Does TV Suck These Days?

[Kean]

I remember when I had a different show to watch every night of the week, when I couldn't wait to watch these shows. Now, I can go weeks, even months without so much as plugging my tv in. I continue to watch Grey's Anatomy mostly out of habit than a true desire, I want to know what happens but I'm not sure I care anymore. Although I do rather enjoy myself and Airam's weekly disection of all things Greys...that at least is still fun🙂 I have watched some of True Blood but always seem to have something more important to do than watch it. After that all I watch is sports and the news.

Nothing on tv excites me anymore, nothing holds my interest to the point where I not only want to tune in, I have to.

 

[sk]

Well, I watch very little TV these days. But thats because I can't stand being interrupted by commercials every 5 minutes (or so it feels).
It has nothing to do with the quality of the shows.

I used to buy and watch mostly movies, nowdays I buy much more TV shows and watch much less movies.
The quality on TV shows has increased a lot imo. Probably because of higher budgets. Which might be the reason they can't afford to keep them on air so long any more though...

But basically I don't really agree.
It sounded much like the classic 'Everything was so much better when I was young' ranting to me.
Which I also do that all the time but it's not often it's actually true.

/SK

 

[Faith]

I used to get really attached to my shows but when they start getting cancelled (Veronica Mars anyone?) it just makes you a bit down and heistant to do so.

One of the best quality show's out there is Dexter, it grabbed me from the start and has never failed to deliver. Greys I started watching as everyone was going on about it and I love it, I do end up quite teary at most episodes though.

Supernatural is going from strength to strength, that last episode was brilliant and Sam was just superb. The quality of British tv has really gone downhill as they tend to fill most of it with reality stuff. The exceptions for me being Doctor Who and Spooks.

 

[white avenger]

I got hooked on the Discovery and History channels during the writers' strike, and so far nothing has lured me back to regular shows, although I have been enjoying catching up on all of the "Supernatural" and "Smallville" episodes (actually entire seasons) that I had previously missed. Beyond that, we mostly just use the tv to watch the movies that we didn't get to see at the theaters.

 

[hannahfngrl26]

I think the author of that posting made some great points. The trouble with me is I love frivolous crappy TV. Reality TV especially. I jones for Rock of Love Charm School and The Pickup Artist (mostly because of the super nerdy dudes getting all sexy.....sorry I just love nerds) and Survivor. I cannot help it. But at the same time I really enjoy the Monday night line up on CBS. I love Big Bang Theory, HIMYM and Two and Half Men. I also love Americas Next Top Model, the new 90210 and of course there is the guilty pleasure of Fox on Sunday nights (Family Guy and American Dad) and that only covers network TV. I LOVE True Blood, Entourage and Dexter more than I should. . . . . so as you can see, since I love a variety of shows for me TV is great. Keep it up!!!

 

[itsxpaperdoll]

I agree that most of the "big" shows (Grey's anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Heroes) are going downhill more and more. The same with House, but I love it too much to admit that to myself. And with everything becoming more and more comercial, smaller shows with potential are being cancelled to make way for shows with more marketing possibilities. Which is definitely not good. However, I'm not really a drama fan. I used to like Grey's Anatomy, but I just stopped watching it after 2 seasons or so. The only big show I really follow is House. Apart form that I'm more a comedy fan, and there are some interesting things going on in that department. Obviously, there's the Mighty Boosh. But there are more smaller promising comedy shows going on, especially in the UK. I can see a rising popularity of absurd comedy/sketch-y things, and that happens to be exactly the thing I like most. Examples are the IT crowd (still no third season?) and No Heroics (BotD told us about that) and in Holland, there's a new sketch show in the tradition of Fry and Laurie and such. I also enjoy shows like Mock the Week, Nevermind the Buzzcocks, QI, and I don't really see a particular decline in quality there. It just really depends on what you like. But I agree the overall tendency in TV land is the growing commercialising thing, and that's bad news for good shows that happen to be watched by too few people.

 

[Black Eye Guy]

I don't know Im pretty happy with TV at the moment. But I definitely agree with Faith that I wouldn't get attached to TV shows anymore, definitely from Veronica Mars and Firefly (Which I only watched after it was canceled and was still annoyed when I got to the end of the series).


But I do love the TV shows Im watching at the moment. The last series of Lost was my favorite so far. I was one of the few who like Heroes season 2 so I never saw a decline in that show. Still loving house, the season 4 finale was AMAZING television.

I wasn't aware that Pushing Daisies had been cacneled, that sucks. Also love T:TCC and Chuck.

