Life without television...

[coprolalia]

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So, lately it is my belief, among many other variables, that the television viewing habits of the American public is a large part of the "discontent" many Americans are feeling with their situation today. This "discontent" is promulgated by hot-breathed rhetoric being spewed back-and-forth on the various news media outlets vying for the Public's attention.

It is primarily opinion-based. It is divisive. Most of it is irrelevant propaganda.

The last straw, for me, was the other night when I was was flipping through the channels and happened to catch Keith Obama-mer-man on MSNBC responding to and attacking, yes, other pundits on other networks.

This has gone beyond reporting the news. This has gone beyond even opining on the news. This is, in no other terms, salacious, attention-grabbing, pissing contest about whose opinion is "most" right.

I'm all for the First Amendment. Don't get me wrong. People should be able to say whatever they want to say, even less censored than what now occurs, on whatever network.

But, I'm beginning to be of the belief that we need to put these people, Aaron Burr style, together in the Octagon and let them have it out. It's too easy for these jackasses - and that's all they are - to use their monologuing pulpits to trash people and ideas without any real fear of being questioned or having repercussions.

And, I'm not singling any one particular "pundit" out: this goes for all the ultra-libbo jackasses on CNN, the psuedo-libertarian Bill Maher types, as well it goes for the Rush Limbaugh's and all the jackasses on the "Fair and Balanced" (yeah, right 🙄 ) Fox News Network channel like Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, and that other supreme and utter jackass, Glenn Beck.

When I was a kid, you knew where you stood. If you were a jackass and started running your mouth a little too much - and that's all that this has become... a schoolyard bully contest - you either got your ass kicked, and you learned to shut the hell up. Or, you beat the other kid to a pulp... and then you felt a little bit bad about yourself afterwards and toned it down anyway.

Kinda like this forum. 😉

But, these guys don't really have a forum... or a schoolyard... They have unilateral TV shows where they can just sit there and spew their opinions without being questioned or without any real fear that someone might walk in and kick their ass. And, worst of all, you have a bunch of (I hate to say it, but it's true) barely-high-school-educated idiots out there who sit there and take it all in without question. Then, some of them act on it...

I think it is this unquestioned rhetoric that is, in no small part, f***ing ruining this country.

So, what am I going to do? I'm going to try to break my TV addiction. I'm going to stop watching this bullsh*t on TV that is not actually making me a better person or making me more informed. NO, it is only giving me one side of one opinion and polarizing me more than I'm probably willing to admit.

I'm going to stop supporting outlets who posit primarily editorials disguised as the news. I just want the facts. I'm not going to listen to rhetoric anymore. It doesn't bring us together. In fact, it just pushes us more apart. It doesn't highlight and exalt what unifies us, it divides us.

http://www.turnoffyourtv.com/

But, I'm staying around here... at least this is a forum. You don't like what I say, you can call me out. In real time. That's the way it should be.

-coprolalia

 

[coprolalia]

AND...

I haven't even talked about the "famous-for-being-famous" set like those shows "the Hills" and "Jersey Shore" where it is a bunch of talentless hacks who send absolutely the wrong impression to impressionable kids about how to make it in this world.

-copro

 

[hoyden]

none. there is nothing to watch and if there is it is usually not on when I have time for TV.

 

[periopdoc]

I lived for over ten years without a television, prior to med school. Ten of the happiest years of my life so far. When I started med school, my landlord was aghast that I didn't have a tele and he gave me one. I watch shows that remind me of home and my former life, Deadliest Catch, Dirty Jobs, Ax Men. I also watch the Stanley Cup Series and The Super Bowl. There is usually one good show on that I watch every week; Sons of Anarchy, Weeds, Deadwood, Sopranos. I stay completely away from the "news" channels. They make me pissed off about meaningless fluff and don't ever talk about real issues (did somebody say death panels)?

Having lived without, I would say that I am happier when I don't spend a lot of time in front of he tele and I am seriously considering getting rid of it. For now I just limit my intake so that I have more time for other things in life that bring me more happiness.

-pod

 

[doctor712]

AND...

I haven't even talked about the "famous-for-being-famous" set like those shows "the Hills" and "Jersey Shore" where it is a bunch of talentless hacks who send absolutely the wrong impression to impressionable kids about how to make it in this world.

