Imagine what it would be like if TV actually were good. It would be the end of everything we know.
-- Marvin Minsky
The end is nigh.
TV is now good. Like I have said a few times, I believe we are now in the golden age of TV. Shows like The Sopranos and Gilmore Girls are as good as I can imagine them. Funny, consistent, gripping, well written, realistic, beautifully acted, perfectly filmed...
11 comments:
I'm not going to try to make you agree with me here, but I just don't see it. Everytime I turn on the TV, all I see is reality shows and celebrity gossip and a bunch of other junk.
Don't turn it on, be selective. Find out what's good.
What I do is I never watch TV as such, I read reviews on Amazon and buy the DVDs.
You can do something similar cheaper with TiVo.
Come on, Jes! Jerry Springer is art!
Okay, so it's "ugly art", but it IS unique. ;-)
Here at home, we basically are selective, turning off the TV if we can't find an interesting or fun program. (As for Jerry Springer, it can also be educational in some twisted way. It teaches us that many things which we dared not imagine AREN'T too outrageous to happen in real life. And what kind of people to avoid ever getting involved with!)
Seriously, there's some very fine TV to be found "out there". You just have to be discerning. It's like free speech : with the worst, the best shall come. We've even managed to find a decent national program on lebanese TV! Really.
Haha, I will agree that Jerry Springer is certainly unique, though I question how real it is. I swear, some of these reality shows have the worst actors...
I dunno, I suppose I'm just not that much of a TV guy. Even if I found something good, it'd probably end up just being noise in the background. I'm really more a music person. And I'm pretty satisfied with just watching cartoons anyway. I will admit though that the main reason I've never gotten into The Sopranos is simply because of a lack of HBO access. One of these days, I might rent a volume just to see what all the hype is about.
Dude, HBO has the best shows.
And surprisingly, Fox has some very good ones.
I've never seen Jerry Springer, but last week I watched "Ringmaster", a rather interesting film, and often very funny, about his show and guests. Fiction, but could clearly happen.
Amongst other things, Jerry plays himself, and displays surprising honesty about his emotions of how his show has turned out compared to his ambitions.
i have a television but it's hardly ever turned on. music to me is much better. most television shows and movies are filled with such filth and sarcasism that it makes me ill.
reality shows to me are scripted anyway. i find no entertainment in them. sitcoms are the best imho, especially the 70's comedies before all the trash talk was permitted. but if someone likes to watch the boob tube more power to them.
(i would need an anti-depressant to watch more than three commercials in a row.)
Jerry Springer, IMHO, is the less bad program in all "reality TV", a.k.a. "trash TV". The first, and still head and shoulders above the rest of the bunch. At least, Jerry TRIES to be a little helpful and compassionate to these people. (What other show ever gave us frequent sentences like : "You two, TALK together!")
I think Jerry Springer himself doesn't deny that his show is usually a scripted display of true stories. (Usually.) Unlike many hypocritical "real-TV" programs.
"And I'm pretty satisfied with just watching cartoons anyway."
I like a good afternoon of cartoons too. Especially Genndy Tartakovsky's creations. Samurai Jack is pure art. And much of the parody in Dexter's Lab or Powerpuff Girls can only be really appreciated by those over 20. (Like parodies of the classic Hulk show, or the Beatles' story.)
Eolake,
It's interesting that you mention "Ringmaster". I haven't seen it, but it is reputed as NOT being Jerry's best, by far. It's a semi-parody of his real-life show. I think you wouldn't hate it either, then. (I quite enjoyed the ones about nudists.)
"And surprisingly, Fox has some very good ones."
I'm still amazed to see that a great cartoon like The Simpsons airs on Fox. Shades of grey...
"sitcoms are the best imho"
IMHO too. Over here, I grew up with little more than the Cosby Show. I worship Bill Cosby. "Children say the darndest things" is also irresistible.
Terry,
Bis repetita, but if you REALLY want to take anti-depressants, try and watch a lebanese station (LBC International is available on satellite) for some true and instant commercials despair! And don't worry about not understanding arabic: it's safer this way.
I receive italian (a.k.a. Berlusconi) stations. Though I don't understand Italian, it's clearly the same pinnacle level of mediocrity.
Thank God for the Favorites List option to avoid these!
Yes, Samurai Jack is gorgeous, and so abstract.
I watched Ringmaster because it has Jaime Pressly, who is so hot and talented. Enjoy her in Not Another Teen Movie and My Name Is Earl, both of which I warmly recommend.
Gorgeous is the word. (One of the possible superlatives.) I got the videogame. One day I'll have the DVDs, they're on my "must buy absolutely" list.
Recommendations warmly noted. :-)
"The show is unusual among sitcoms [...] for its lack of a laugh track" (Wikipedia)
Praise Vishnu, somebody finally heard my prayers! At last, there exists a sitcom that doesn't paternalize the viewer's intelligence.
I don't like Powerpuff Girls as much as I expected, but on their first DVD is a masterpiece: Sheep In The Big City. Amazing. Just watch what General Specific and Privat Public get up to!
"Baaa?"
Have you noticed Gen. Specific's medals!!!? :-)
No? Then you probably did as the base's sign said! :-D
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