Television Rant: Prove me wrong.

POSTED BY: HiroStone
UPDATED: Monday, February 23, 2004 16:35
VIEWED: 13366
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HIROSTONE

Tuesday, February 17, 2004 5:36 PM

Okay, this is going to be a long rant, so get comfortable folks.

To whomever has the courage to read this, I have been an avid television watcher for twenty-six of my twenty-eight years of my life. Taping shows simultaneously with a VCR in the living room and bedroom (I need Tivo), and yes, I’ll even admit that I was a geek early on. Some of my earliest memories living in Hawaii as a toddler on a naval base were of watching classic Star Trek, Ultra-man and Speed Racer as well as my Sesame Street, Electric Company, Vegetable Soup and other various cartoons.

Now I don’t claim to know everything about television. I don’t know the businesses, nuances or intricacies of development, sponsorship, executive/studio/production politics, but I know what I like. The first rule, the golden rule of show business is the old axiom, ‘give the people what they want’. Well, speaking as a Firefly and an Angel fan right now who is disenchanted now more than ever at television execs; speaking as a Trekker asking for the improvement of the quality of Enterprise and stop recycling old storylines (and about the god awful new, improved theme); I’m also speaking as a person who has ruined his eyes sitting in front of television, who has watched television when all I knew were the three networks, that all the reality TV you have on now, is not what we want.

I admit I do watch some reality TV. The Osbournes, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, Family Business, all of which I got into because, although it somewhat intrusive in their lives, it’s more like a documentary which I find interesting because these people are just being who they are in everyday life. Also, I can understand competition like Survivor, and to a lesser degree, Fear Factor. Extreme competitive shows like those have been around for a long time all over the world, specifically in Japan where it’s been like an adult version of Double Dare for years, long before Fear Factor. However, I don’t watch Survivor or Fear Factor, for the same reason I don’t watch Big Brother, Average Joe, Joe Millionaire, Mr. Personality, Cupid, The Surreal Life, My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé, The Bachelor/Bachelorette, The Simple Life, or especially American Idol (did I miss anything) for the simple fact is I don’t care. I don’t care about these people that go on these shows. I don’t care that they win a million dollars, or they find the significant other of their dreams (which statistically the couple tends to break up after the cameras are off them), or that they get a recording contract. To me, these people are just cheats, greedy, attention starved sad people that have no respect for themselves, and are desperate to grab their fifteen minutes the same way tabloids and the paparazzi scrape the bottom of the barrel for news. It’s catering to the lowest common denominator, the voyeuristic nature of the audience, insulting our intelligence in an attempt to say that it’s ‘just entertainment’. It’s not; it’s embarrassing that the ‘dumbing down of America’ has reached this all time low (especially with this The Littlest Groom). The line between reality and fantasy blurs more and more the longer this goes on.

Most of all I’m sick of it. Like many of you in my generation, I watched The Real World or Road Rules when they first came on MTV. And it was interesting. It was something innovative and different. At first. But then I stopped watching it because it got old really quick. It was all the same damn thing over and over. And even before reaching it’s tenth anniversary, Real World/Road Rules had to do something to reinvent itself; hence, the competition between the two. In fact, those two shows were just templates for this Reality TV boom, so I really don’t have to watch any of these so-call ‘real’ shows because I’ve already seen all I need to see. It’s not real. It’s a premise and a game show on a grand scale. It’s inexpensive to setup and anyone desperate enough who wants to be on TV and willing to make complete ass-clowns for posterity, it’s a no-brainer, literally.

What it all comes down to is laziness.

SERENITYNOW

Tuesday, February 17, 2004 5:46 PM

I thought I was long-winded!

But thank you for posting this. I think it really gets to the core issue. Don't hate human nature for its love of a certain kind of entertainment--hate the networks for being short-sighted in trying to feed that human desire with cheap, easy fodder and /only/ that.

http://dryope.typepad.com/superfly/

GUNRUNNER

Tuesday, February 17, 2004 6:08 PM

I too grew up watching star trek along with the normal cartoons a young child watches. And I'm remind of what some "experts" have said about teens watching too much TV, I'm down to the opening monologs of Lenno, Conan, the news, Enterprise, and a few others. Only 14 hours or less a week of broadcast TV, DVD player has been getter a lot more work than my antenna recently.

I'll admit that I've watched some "Reality TV" 1900 House and Frontier House on PBS everything else out there is just SO BAD. At least those shows stimulated some neurons. The last movie I saw in theaters was "K-19", I haven’t seen the need to see any movies since then. I'm starting to pay more attention to the commercials than the show!

Too bad the bad economy is masking any real drop in sales from people not buying due to advertising on crap reality TV.

ARAWAEN

Tuesday, February 17, 2004 6:39 PM

I just wonder if these execs go home and watch this stuff? Do they feel proud of what they have accomplished? Or have they been so perverted that all they see are dollar signs?

I agree that a show losing money should be pulled. But I want anything I do to be quality, not whatever required the least effort on my part.

Arawaen

Um, I'm lost. Uh, I'm Angry. And I'm Armed.