-copro

I'm there with you Copro. 1000%. I'm down with every bit of your stream-of-consciousness. 😉

Television, in the US, has REALLY taken a downhill in the last 10-15 years. There used to be fun, unique, new, hilarious, dramatic, familial networking out there, 5-7 nights a week. Written by people who wanted to TELL YOU A STORY. You would either watch alone, or with the entire family, and EVERYONE, from 8-78, would have a good time. That era is dead. (So, now I know how all you guys feel when you say the good ol' days of Cowboy medicine are dead...)

Sad.

I watch. But it's disappointing. And I don't watch ANYWHERE near what I used to. (which is a good thing going into MD school). You. Just. Can't. There are two shows, maybe one, I make a point of watching weekly. One drama show because it's so corny, it's good. The other is straight Dramedy. You'd be even more nauseated if you knew who the IDIOTS are that put shows on the air. And the decisions about why certain shows are put on the air, or not. Having said that, I need money, I have two pilots right now.

As for shows like "The Hills," et al, pathetic. It killed the sitcom business, thriving once, when you had 5 nights a week of 4 sitcoms per channel from 8-10pm. Not that long ago, actually.
These shows are conceived by the hackiest of hacks who REALLY have no idea what else to do with their lives. Not an original idea between the group.

As for the news, yeah, media, whatevs. I just don't put two cents into what anything any of those guys have to say, it's 99% editorial these days. Also, pathetic. Unless it's a comedy show, at which point folks like Dennis Miller were good at it.

Bottom line: it does suck. Eventually, maybe, the US will start to get interested in TV once again.

Good TV.

By then, I'll be long out of that business. Lord willing.

D712

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

In a typical week, I'll watch a little SportsCenter, a little PTI, maybe some Scrubs, maybe some Seinfeld re-runs. Got sucked into Lost a couple years ago, and I'll watch the last season even though it's gone downhill a little compared to the first 2 years.

Other than that, most of my time in front of the television is spent playing MW2. So, technically I'm in front of the TV, but I'm not actually watching anything.

 

[checkov]

I'm not an avid fan of news programs, so I can't comment on that, but I'd argue that there's a few British television programs that are worth watching. I'm particularly fond of BBC's Top Gear, which has only gotten better with age.

 

[coprolalia]

I'm with you on what represents the few redeeming amount of content on what is otherwise a vast sea of ****...

But...

What was interesting at the SEC Championship game was the commercial timeouts. I never realized (it's been a while since I was "live" at a big, televised college game) how much that slows the pace of the game down. There was a dude who stood on the field - not the sidelines - on the field who controlled when play could resume. The teams would stand in the huddle for these TV timeouts. It was amazing. During those moments, that guy was the most powerful person in the whole stadium.

Granted, I recognize that commerce is what runs this country. But, there are too many channels and too many advertising dollars at stake. As a result, TV is starting to appeal solely to the lowest common denominator. Our only choice is to vote with our remotes. We have to stop watching the crap that they're putting out there.

I'm sick of hearing about Tiger Woods. Enough already. I'm already sick about hearing about Brittany Murphy. Who cares? THIS IS NOT NEWS, even though it's dressed up to be.

Honestly, I'm with Periopdoc. I'm seriously going to try to cut out the TV as my New Year's resolution. I recognize that I am addicted to it. But, I think I'll have a much better life if I, as Nancy Reagan put it, "Just say 'No'."

Right now, I'm in the 2-4hrs/day crowd. That's disgusting. I do not have enough time in my otherwise crazy life to afford to the idiot box.

KILL YOUR TV!

-copro

 

[coprolalia]

Oh...

And, I applaud those of you who can honestly vote "zero".



-copro

 

[coprolalia]

I'm not an avid fan of news programs, so I can't comment on that, but I'd argue that there's a few British television programs that are worth watching. I'm particularly fond of BBC's Top Gear, which has only gotten better with age.

I think with more websites like Hulu.com people will be able to pick and choose what they want to watch and when.

I think that's a better option.

I like my big 52" LCD TV. But, I think I'm going to use it solely to watch movies and sports. It's too easy to vedge-out in front of it. That's the problem.