Away from the genre shows, I've just spent the day watching the new series of Greys anatomy, which I think is as brilliant as ever. Dying for the new series of 24 to start (The "Movies on, on Monday night on sky one, so thats awesome). Gossip Girl was one of my favorite new shows last season, and I've only seen a few from this season, but still looking forward to seeing that each week, same with Brothers and Sisters, Dirty Sexy Money, My name is Earl and One Tree hill (also think last season was the best season of that so far)

I'm not a fan of english TV, I've just never gotten it. Love me some Doctor who and Skins, but I would go so far as to say I hate english TV, I just dont find the comedy funny!#

I always had a problem with Reality TV, I hated it, refused to watch it as it was the reason for so many shows to get canceled, but I've let one sip through, and I am totally addicted to it (although I actually don't count it as reality) but I think The Hills is one of the most entertaining shows on TV.

So I wouldn't think of TV as sucking at the moment, Im liking to many shows to see a lackage of entertainment or quality TV, like Im finding it hard to choose which ones to watch first not which one I want to watch, and until that happens im happy with TV.

 

[slayerpower]

Just because the top-rated shows are bad doesn't mean tv sucks. I watch 25 tv shows, all good in my mind. I do believe that genre tv isn't as good as it was. I watch BSG, T:SCC and True Blood, but these shows do not compare to Buffy, Angel, Star Trek and The X-files.

 

[InsaneMystic]

Just because the top-rated shows are bad doesn't mean tv sucks. I watch 25 tv shows, all good in my mind. I do believe that genre tv isn't as good as it was. I watch BSG, T:SCC and True Blood, but these shows do not compare to Buffy, Angel, Star Trek and The X-files.

Hey, even Star Trek managed to degenerate real bad. Just compare Enterprise to Next Gen, and let the puking start. 😉

 

[Primal Slayer]

As with everything else nowdays it just sucks. For my generation I feel that tv was at its best during the 90s before reality tv became huge and TheWB was still in its golden years (and a network). MTV still had TRL that was watchable. We had Xena and Hercules and other shows on saturdays to keep us entertained, Fox Kids, Cartoon Network only showed Cartoons...while my tv schedule is still full (except for Tuesdays at 9/Fridays/Sats) things just arent as great as they used to be. Plus its hard to get into a show when all you expect it to do is get cancelled.

 

[La Luna Unita]

Okay, PRIMEVAL on BBC America ROCKS!!! Also, Sanctuary on the Sci-Fi Channel is really good. Sorry, both the shows I like are on cable and I know that kind of sucks. Seriously, I adore Primeval and if my husband will allow, I will have its babies.

I do love Bones and actually watched it for two years before ever picking up an episode of Buffy. Third season's been kind of slow in my opinion. They got rid of Zack Addy to add in Sweets the psychiatrist, but the writers are still sticking him in the pigeonhole of "smart guy who never gets taken seriously because he's too damn young." They need to develop him quick because he's not good as comic relief, so he serves no purpose at all right now except to piss off the main characters.

I did catch The Mentalist and I 100% agree with the article that started off this thread. Not that the viewing audience is stupid, but that the show tries to be smarter than it really is.

 

[Queen Mum]

Well I don't know if you guys heard of the "scandal" in Germany in October? Well anyway, our literary-icon, Germany's Stephen Fry, well not really, but sort of, anyway, our literary-icon Marcel Reich-Ranicki, was awarded with the German television award for his life's work. However, when he was giving his speech of "thanks" he said how bad the television has become and just generally that it is awful. I find especially in Germany he is right. In a way, we start to get a couple of good programs, but they are on at late in the night and the good time slots or just packed with stupid German Volksmusikbands seeing stupid songs in Bavarian leatherpants and just being silly and wasting our money.

Commercialisation of the television has led to the downfall of quality in mainstream stuff. Interestingly most Germans, when asked, couldn't see the point of Reich-Ranicki, which I believe is a pitty, because he was dead right. Well to appease the old guy, they broadcasted a 60 minute debate with himself and a German presentor discussing how to improve the television. Well it's a difficult thing, but in a way I believe there should be a set of standards and not so many bloody private stations which often just are pain in the arse...

 

[InsaneMystic]

^ And the Volksmusik, nerve-wracking as it is, isn't even the worst part. Compared to all the Super Nannies, Super Dog Nannies, Cooking/Dancing/Ice Skating/Nose Picking with Celebrities (celebrities... yeah, right!), afternoon talk shows and their offshoots (fake psychologists like "Kallwass" and the umpteenth variation of court shows - "Judge Salesch", "Judge Holt" etc.) and, how could I forget, the latest announcement of the ninth season of Big Brother (yay, ain't we all just dying to see that!? wasn't the station complaining back in S6 that the ratings were miserable, even back then!?!), Volksmusik actually seems the lesser of two evils.

