The death of good entertainment on TV

[Comanche County]

 

I recently read an article on the late Johnny Carson who remarked shortly before his death that he was glad he got out of the television business just as the "Reality" show genre was taking over television. I'd have to agree that he's right. It seems every network has gone the "Reality" route. I imagine its actually cost effective, no need for big sets or highly paid actors. All you need for a reality show is a strange or out of the ordinary topic, a pretty girl with a huge bust and a talented editor and background music editor, then bingo, there's a small screen hit.

 

Every channel I turn to has some sort of highly annoying reality series on. "Real Housewives of Such and Such City", give me a break. Even my favorite Velocity channel with my beloved "Wheeler Dealer" show. They've also got a truly annoying show called "What's my car worth?" I swear, if I see another overweight Chevelle with a $10K paint job I'm gonna barf.

 

Back to the celebrity thing,,,oh nevermind, I really don't care.

 

Beside sporting events, the only shows in the last few years I've found actually worth dedicating my time to watch have been on the movie channels like HBO and Showtime, except for one show on a major channel...you may remember it, it was called "Lost", great freakin series. The other's have been "Rome", "Spartacus", "Boardwalk Empire", "Game of Thrones", and a few others.

 

Nowadays, I just don't bother with 99% of things on television unless the above shows are on or the Texas Rangers are playing (my beloved Cowboys aren't worth watching anymore, call me a fair weather fan, I don't care).....

 

Am I alone in my annoyance?

[Automan2164]

I'm with you to a certain extent. I am tired of these shows with the "Manufactured problems". Let's generalize it with a few key notes:

 

Any Real housewives show

Real world / "The Challenge"

Teen pregnancy shows

Jersey Shore

The Hills

Orange County Choppers

Any dating show

Any pawn show

Any storage auction show

Storm Chasers

Ice Road truckers

Gold mining

 

You can pretty much tie any show that is similar in structure to that or could be compared to also.

 

The reality shows I do like are the somewhat unfiltered ones. Real people, not "Fake Celebs". Reality shows I'll tune to:

 

Intervention

MTV's "True Life"

Hoarders

Amish: Out of order (New one, interesting)

 

I will on occasion watch some of those contest shows, like America's got talent, or Top shot, just to see some people do some impressive stuff now and again.

 

Rob

[HOrnbrod]

Nope. I agree. All I watch is sports, then more sports. Those are my reality shows. :cheers: But not the boring stuff like tennis, swimming, soccer, or figure skating.

 

If no sports I like are on, then I'll watch Discovery (nature stuff), History (American Pickers I really like), or NATGEO.

 

Intervention, Hoarders, and shows like that make me sick. I can only take 15 minutes of the whining.

[Comanche County]

Yeah Rob, you listed exactly what I was talking about......I will admit the "Doomsday Preppers" show is interesting, but only in a passing sort of way like most of the others. Perhaps I'm hitting on the "hook" that the networks use, just some sort of flashing teaser that makes you turn to the channel....but then after a few minutes, they all disappoint, and if you watch the entire show, then you're left with the "I just got ripped off" feeling.

[Comanche County]

Nope. I agree. All I watch is sports, then more sports. Those are my reality shows. :cheers: But not the boring stuff like tennis, swimming, soccer, or figure skating.

 

If no sports I like are on, then I'll watch Discovery (nature stuff), History (American Pickers I really like), or NATGEO.

 

Intervention, Hoarders, and shows like that make me sick. I can only take 15 minutes of the whining.

 

Yeah, American Pickers and American Restoration are good, Pawn Stars is one I'm tired of...

[whowey]

Turned off my satellite 4 weeks ago.... turning into one of the best decisions I ever made.

 

I will admit, I do miss some stuff on Discovery and most anything on NatGeo.

 

By the time football rolls around though, I may have to turn the satellite back on. It will be a LONG winter without football. Baseball however, I prefer to listen to on the radio.

[Automan2164]

Turned off my satellite 4 weeks ago.... turning into one of the best decisions I ever made.

 

I will admit, I do miss some stuff on Discovery and most anything on NatGeo.

 

By the time football rolls around though, I may have to turn the satellite back on. It will be a LONG winter without football. Baseball however, I prefer to listen to on the radio.

 

I was without cable for 2 weeks, and I thought the world was going to end. It has a lot to do with how I was raised though. Mom worked a few jobs to keep her and I afloat when I was younger, and the TV was the babysitter a lot. I'm addicted to the TV... Even if it's just on the background to break the silence. Half the time I am just on the couch surfing the net, but I have to have the TV on or I feel weird. I always call the girlfriend weird when I come home and she's sitting on the couch on her laptop without the TV on... Too quiet.