Fortunately, I don't own an XBOX or PS3 or Wii or anything like that. If I did, between that and teh internets I wouldn't get ANYTHING done.

-copro

 

[GoodmanBrown]

It's too easy to vedge-out in front of it. That's the problem.
-copro

qft.

I think that's the biggest lure of TV. It's so easy to turn it on, just to see what's on. My wife and I had basic (~70 channels) TV provided with our apartment, and I'd watch Jon Stewart, Colbert, Discovery Health, re-runs, etc. without even thinking about it.

At our current place, we get the basic, basic stations (NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC), and I still watch a bit more than I want to.

To be honest, I wouldn't mind dropping cable all together, and just use Hulu to watch The Office, 30 Rock, Lost, and It's Always Sunny. Other than that, most of the TV I watch is lost time.

Sports is the only hard one as you can't stream almost anything off the internet unless you have ESPN 360, which won't work with my internet company.

 

[doctor712]

Sports is the only hard one as you can't stream almost anything off the internet unless you have ESPN 360, which won't work with my internet company.

Nhl.com lets you pay I think 20$ a month to watch live games online. Streaming is MUCH better than it used to be. I used it during the free preview this year. You can literally watch four games at a time. And, come on, WHO wouldn't want to do that? Like Co, nothing beats true (Sony for me) HiDef.

The French and US Open tennis tourneys now have the same deal with 4 camera views, you can choose your Court and feed on USA network or something like that. Now THAT is useful TV.

D712

 

[geogil]

I grew up without a television, and only acquired one through marriage. In the 5 years we have owned it, we have watched 1 (yes, 'one') broadcast on it, and that was for school closure information. Television is largely responsible for the ridiculing of intellect and for the dumbening (to steal from the Simpsons) down of America. I also think that it plays a large part in the culture of the free ride. When people who get paid for doing nothing of redeeming social value (eg reality shows, MTV, winning windfalls on game shows, etc) are lionized, the youth of today don't grow up thinking that hard work and sacrifice are the route to success, but rather that winning the lottery, becoming famous for no good reason, and other aspects of celebrity in general are the way to get ahead. Unfortunately, some of these people vote and perpetuate the culture of the free ride and institutionalize it.

As the bumper stickers in my very liberal hometown say, "Kill you television".

-g

 

[geogil]

To quote the immortal Roald Dahl

The most important thing we've learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set --
Or better still, just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone's place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they're hypnotised by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink --
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK -- HE ONLY SEES!
'All right!' you'll cry. 'All right!' you'll say,
'But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!'
We'll answer this by asking you,
'What used the darling ones to do?
'How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?'
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow:
THEY ... USED ... TO ... READ! They'd READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales
Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales
And treasure isles, and distant shores
Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching 'round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.
(It smells so good, what can it be?
Good gracious, it's Penelope.)
The younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr. Tod, the dirty rotter,
And Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and-
Just How The Camel Got His Hump,
And How the Monkey Lost His Rump,
And Mr. Toad, and bless my soul,
There's Mr. Rate and Mr. Mole-
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks-
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They'll now begin to feel the need
Of having something to read.
And once they start -- oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen
They'll wonder what they'd ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.

Roald Dahl

 

[doctor712]

To quote
the immortal Roald Dahl

Edit: I just looked at Dahl's bio, boy
he had a sad life, lots of death around that guy.
Talented writer - who wrote for film and TV
as well. Notably. Ironically.

I don't blame television and reality shows for
the laziness or nature of the American
culture of late. It's been brewing long
before Archie Bunker ever hit the screen.

But that's NOT necessarily an argument I would
spend time defending here. Sorta worn out since the
"Great Dilemma Debate of 2009".

D712

 

[coprolalia]

To quote the immortal Roald Dahl...

👍

And, he died in 1990. I'd imagine he's doing cartwheels in his grave...

-copro

 

[geogil]

Edit: I just looked at Dahl's bio, boy
he had a sad life, lots of death around that guy.
Talented writer - who wrote for film and TV
as well. Notably. Ironically.

I don't blame television and reality shows for
the laziness or nature of the American
culture of late. It's been brewing long
before Archie Bunker ever hit the screen.

But that's NOT necessarily an argument I would
spend time defending here. Sorta worn out since the
"Great Dilemma Debate of 2009".