Reich-Ranicki rules! Kudos to that little old man speaking up. 🙂

 

[Perny]

Well.... TV isn't what it used to be. Sure there are some pretty good shows, but I am not glued to the screen like I was in the 90's, and start of the millenium

 

[LorneyTunes]

I cannot say that TV sucks because I watch far to much . I think I have hurt my eyes doing so.

I watch 30 rock, summer hieghts high, kath and kim, heroes
lost , battlestar gallactica,mock the week, miami ink, peep show, dexter and sometimes when I really am bored and I want to laugh my face off is most haunted .

I really wish they would bring back Jonathan creek.


The only problem is that most of the shows I watch either only come on at a certain time of year or they are from the us so it sucks for me and the internet sometimes helps.

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I used to get really attached to my shows but when they start getting cancelled (Veronica Mars anyone?) it just makes you a bit down and heistant to do so.

One of the best quality show's out there is Dexter, it grabbed me from the start and has never failed to deliver. Greys I started watching as everyone was going on about it and I love it, I do end up quite teary at most episodes though.

Supernatural is going from strength to strength, that last episode was brilliant and Sam was just superb. The quality of British tv has really gone downhill as they tend to fill most of it with reality stuff. The exceptions for me being Doctor Who and Spooks.

I've seen a couple episodes of Supernatural and Dexter and I must say, they were pretty good.
I also really like Twin Peaks...but I guess that doesn't count because it's not on the air.

 

[Spuffy78]

There have always been awful programming on Television.

The problem is with stuff like sitcoms it's the same old plot a fat guy has a extremely attractive wife have to deal with raising their kids with a cooky twist example King Of Queens having Arthur.

There's plenty of great shows you just have to find them.

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

I haven't read the whole thread because it got a little bit samey and I'm probably going to add to that.

I have to say that I don't think TV sucks these days any more or less than it ever has done.

People view TV history with Rose tinted Specs.

I defy anyone to think of a single year where you could have a solid block of 1 hour a night of quality new drama/comedy/yadda.

You can't. I like alot of shows that are on TV now.
Doctor Who, Merlin, Desperate Housewives (yes its silly and corny but I like it), Ugly Betty, Heroes is slowly winning me back though Lost has lost me, Stargate: Atlantis and 24!

I don't think there is a decline really its just genres that go in and out of fashion and someone people only like particular genres.

I could see some better shows on TV but I am happy with what we have.

Also, I don't mind shows like Strictly Come Dancing. I don't watch them often but they are inoffensive and nice generally with a happy feel.

I say to people who complain there is nothing good on TV and hark back to times of old - get over yourself and this insane belief that 'back in my day, TV was great' mentality.
[br][/br]
Edit:
[br][/br]

Well.... TV isn't what it used to be. Sure there are some pretty good shows, but I am not glued to the screen like I was in the 90's, and start of the millenium

I just saw this comment and it reminded me of something else.

OK, Perny, you were glued to the TV in the 90's but how old were you?

Could it possibly have something to do with you growing up and your tastes changing?

 

[Chase Summers]

Ehhh, I certainly remember better days in television. I half agree with Edmund on his point that t.v. isn't any worse than it has ever been. Personally, I think the advent of "reality" t.v. has made everyone in Hollywood lazy. If I were to ever run up on Mark Burnett I might seriously drop kick him. It's his fault. He unleashed this terrible thing of "reality" on us back in 1999 with the first Survivor. I didn't watch then, and I don't watch now. I'm far too self involved to be interested in lives of people on reality television. Give me a fictional blonde slaying vampires any day of the week. Or a fictional blonde solving crimes. Or a fictional blonde guesting on a show about superpowers. Just give me fictional so I can escape please. 🙂

I got so frustrated during the writer's stike, and had a hard time sympathizing with either side. It was completely motivated by greed on both sides. The studios were being greedy, and the writers were being just as greedy. I honestly did not and still don't see the majority of their work meriting a raise. Several people jumped down my throat when I voiced this opinion because the writers "worked hard and deserved their money." I was like "Uh, those writers probably make double annually what you and I might make in 3 years time and we get endless cycles of America's Top Model and Top Chef- doofus."

The last people to be striking are these amazingly overpaid actors and producers and writers of this generation.

 

[Fake Shemp]

I cannot say that TV sucks because I watch far to much . I think I have hurt my eyes doing so.

I watch 30 rock, summer hieghts high, kath and kim, heroes
lost , battlestar gallactica,mock the week, miami ink, peep show, dexter and sometimes when I really am bored and I want to laugh my face off is most haunted .

I really wish they would bring back Jonathan creek.


The only problem is that most of the shows I watch either only come on at a certain time of year or they are from the us so it sucks for me and the internet sometimes helps.

i was gonna rep you (again so not allowed)

to tell you theres a new Jonathan Creek Christmas Special this well... Christmas (Sheridan Smith... two pints of largers Janet) as the new assistant.

so YAY!