 

Rob :nuts:

[Comanche County]

Baseball however, I prefer to listen to on the radio.

 

Listening to the Ranger's night games on the original AM radio in my old 65' Mustang while catfishing at the lake was one of my favorite adolescent memories. A good radio announcer can't be beat.

[dasbulliwagen]

There are a few gems out there in the reality world, but they are few and far between. Ax Men has been great this year. Shelby Stanga is a good enough reason to watch that show just by himself. Deadliest Catch has been good the last few years also. The cinematography aspect of that show has increased greatly over the years. Some of the shots they get are amazing, and the editing is spot on. Ice Road Truckers, I mainly watch because I think Lisa is hot. And one of my favorites for the last two years has been An Idiot Abroad. The show is on the Science channel for some reason, but highlights the trials and tribulations of a guy who does not like interacting with people and who does not like traveling. They send him around the world and abuse him every week... its hilarious!

 

I too was raised on TV, as was my mother. She will sometimes have three DVR's recording while watching a 4th show. Shes nuts, but what can you do? Oh well, thats my 2 cents.

[TylerJY]

I love Spartacus, Game of Thrones, and the Walking Dead (on AMC) but otherwise I don't really watch too much TV.

[jimoshel]

One of my money making endeavors in an attempt to make a living was opening a TV-Electronic repair shop. After a year it was profitable enough I was able to sell out. Except for football haven't watched TV since. Can't stand it.

[shawn]

i was raised as a tv junkie too. it was always on, but i turned it off 17 yrs ago and have not turned it back on since. in fact, the only tv i have seen since then has been the occasional time when at someones house and they are too rude or too dumb to turn it off. i know there a few good and interesting shows made, but i know me and if i start watching it again, i will watch those few shows - and then i will continue to watch whatever is on after that.lol. - plus, i refuse to deal with commercials.

[AMCJeepMJ]

I remember the show Lost.

[Blue88Comanche]

i dislike most all tv shows now. the history and discovery channels where good channels a few years back but are turning into crap now.. i will watch USA when something good comes on... usually nothing is on but a marathon of IRT or similar on history, marathon of American chopper on discovery, marathon of law and order on USA, and a marathon of CSI or similar on spike, all at the same time so the only thing to watch? the weather channel on mute.. I don't watch any of the ESPN channels, not that i don't like sports, but because of the constant yelling, shouting, and fussing of the "debate team" IDK what their show is called but is seemes to go on all day every day and no actual sports are shown.. all i know is when i get home from work (i work at a gym) i have a throbbing headache from listening to their babble all freaking day...

 

all the shows i watch are i record on my DVR or watch on netflix

 

some shows i watch with the family are, Doctor Who?, Leverage, Psych, Burn Notice, and Eureka. Good shows that are fairly clean, good story, funny, and so on.

 

my room mate got me watching Hawaii 5.0, Alaskan State Troopers, NY-22, Chicago Code.. Catch the theme there? :roll:

 

other favorites (yes i like SciFi) Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, Merlin, Camelot, Robin Hood (I can't remember for sure but i think it was a BBC production), Legend of the Seeker (the whoever directed the TV show BUTCHERED the story line and was nothing like the Books it was written after :headpop: and thats why they only lasted 2 seasons. if they did a book per season then they would have had 11 or 12 good seasons and if you include the last few books by Terry Goodkind then you could add the "Law of Nine" as a spin off mini series.. however it was still a ok tv show that i watched only because the books where awesome)

 

just started the walking dead, i was told it was a good tv show so i am giving it a shot, and i never could get into "Lost" or "24" like some others have. :dunno:

 

I now listen to more audio Books than i watch TV, i get most of them from my uncle. I guess i like them because i can be working on something and listen to it and not really miss anything. I just started the Rouge Angle books by Graphic Audio. the books are based off of a character mix between Indiana Jones and tomb raider. the Books by Grabhic Audio are cool because un like some other books that only have one person reading them, they are fully dramatized, each character has a narrator and so on.. the best way to put is is like their catch phrase or what ever "A movie for your mind".. at any rate I listen to them in the car because local radio sucks, and so does AT&T, sometimes i can't even listen to Pandora if i wanted too.

[Akula69]

Nope. I agree. All I watch is sports, then more sports. Those are my reality shows. :cheers: But not the boring stuff like tennis, swimming, soccer, or figure skating.

 

If no sports I like are on, then I'll watch Discovery (nature stuff), History (American Pickers I really like), or NATGEO.