D712

I agree, it is simplistic to argue that television is single handedly responsible, but I think it does play a large role. Not trying to pick a fight with an ex (?) writer for TV.

 

[pgg]

Look up and watch the segment of Jon Stewart when he was a guest on one of those stupid opinion "news" shows. I think it was Hardball. Love or hate the guy (Stewart) he was dead on when he told those bowtie costume wearing ********* that they were hurting America.

Beck, Olberman, et al are a plague upon our nation.

 

[LSU Alex]

Internet porn has definitely decreased the amount of time I watch television. Although, I do like watching television when I need a break from work and all the nut case women in my life. I like watching "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader"...I would totally destroy those little bastards and it would make me feel good about myself too. I also like shows with midgets in them...I sometimes wish I had one as a pet.

A man after my own heart. Internet porn and midgets... wouldn't midgets make great footwarmers? Seriously, and when they aren't warming your feet, they could do entertaining midget things. 👍

 

[Trisomy13]

boom

[YOUTUBE]aFQFB5YpDZE[/YOUTUBE]


Now back to midget porn. Or porn, and midgets. Hmm. Two good things don't necessarily combine to make one great thing.

 

[Jeff05]

i like many programs on the history channel, science channel, and discovery that are really interesting/educational.

 

[2win]

Look up and watch the segment of Jon Stewart when he was a guest on one of those stupid opinion "news" shows. I think it was Hardball. Love or hate the guy (Stewart) he was dead on when he told those bowtie costume wearing ********* that they were hurting America.

Beck, Olberman, et al are a plague upon our nation.

You got confused - "Beck, Olberman, et al are a plague upon our nation"
I know that you are in California - the most f***cked up place in US but still you should know that the "plague" is ONLY Olberman. A scum...

 

[Bertelman]

I'm there with you Copro. 1000%. I'm down with every bit of your stream-of-consciousness. 😉

Television, in the US, has REALLY taken a downhill in the last 10-15 years. There used to be fun, unique, new, hilarious, dramatic, familial networking out there, 5-7 nights a week. Written by people who wanted to TELL YOU A STORY. You would either watch alone, or with the entire family, and EVERYONE, from 8-78, would have a good time. That era is dead. (So, now I know how all you guys feel when you say the good ol' days of Cowboy medicine are dead...)

Sad.

I watch. But it's disappointing. And I don't watch ANYWHERE near what I used to. (which is a good thing going into MD school). You. Just. Can't. There are two shows, maybe one, I make a point of watching weekly. One drama show because it's so corny, it's good. The other is straight Dramedy. You'd be even more nauseated if you knew who the IDIOTS are that put shows on the air. And the decisions about why certain shows are put on the air, or not. Having said that, I need money, I have two pilots right now.

As for shows like "The Hills," et al, pathetic. It killed the sitcom business, thriving once, when you had 5 nights a week of 4 sitcoms per channel from 8-10pm. Not that long ago, actually.
These shows are conceived by the hackiest of hacks who REALLY have no idea what else to do with their lives. Not an original idea between the group.

As for the news, yeah, media, whatevs. I just don't put two cents into what anything any of those guys have to say, it's 99% editorial these days. Also, pathetic. Unless it's a comedy show, at which point folks like Dennis Miller were good at it.

Bottom line: it does suck. Eventually, maybe, the US will start to get interested in TV once again.

Good TV.

By then, I'll be long out of that business. Lord willing.

D712

I don't think the absolute number of quality shows has changed much at all since I was growing up. What has changed is the number of stations. The shows worth watching are just harder to find now amidst the noise of all the other crap. Sure, there was a temporary blip the last several years that I think was a combination of the reality show craze, the writer's strike and the ending of a few classic shows. But I think sitcom TV is better now than it was 3 or 4 years ago.

I'm not even touching the news outlets you're talking about, copro. I haven't trusted TV journalism since Tim Russert died. 🙁

 

[doctor712]

I don't think the absolute number of quality shows has changed much at all since I was growing up. What has changed is the number of stations. The shows worth watching are just harder to find now amidst the noise of all the other crap. Sure, there was a temporary blip the last several years that I think was a combination of the reality show craze, the writer's strike and the ending of a few classic shows. But I think sitcom TV is better now than it was 3 or 4 years ago.

