The death of the sitcom & a few other thoughts on TV

RE: The death of the sitcom & a few other thoughts on T...

>Can't wait for "24" to start. Hope that one doesn't get
>cancelled! (being sarcastic)

I'm with you FitnessFreak! I can't wait until Sunday for "24" to comeback. :)
 
I remember when the reality shows came out I immediately thought of King's short story, Running Man! Fiction becomes reality!
 
I love WNTW, Monk and my new favorite (that I hear may be cancelled after this year) REBA! What a scream! My favorites are Barbara Jean and Van. Reba is really good, too.
 
I think the quality of shows (with some exceptions) is getting worse and worse. Especially with the advent of "reality" programming (most of which is not that 'real,' IMO, because most of the participants are acting/modeling wannabes. For REAL reality TV, you have to go back to "An American Family" in the 70's, which showed the life of a real family, with a gay son who came out and the death? of the father).

I've heard "Dirt" is pretty bad.

Another thing I hate is that crap shows like "Fear Factor" are on for years, while other shows ("Invasion" and "Surface" from last season, "Kidnapped" "The Nine" and some other intriguing kidnapping show from this season) don't even get a full season, and many of them are serialized plots, so the viewer gets left in the lurch with no resolution. I want to know what the deal is with the Church and the kidnapping, what the Invasion really is about...but I'll never know!.
 
>I was recently watching something about Seinfeld and it was
>mentioned that ratings weren't fantastic for the first couple
>of seasons, but the network let it keep going on faith that it
>would catch on. Networks won't allow that to happen anymore -
>thus the lack of creativity in TV.

I've read that as well.
Some shows don't even get 3 episodes before they're cancelled (and I'm not talking crap that shouldn't have been on in the first place...unfortunately, that's the stuff that gets big ratings and goes on!).
 
RE: The death of the sitcom & a few other thoughts on T...

The only good thing that I can say about reality TV is that thanks to it my butt is getting smaller because I don't watch as much TV as I used to. I watch 24 and Nip/Tuck religiously and some reruns of my favorite shows, but that's about it. I also like to watch music videos but those channels are also plagued by reality TV. Oh well... I have more time to exercise, the internet, and *gasp* sometimes read a book.
 
RE: The death of the sitcom & a few other thoughts on T...

I don't mean to barge inn but,I'm with Jennifer and Debbie,
Just 4 more days until 24 starts:)
If I want a good laugh I watch old reruns of everybody loves raymond.king of queens is funny too!

Hey,has anybody heard of rachels rays daytime show being cancelled! I'm surprised it lasted this long,I like her cooking show,but she's kinda annoying in the new one!
 
I'm totally with you, Laura. I have loved sitcoms my whole life. I swear to you, my life would be different if I hadn't been addicted to the Mary Tyler Moore show as a teenager. When I first started working and situations would come up, I'd think "what would Mary Richards do"? And it really worked for me. She was my role model. Still is.

I read somewhere that sitcoms are going the way of the dinosaur. But I'm still addicted to my Will & Grace reruns, and will keep watching them as long as they keep re-running them.

Nancy
 
RE: The death of the sitcom & a few other thoughts on T...

Well let me tell you, we live in Utah and the fundamentalist Mormons are a weird lot. I was not raised Mormon so it was all new to me when we moved here. I figured the Warren Jeffs fiasco would be a popularity boost for Big Love but alas it all came down after the final show of the season. You are right...very weird. :)
 
The only shows I watch now are "The Office" and "Scrubs." Sometimes the "Daily Show." Maybe a game or a cooking show. I'll check out a movie or a documentary (Saw a really good one on Sundance last week about Tom Dowd.) That's about it.

I liked the first few seasons of "Gilmore Girls." Really smart writing and obsure references. Great music, too: XTC, Yo la Tango, Ramones, (Hey, any show that rates cameos by Norman Mailer, Madeleine Albright, the Shins, Sonic Youth, and featured the town troubadour singing a song by House of Freaks after Bryan Harvey was murdered, gets my respect.)

But, like some of you have mentioned, instead of watching TV, I'm doing other stuff like learning to knit, listening to music, and reading a lot more, which I missed anyway. So, thanks Reality TV!!!!
 
Michelle, give the Office a try...I find it hysterical. I have watched the British and American versions both very funny also Carlos Mencia is a riot on Comedy Central.
 
RE: The death of the sitcom & a few other thoughts on T...

