perhaps my all time favorite, The Beverly Hillbillies. A little earlier I couldn't get enough of the westerns, Maverick, Have Gun will Travel, The Rebel, The Cisco Kid, Roy Rogers, etc.

I don't watch much TV at all these days. Somethings on the history channel or Discovery, but they have gone to a lot of these reality shows too.
 
I watch the Goldbergs, Law & Order SVU and Bones.... On Hulu.

I don't like much TV - I would rather read.
 
Why all the hate on "reality" shows? They can be entertaining. I understand people not liking the shows but it almost seems in vogue to hate on them.

Anyway, I watch Survivor, Top Chef, Master Chef, Project Runway and the Voice... maybe these should be categorized as competition shows. :lol:
 
CmdrShepard35 said:
Most of the new shows created now days are crappy reality shows. Why do Americans like to watch stuff like this? Can't we have a serious show for once? I would like a show that involves these serious themes.

-political intrigue
-political corruption
-war
-genocide
-any serious topic
-Sci Fi isn't complete without evil corporations and unethical science experiments

Back in the early 2000s we had awesome epic space operas like Battlestar Galactica and Babylon 5. I used to see a lot of commercials promoting the Battlestar Galactica TV series back in 2004-05. I was never interested in sci fi until earlier this year when I played the first Mass Effect under the recommendation of a friend. I thought the Battle for the Citadel scene was epic.

Why don't we see shows like Battlestar Galactica or Babylon 5 anymore? Did the network execs decide the genre was dead? I think we need more epic space battles on TV.

Mass Effect - Battle for the Citadel - Paragon - 1080p - YouTube

It was long thought that fantasy was a genre once thought reserved for geeks but Game of Thrones has garnered a huge audience. Perhaps a well written space opera with a huge budget could appeal to a diverse audience.

Do you think this genre should be revived?
Click to expand...


What happened?

People started watching it.


You cannot complain about the content, they are only giving you what you watch.

I threw my TV off the third floor balcony in 1993 after being inspired by one of the last 'great' shows, SCTV. My life is richer for it. It isn't the genre....it's the audience.
 
Winchester said:
Why all the hate on "reality" shows? They can be entertaining. I understand people not liking the shows but it almost seems in vogue to hate on them.

Anyway, I watch Survivor, Top Chef, Master Chef, Project Runway and the Voice... maybe these should be categorized as competition shows. :lol:
Click to expand...


Reality shows are pretty funny...... I think it's called the "surreal life" but they put a bunch of celebrities in a house and they live together....... What cant be funny with Gary Busey, Minni Me and Todd Bridges getting **** faced?

Flippn Minni Me (Vern Troyer) was riding around ****faced on a scooter naked spewing nonsense.

It was funny but I don't feel right laughing at other peoples problems... Morally I just cant do that, but it is funny.
 
Perotista said:
I like them. My Favorite Martian, Mr. Ed, Perhaps my all time favorite, The Beverly Hillbillies. A little earlier I couldn't get enough of the westerns, Maverick, Have Gun will Travel, The Rebel, The Cisco Kid, Roy Rogers, etc.

I don't watch much TV at all these days. Somethings on the history channel or Discovery, but they have gone to a lot of these reality shows too.
Click to expand...

I like lots of silly old shows, too. Love Gilligan's Island, for example.
 
lizzie said:
What happened to TV? The American public. That's what happened to TV. Whatever gets the ratings, makes the cut. Unfortunately, the American public likes crap as a rule.
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OK !
After we are thru insulting the American public and their so-called preference of "crap" ...lets talk ..
Define 'crap' , or what is one man's trash is another treasure ..
I dislike many shows due to excessive advertising, not because of their content..
Solution .............
a new one............tax advertising...use that money for another TCM or PBS .
 
CRUE CAB said:
Do yourself a favor and watch alittle PBS. The Roosevelt Family series is good.
Click to expand...
NOT just good, but great ! I'd watch it again .. and again ..IMO, there was no playing to fears, no pandering, only the most interesting truth. TR , a progressive republican , impossible today. I think we have placed our transmission in"reverse lock" .
 
earthworm said:
OK !
After we are thru insulting the American public and their so-called preference of "crap" ...lets talk ..
Define 'crap' , or what is one man's trash is another treasure ..
I dislike many shows due to excessive advertising, not because of their content..
Solution .............
a new one............tax advertising...use that money for another TCM or PBS .
Click to expand...