I'm not even touching the news outlets you're talking about, copro. I haven't trusted TV journalism since Tim Russert died. 🙁

Bert,

Really? I don't think sitcom TV is anywhere NEAR what it was in the 80s and 90s, the heyday. Certainly, there are less of them now, but that doesn't mean the majority of them were good back then; but the good ones, and there were plenty, were sooooo much better. IMHO.

70s: Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Welcome Back Kotter, MASH, All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Threes Company...

80s: Cosby, Roseanne, Family Ties, Mama's Family, Kate and Allie, Who's the Boss, Perfect Strangers, Night Court, Fresh Prince, Diff'rent Strokes,

90s and EARLY 00s: Home Improvement, Murphy Brown, Coach, Frasier, Friends, Ellen, Seinfeld, Married with Children, Mad About You, Everybody Loves Raymond, Will and Grace.

And then don't forget all those that weren't classics per se, but were well watched, from Brooklyn Bridge, (oops, single camera), to Gimme a Break Dave's World, Drew Carey, Suddenly Susan, Just Shoot Me...

Lately: I see nothing worthwhile.

I really don't think there's any comparison between then and now. As far as the business of the sitcom goes, it's on life support. In 1995, studio lots were PACKED with writers and producers, sets bustling, on every lot in LA, Warners, Universal, Gower, Hollywood Center, Paramount, Fox, Culver, Radford. Today, it's sad.

Bert: what sitcoms do you think makes the list from 2005-2010 - that DIDN'T start prior to 2005?
Do you see anything on TV lately that stacks up to the writing and fun on Seinfeld, Will and Grace, Friends, Brooklyn Bridge, Larry Sanders?

D712

 

[Bertelman]

Arrested Development
Family Guy
Modern Family
30 Rock
The Office
(I know some began prior to '05)

I know it's nice to look back and think shows like Roseanne were good. I saw an episode the other day. It sucked. She's a terrible actress, and the writing was pedestrian and buttressed with canned laughter. It just happens that there were no other options for entertainment at that time. Compared to nothing, Roseanne was pretty good. Now we can get entertained through so many other avenues. The sitcom per se is lower on the hierarchy. I know there isn't anything as classic as Seinfeld, but there are other very compelling shows, they just don't happen to be on broadcast TV. Sopranos, Weeds, etc.

 

[doctor712]

Arrested Development
Family Guy
Modern Family
30 Rock
The Office
(I know some began prior to '05)

I hated Roseanne (the show), despite working for her and Tom. I threw it in there because many others thought it was great. Some shows don't hold up so well, Roseanne is a great example. For the time, it was irreverent and highly acclaimed in writing circles. I didn't mention animated but I see you like Family Guy, I raise you one Simpsons (early on) and King of the Hill. Canned laughter and corny jokes are mainstays of the sitcom, Seinfeld, Frasier, Friends, all changed that. Canned laughter with decent jokes. 😀

30 Rock is single camera and not really a sitcom per se, Larry Sanders was a better show I think. But I do like 30 Rock. It's the ONE show I'll watch, that and Entourage (though that's REALLY fallen off of late). The Office is also single camera and not a sitcom by definition, and not American-created. Lots of shows are being imported of late, which is maddening as well. We've given up on US talent. A GREAT Israeli show that was brought to HBO was "In Treatment." Season 1 and 2 were impeccable television. Acting. Writing. Impeccable.

As for dramas, I think Oz, Homicide and Sopranos were better than most anything dramatic today as well...

D712

 

[doctor712]

South Park is the best TV show ever made.

My ex writing teammate would agree with you, being that he wrote on that show. And then with me on our "other" special show. 🙂

 

[LSU Alex]

South Park is the best TV show ever made.

Best ever made might be a bit much; but if you're gonna include Family Guy, you HAVE to include South Park. That's probably the only show that has ever made me fall off the couch laughing. Plus it's a lot more balanced about what it pokes fun at. Family Guy... yeah, not so much.

The League on FX was pretty funny this year, but only because I have friends that are as ******ed as those guys on that show... like art imitating life.

 

[coprolalia]

Doctor712,

I think there is still some good television out there. Clever, has a message, is not sentimental-laden drivel like some of those '80s shows.