Omigosh! Curiouser and curiouser... I hadn't even realized you were right there in Utah:eek:

P.S. So what's a 'former squid' if you don't mind my asking? Here's hoping it's VERY different from an actual squid:p
 
Nancy,

I just read your post. I totally agree with you about "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." I told a younger friend that MTM had been been my role model and she said, "That's a shame." Well, no, not really. I was raised in a very rural, podunk area of Virginia in the 60's. No lines on the road, 30-minutes away from the closest town--a very small one at that. Believe me, the thought of a young woman moving to a city, living by herself, with no husband or other family member, was completely unheard in my neck of the woods!! But, I saw Mary's efficiency apartment and low paying job, and I wanted them!!! I actually had a couple of those efficiency apartments! She was the first woman on TV to do that...to be that independent and self-sufficient. I can think of worse role models to have!!!
 
I was just thinking something similar! I agree with so much of what you said.

There is only one show I abosolutely HAVE to watch every single week and that is The Office. I laugh so hard watching that! I also catch Scrubs when I can, and reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond are a must. I think there are some good shows out there, they are just harder to find because we have to weed through so much crud.

Missy
 
RE: The death of the sitcom & a few other thoughts on T...

Not to be ornery, but I couldn't disagree more. I think TV is in a new Golden Age. The Wire, Gray's Anatomy, 24, Lost--the list goes on. Ugly Betty is fantastic. And how smart is The Office? Then you have the Daily Show, Colbert Report, and even the Simpsons is still on the air. And did I mention the Wire? The last season was a masterpiece (I mean that in all seriousness--more thought provoking and moving than almost any movie I have seen). These shows certainly beat Three's Company. Even if you don't agree that all of these shows are good, surely you have to admit that at least some of them are top quality? And keep in mind that only the best shows from the past still air. You're comparing the greatest shows of TV history to the present and forgetting all the crappy ones (remember the Ropers anyone?)
 
Tete, I can't believe someone thought Mary Richards was a bad role model! I agree with you; back in the seventies, Mary was a great role model for a girl, even for those of us who lived in a large metropolitan area. But I can imagine how strange she must have seemed to you in rural America.
Nancy
 
RE: The death of the sitcom & a few other thoughts on T...

I don't watch much TV (Unless you count Disney Channel...which is actually pretty good. I like Hannah Montana and Kim Possible!), but I LOVE Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives. My favorite is Brothers and Sisters.

Otherwise I pretty much watch the Weather Channel or HGTV. Sometimes I catch CNN or WNTW. And these are just flipping channels for a half hour or so before I go to sleep.

Interesting thread.
Jenn
 
RE: The death of the sitcom & a few other thoughts on T...

>>And did I mention the Wire? The last season was a masterpiece (I mean that in all seriousness--more thought provoking and moving than almost any movie I have seen). <<

Monica11,

I am in total agreement with you on that one. I've been a huge fan of the show from the beginning and this season just blew me away! How this show doesn't reap awards is mind-boggling!

Lori
 
>The only shows I watch now are "The Office" and "Scrubs."
>Sometimes the "Daily Show." Maybe a game or a cooking show.
>I'll check out a movie or a documentary (Saw a really good one
>on Sundance last week about Tom Dowd.) That's about it.
>
>I liked the first few seasons of "Gilmore Girls." Really
>smart writing and obsure references. Great music, too: XTC,
>Yo la Tango, Ramones, (Hey, any show that rates cameos by
>Norman Mailer, Madeleine Albright, the Shins, Sonic Youth, and
>featured the town troubadour singing a song by House of Freaks
>after Bryan Harvey was murdered, gets my respect.)
>
>
Totally agree with everything you've said Te Te. DH and I LOVE LOVE LOVE The Office!! The Daily Show is incredible....love Colbert, etc. Now that we've moved to Germany, we have no access to American television and although I watch a LOT less TV, I really miss being informed about the world, and watching 'ma stories' . I've even started downloading The Daily Show and The Office. Talk about desperate....
>
 
RE: The death of the sitcom & a few other thoughts on T...

I watch very little television. I admit I do watch some reality television - Amazing Race and Project Runway. I don't watch any series TV. I usually just channel surf as a way to veg out a little. I love Seinfeld so I'll try to catch a rerun here and there although it's usually on during my workout time. I rent movies from Netflix and read. I thought reality television would fade out in time but it appears to have staying power.
 
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