 

Intervention, Hoarders, and shows like that make me sick. I can only take 15 minutes of the whining.

 

:agree: But, now that Goodall has finished the "National Flag football League" I'm not sure how good the sports will be this fall...

[Dadinator]

Agreed.

What the heck happened to the History Channel and Discovery.

What do most of the shows on History Channel have to do with history now?

 

I hardly ever watch that channel now and it used to be my favorite.

 

I've been thinking of cancelling Dish...

[HOrnbrod]

:agree: But, now that Goodall has finished the "National Flag football League" I'm not sure how good the sports will be this fall...

 

:D Yeah, Roger overreacted because it was the proper "politically correct" thing to do. Nothing you don't know already I'm sure, but that stuff has been happening for over 100 years. Imagine what guys like Dick Butkus, Jack Lambert, Lawrence Taylor, et al are thinking but can't talk about it. They tried to decapitate the QB or running back every time they hit someone. And all this crap will filter down to college, high school, and even peewee football. Damn shame New Orleans had to get over hammered for Goodall's overreacting. Feel for y'all down there mate. Well, at least he can't mess with baseball, basketball, boxing, or anything else. But they're doing a pretty good job of messing their respective sports up too.

 

NFL = National Football (Soccer) League. Sigh.......

[Incommando]

There is a difference between being a hard-nosed player and being a POS cheap shot artist for bonus money. Anyone who paid attention knew New Orleans was a bunch of thugs who needed parole officers more than coaches. If you don't think that you can't be a great player without resorting to that kind of crap, or that you enjoy and support such lack of sportsmanship, than you are part of the problem.

 

It is part of our ever more liberal-slanting culture & media to make degenerate behavior, drug abuse ( Dr. House is a glaring example), criminal acts, lack of honor, etc...ever more acceptable and basic good old fashioned decent behavior devolve. And most of the reality programs do aid in that trend.

 

I am amazed at the people who lack the will power to just change the channel.... or who claim to support such basic traits as being a good and honorable person & then make a lie of those beliefs by condoning being a POS.

[HOrnbrod]

Like I said, this type of behavior has been going on for decades in pro and college football. Most other contact sports too, even soccer. Bonuses/rewards/payoffs etc. were a given to any defensive player who managed to take opposing QBs or RBs out, the longer the better. I don't approve or disapprove, it's a fact of life. So try to get your head out of the sand.

[Incommando]

saints fan? :D

 

EDIT:

oops.... answered my own question:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=21375&p=220863&hilit=+saints#p220863

 

That explains that :thumbsup:

[87Warrior]

Since our move to the boone-docks, my wife and I have not had TV. Not necessarily by choice, but because we don't really want to deal with satellite. In all honesty we don't miss the TV. A radio playing country tunes in the background keeps us up to date on the news and weather.

[danbyrambler]

57 channels & nothin' on . . . Used to watch one of the very very 1st realities when I was a kid - "WRESTLING AT THE CHASE" KPLR TV, Channel 11, St. Louis, MO - Had it all; Drama, Suspense, Heroes, Villains, Sex(Fabulous Moola) - - My favorite was/still is KILLER KOWALSKI :bowdown:

[whowey]

57 channels & nothin' on . . . ,

 

Had that on album.... I think I wore out the grooves....

 

 

Sex(Fabulous Moola)

 

 

 

That's just wrong man.....

 

 

25 years ago.... Charles Martin was a villain and really only known for his hit list of Chicago Bears players. Now people act like these players did something that never was seen before.

[HOrnbrod]

Since our move to the boone-docks,

 

Some nice to know info (at least I think it is, since it's a slow night :D ):

 

From Wikipedia: The expression was introduced to English by American military personnel serving in the Philippines during the early years of the 20th century. It derives from the Tagalog word "bundok", meaning "mountain". "Bundok" as originally used by Filipinos is a colloquialism used to refer to rural mountainous areas.

 

Spend a lot of time in the PI bundoks, and it's w/o a doubt the one of the most beautiful peaceful places in the world. It's like going back in time a hundred years or so. :cheers:

[Comanche County]

Don't believe the commercials, if you live in a "no net" area, Hughes Net is a pure waste, they're terrible.

 

And since it was brought up........I equate rural PI to to the rural Thai areas I visited....absolutely beautiful, simple, peaceful and genuine. Although I love the US more than anyplace, I could live in a place like that with no TV for the remainder of my earthly years with very, very few regrets, that life transcends almost anything. Its called "going native" in military circles, and sometimes its not so bad.