Problem, as I see it, is that there is too much "attention-grabbing" TV that doesn't involve any deeper thought. It panders. It doesn't "educate". It is vacuous.

I do watch more TV than I should (have it on right now, in fact). But, I'm watching a show on the History channel about the history of toys. It's actually really good. And, I'm doing something interactive on teh internets right now, too.

I think "Jersey Shore", although I've never watched the show, has probably crossed some sort of line. Although, there are a lot of other shows that have done the same. They are now considered iconoclastic (the Simpsons, South Park, etc.) and many of them are quite clever and funny.

What really fascinates me is the number of other TV shows that "report" on these TV shows (Entertainment Tonight, Extra!, etc.). You have an entire network ("E!") dedicated, essentially, to reporting about TV and Celebrity.

I think that we are off-track. We have the wrong "virtues" (for lack of a better word), and being "controversial" has taken the front seat driver role in our society. We extol that above everything else right now, and it's making us a bunch of polarized, hate-mongering divisionists... slowly... insidiously.

I, as much as anyone else, have proven that very theory on this very forum. I don't hate anyone who posts here. Fact is, I don't know anyone (save one or two people who participate here) personally. I have just learned, by example, how to be entertaining and get noticed... and I'm just as guilty at participating in what now plagues our society at this early dawn of the information age.

We'll grow. I hope.

-copro

 

[coprolalia]

Also, for the majority of you who voted and honestly watch an hour or less of TV per day... 👍

-copro

 

[Bertelman]

I hated Roseanne (the show), despite working for her and Tom. I threw it in there because many others thought it was great. Some shows don't hold up so well, Roseanne is a great example. For the time, it was irreverent and highly acclaimed in writing circles. I didn't mention animated but I see you like Family Guy, I raise you one Simpsons (early on) and King of the Hill. Canned laughter and corny jokes are mainstays of the sitcom, Seinfeld, Frasier, Friends, all changed that. Canned laughter with decent jokes. 😀

30 Rock is single camera and not really a sitcom per se, Larry Sanders was a better show I think. But I do like 30 Rock. It's the ONE show I'll watch, that and Entourage (though that's REALLY fallen off of late). The Office is also single camera and not a sitcom by definition, and not American-created. Lots of shows are being imported of late, which is maddening as well. We've given up on US talent. A GREAT Israeli show that was brought to HBO was "In Treatment." Season 1 and 2 were impeccable television. Acting. Writing. Impeccable.

As for dramas, I think Oz, Homicide and Sopranos were better than most anything dramatic today as well...

D712

Love old Simpsons as well as King of the Hill.

You clearly have a much better handle on TV and sitcoms than I do. I can't separate the shows I watch into sitcoms v. others, but I will say that NONE of them have canned laughter.

How I see it, there are just as many good shows now on TV as there ever have been. Difference is, there are hundreds more channels with crap because there are not enough good writers to go around.

Must have coincided with your retirement. 😉

 

[doctor712]

Doctor712,

I think there is still some good television out there. Clever, has a message, is not sentimental-laden drivel like some of those '80s shows.

Problem, as I see it, is that there is too much "attention-grabbing" TV that doesn't involve any deeper thought. It panders. It doesn't "educate". It is vacuous.

-copro

100% agree. Some 80s shows were REALLY shlocky, that's the official term I believe. 😉 I'm a fan of just about ANYTHING in HD nowadays. If it's NHL in HD, I'm glued. Even if it's the Geology of Yellowstone, which was on the other night. It's just amazing visually. Or an HD show on the history of Asteroids and how the next one might come about sooner than we think, or was that CSPAN's coverage of the vote of the new health plan, hmmm, anyway...

What I can't understand, not to get off topic, is the HD that is really 1/2 HD. Better quality than standard def, but not as good as HD, and it has the bars on the side of the screen, WHAT is THAT?

Pet Peeve: I cannot watch ANYTHING if it's not in its proper ratio. EVER.

Also, for the majority of you who voted and honestly watch an hour or less of TV per day... 👍

-copro

Hilarious. Even a second time around.

How I see it, there are just as many good shows now on TV as there ever have been. Difference is, there are hundreds more channels with crap because there are not enough good writers to go around.