I don't think I could handle 10 minutes of begging every 15 minutes during an episode of The Walking Dead. I'd rather have commercials.
 
earthworm said:
NOT just good, but great ! I'd watch it again .. and again ..IMO, there was no playing to fears, no pandering, only the most interesting truth. TR , a progressive republican , impossible today. I think we have placed our transmission in"reverse lock" .
Click to expand...
I felt bad that I did not know that attempt on FDR was made shortly after his first election.
 
Superfly said:
I don't think I could handle 10 minutes of begging every 15 minutes during an episode of The Walking Dead. I'd rather have commercials.
Click to expand...


I don't have commercials at all when watching The Walking Dead.

:mrgreen:

>>>>
 
CmdrShepard35 said:
Most of the new shows created now days are crappy reality shows. Why do Americans like to watch stuff like this? Can't we have a serious show for once? I would like a show that involves these serious themes.

-political intrigue
-political corruption
-war
-genocide
-any serious topic
-Sci Fi isn't complete without evil corporations and unethical science experiments
Click to expand...
I think that current TV shows amply fulfill many of your demands. Political intrigue? Haven't you watched Boardwalk Empire? Political corruption? Doesn't House of Cards do it for you? War? Genocide? How about Tyrant, or Homeland?
 
radcen said:
...as if participating in mindless pointless arguments on an internet forum is somehow more cool. :lol:
Click to expand...

someoneiswrongoninternet.jpg
 
earthworm said:
OK !
After we are thru insulting the American public and their so-called preference of "crap" ...lets talk ..
Define 'crap' , or what is one man's trash is another treasure ..
I dislike many shows due to excessive advertising, not because of their content..
Solution .............
a new one............tax advertising...use that money for another TCM or PBS .
Click to expand...
The funny part is they're gobbling it up all over the world. :lol:
 
CmdrShepard35 said:
Most of the new shows created now days are crappy reality shows. Why do Americans like to watch stuff like this? Can't we have a serious show for once? I would like a show that involves these serious themes.

-political intrigue
-political corruption
-war
-genocide
-any serious topic
-Sci Fi isn't complete without evil corporations and unethical science experiments

Back in the early 2000s we had awesome epic space operas like Battlestar Galactica and Babylon 5. I used to see a lot of commercials promoting the Battlestar Galactica TV series back in 2004-05. I was never interested in sci fi until earlier this year when I played the first Mass Effect under the recommendation of a friend. I thought the Battle for the Citadel scene was epic.

Why don't we see shows like Battlestar Galactica or Babylon 5 anymore? Did the network execs decide the genre was dead? I think we need more epic space battles on TV.

Mass Effect - Battle for the Citadel - Paragon - 1080p - YouTube

It was long thought that fantasy was a genre once thought reserved for geeks but Game of Thrones has garnered a huge audience. Perhaps a well written space opera with a huge budget could appeal to a diverse audience.

Do you think this genre should be revived?
Click to expand...

Confusing post is confusing ....

You ask where all the good TV has gone and then ramble on about space battles ... :shrug

As to your other themes, no network would be able to pull those off with any sort of impartiality. They'd have to manufacture drama and suspense and villians and heroes.
 
gdgyva said:
anyone else catch the first episode of "Scorpion"

DVR'ed it....and myself and wife both like the premise

something a little different

for the pilot...i give it 7.5 out of 10 with room to grow
Click to expand...

Yeah, it looks like fun, but this formula tends to jump the shark fairly early on. There have been a few stand alone movies with this premise (Sneakers comes to mind).
 
Mr.Nick said:
What?

Take a look around yourself in the "real world" and you will find plenty of what you're looking for.

People are getting their heads cut off and all you want is scandal, blood and guts...
Click to expand...

Play Mass Effect or watch Guardians of the Galaxy!


Great optimistic space opera!
 
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