KEVIN

Tuesday, February 17, 2004 7:41 PM

i am done with tv.there is nothing on so when i move this summer i will not be getting cable in my new place.sure,i will miss the daily show,but other than that-tv has become a wasteland.thats not to say there aren't a few other good shows on,and this decision isn't based on just angel.firefly,homicide,the tick,action,andy ricture,arrested developement(probably),and too many others to count.ive done the petitions only to see more "reality" shows crop up(by the way once you turn on a camera-no one is real,it's bad acting at it's best)let white trash rule the airwaves,im done committing myself to shows with great writing and acting only to see them go by the wayside.until joss returns-tv is dead.

p.s.-here's my inner child speaking-"FUCK CHARMED!GEE,IF I REMEMBER THAT "SHOW" WAS PICKED UP AFTER A CERTAIN SLAYER WAS DOING WELL FOR THAT CRAPPY NETWORK.ONCE AGAIN STUDIO EXEC. KNOW HOW TO TREAT REAL TALENT!----TONIGHT ON THE WB,IT'S AN ALL NEW CHARMED WHERE WE PUT THE 3 GIRLS IN SKIMPY OUTFITS,GIVE THEM SHITTY SCRIPTS AND SEE IF THEY CAN ACT AT ALL THIS WEEK.IN TONIGHTS EPISODE ENTITLED-CHARMED-HOLY SHIT THIS PASSES AS TV?

mal-....huh.

HIROSTONE

Tuesday, February 17, 2004 7:57 PM

Just a quick addition:

I don't think there's anything wrong with the voyeuristic nature of television. That’s a POV literary device as well as the main tool for documentaries. That’s how ER became such a phenomenon as it looked very real and quick like a documentary film crew was capturing it as is. It’s human nature to watch. It’s the reason people rubberneck at car accidents or morbidly gather at a crime scene wanting to know what’s going on.

But I agree, quality is what I look for rather than spectacle. Critics can say what to watch, but I in all probability won’t listen. But word of mouth from a friend I trust who knows my tastes in television, movies, books, etc. I will listen to them.

If you get a chance, give a listen to Weird Al in his song Couch Potato. It’s a very good commentary on television today. I quote:

Oh, and "Fear Factor" I watched maybe a half hour
After that, felt like I needed a long shower
Network execs with naked ambitions
"Next week on FOX, watch lions eat Christians"

Like to tie up those programming planners
Make 'em watch all of that junk 'til their heads explode just like "Scanners"

-If only we could!!!

-Hiro

Mal: Had a good day.

RUXTON

Tuesday, February 17, 2004 8:11 PM

Kevin, I'm right there with ya. I was trying to watch "Charmed" Sunday night to take my mind off massive personal sorrows, but Charmed was so pathetically bad I turned it off.

I could rant that the problem lies in the massive stupidity of much of the TV audience, who doesn't realize stuff like: after the US went into Afghanistan the opium growing increased massively, having been nearly shut down by the Taliban...That there is more evidence to implicate U.S. and Israeli insiders for the events of 9-11 than any Arab...That part of the problem with Iraq (which had NO WMD, and we have NO business being there) was that it was about to switch its oil-base to the Euro, abandoning the dollar...and on and on, but the bottom line is, not enough of us exist to mandate really good entertainment, or to be in positions of power to get what we want, like Firefly, Angel, Jake 2.0, and other excellence. I can offer no solution. But I believe it's a step in the right direction to turn off the TV.

BTW, before anyone pans what I wrote, I get NO news from TV. All of it comes from reading (mostly foreign) news services on the Internet. The evidence for what I said is massive and well verified. Look for it if you have doubts.

..........Ruxton

RUXTON

Tuesday, February 17, 2004 8:17 PM

Hiro,

Amen to critics telling me what is good. They can no more tell me what to watch than taste tests can tell me what to drink or eat.

I caught a few minutes of the first airing of that "reality" show with Tammy Faye Gobs-o-Makeup and the porn "star" and nearly puked. Looking at him was like staring at a used condom.

.........Ruxton

CHANNAIN

Tuesday, February 17, 2004 8:30 PM

I wouldn't dare to try to prove you wrong - everything you said was so completely right that there's nothing I could add.

Interestingly enough, the pastor at my church did a little ranting himself last Sunday. His closing comment on so-called "Reality" telvision was this:

"The only redeeming factor of so-called reality television programs is that I'M not on them."

I wanted to ask him if he was a browncoat, but there wasn't an opportunity. I am planning to ask him for a copy of his sermon.

You worked more than one demon or two out of your system by writing this, and at the same time you validated everything that everyone on this board feels. Quality TV has been left behind in the midst of the most recent trend. We can only hope it will swing back the other way, and soon.

Thanks Hiro. We needed that.

Channain

We have art so as not to die of truth ~ Neitzsche
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

JODI

Tuesday, February 17, 2004 8:36 PM

I 100% agree with ya on this one.I am tired of changing the channels to waych my favorite shows and see that they are ither being canceled or replaced for the season by some damn reality show.
That's why I only stick with my favorites.Although G.I.Joe comes on very early in the morning on the cartoon network,I still watch it.I am tired of watching a show so much and than turning on the t.v. the following week to find out it's been canceled.
Either I am on the internet,babysitting,or watching my favorite shows.That's it.Who's Line Is It Anyway?,in my opinion,is an amazingly hilarious show.It is now only shown on ABC Family because it was taken off ABC last year.What's next?!Replacing The Simpsons with "I'm Married To My Wife's Breast"?
I can't stand reality t.v.
I was a devoted fan of Fear Factor until it got old.I watch Buffy on FX @ 4 and 5pm,Who's Line @ 10&10:30pm,and every sunday I watch adult swim on the cartoon network.There seems to be nothing but reality shows on.Oh I also can't live without the Food Network.Nooo.I don't watch much.Blame it on all of those damn cancelations.And i agree on the whole thing regarding Charmed.If anything,Angel should be replacing Charmed and Charmed should get the boot.

~Jodi~

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