Must have coincided with your retirement. 😉

There are some good shows on nowadays, true enough, and yes, there are 10s of channels that you can zip by on DirecTV that simply have NOTHING worthwhile on them. Ever.

Haha. 😉 My shows will air looooooong after my retirement. 😀 What's fun are those moments like this morning where my youngest ran into the room, "Daddy, your name's on TV..." STILL: If I never had to write another script, and hit another deadline, like this MORNING, and tomorrow morning, and I could just do what you guys do every day, I'd be a much happier human being. Grass is greener I suppose.

D712

 

[ssmallz]

I don't watch all these shows on the regular but here are a few from the 00s that stack up pretty well with the other decades

Sitcoms

Everybody Loves Raymond
That 70s show
King of Queens
How I met your mother
two and half men
Scrubs
Entourage
Curb your enthusiasm

Drama

CSI
Sopranos
Lost
Nip/Tuck was ok then got kinda bad
24
Heroes

TVs not worse, its just that people decide to watch crap. It's kinda funny how everyone loves to romanticise the past and forget about the warts. It will be very interesting to see how the 00s look in 10 or 20 years

 

[doctor712]

I don't watch all these shows on the regular but here are a few from the 00s that stack up pretty well with the other decades

Sitcoms

Everybody Loves Raymond
That 70s show
King of Queens
How I met your mother
two and half men
Scrubs
Entourage
Curb your enthusiasm

Drama

CSI
Sopranos
Lost
Nip/Tuck was ok then got kinda bad
24
Heroes

TVs not worse, its just that people decide to watch crap. It's kinda funny how everyone loves to romanticise the past and forget about the warts. It will be very interesting to see how the 00s look in 10 or 20 years

Everybody Loves Raymond began in 96 I think, it's not a 2000s show, really. Scrubs, Entourage (which I like-d) and Curb are not sitcoms, per se. They are single camera serial "dramedy" shows that I didn't list as part of my previous list from 80s, 90s, etc. Had I, I would say Larry Sanders, Wonder Years, Brooklyn Bridge and many others were very well done too.

Are you saying that we shouldn't romanticize shows like Murphy Brown and Mad About You, but that King of Queens proves your point??? I respectfully disagree.

I agree with you on 24 and Sopranos. The others I don't go for. At all.

D712

 

[notinkansas]

I agree with OP in terms of too much TV can have bad influence.

I disagree on what I think is bad influence. The commentators listed are good- as long as you take whatever they say with some grain of salt, make sure it's verified from other sources. I think its' good to listen to opposing points of view.

What i think the damaging things are: Reality TV and the shows where people engage in bad behaviour for shock value. Or those show that consist primarily of arguments and accusations (think Jerry Springer, and the catty fighting that goes on amongst the women of the bachelor and other reality shows were contests share a house and their arguements are aired) I think these these programs lead to people treating one another badly.

 

[ssmallz]

Everybody Loves Raymond began in 96 I think, it's not a 2000s show, really. Scrubs, Entourage (which I like-d) and Curb are not sitcoms, per se. They are single camera serial "dramedy" shows that I didn't list as part of my previous list from 80s, 90s, etc. Had I, I would say Larry Sanders, Wonder Years, Brooklyn Bridge and many others were very well done too.

Are you saying that we shouldn't romanticize shows like Murphy Brown and Mad About You, but that King of Queens proves your point??? I respectfully disagree.

I agree with you on 24 and Sopranos. The others I don't go for. At all.

D712

No I'm just saying that when you look back in time it compresses, you only remeber the good shows like murphy brown or seinfeld and forget all the bad ones that flopped.

 

[doctor712]

No I'm just saying that when you look back in time it compresses, you only remeber the good shows like murphy brown or seinfeld and forget all the bad ones that flopped.

Ohh, heehee, I follow you now. I wish I could forget about many of those shows that flopped, but I worked on enough of 'em! 🙁 They're burned into my memory.

Have a good holiday all, signing off for the night!

D712

 

[Code99]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbug5sM1T1w&feature=player_embedded

 

[coprolalia]

More interesting, and science based, YouTube video hitting the same subject...

[Youtube]zw_7CJ5ozaM[/YOUTUBE]

-copro