Is TV better than it used to be? - Page 3

JuntMonkey · #21 02-13-2007, 03:44 PM

Of course there are plenty of old shows that are good or great, as good as many of the shows on now. However, there are more than a handful of phenomenal recent shows that blow everything else out of the water.

The second season of Buffy had to be by far the best season of a dramatic television series up to that point (1998). The first two seasons of Sopranos are among the top 5-10 television/movie productions in the last 30 years.

Then you have a bunch of second-tier shows that are still better than nearly any past dramas - mostly stuff on HBO.

Comedy is another story. I don't watch any current ones, and I'm sure the sitcom situation was better in the past. Is there a single good sitcom on the air?

citanul · #22 02-13-2007, 03:55 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I think it's definitely much, much better in terms of quantity of quality. There used to be one show at any one time that really rocked. At one time it was Twin Pkeas, then it was Star Trek NextGen, then it was X-Files.... but now there seems to be a good solid dozen or so in the public consciousness right now that are good solid entertainment.

And that's just drama.

For example, I just completed Firefly a little while ago and I'm DVDing right now Alias Season 4 ()okay not the graetest, but still pretty good), Battlestar Galactica S2, South Park and Murder One Season One (okay that's from the 90s), but I still haven't got around to watching these, and I have them queued on a shelf waiting:

Lost; Carnivake; Rome; 24; Sopranos; Deadwood; Band of Brothers; American Gothic; Angels in America.

And that doesn't include shows I haven't got yet, but want to see, such as: Oz, The Wire, and a few others.

I'd argue TV is way better these days, compared to say, pre 2000.

what people think?

[/ QUOTE ]

db,

a few points i thought i'd make:

1) the expansion in to cable hsa allowed for adult format programming, and some stations have done it excellently (hbo in particular).

2) alias is not on tv, band of brothers, angels in america are not really "tv."

3) obviously the massive explosion in the amount of tv has a lot to do with this. networks roll out massive piles of shows, then cancel them instantly if they think they stink and replace them. more networks + more variety + more money + same % likelihood of making a good show = more good shows.

c

MrMon · #23 02-13-2007, 04:45 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I doubt there's one hospital show pre-St. Elsewhere that stands up anymore.

[/ QUOTE ]

MASH is pre-St. Elsewhere, no? Stands up.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not as well as you think. For one thing, it's not really a medical show, and two, the canned laughtrack is really, really, really annoying. If I were reissuing the show on DVD, I'd redo the soundtrack without the canned laughter, it'd be SOOOO much better. The other problem is the last few years of the show are virtually unwatchable. It's starts of really great, continues on at a decent mix of good and bad, and then becomes retitled "The World According to Alan Alda Starring Alan Alda, Written by Alan Alda, Directed by Alan Alda, and Conceived By Alan Alda. Did I Mention Alan Alda Is On This Show?".

No show can survive being hijacked by its star like that, no matter how good it started.

ericd · #24 02-13-2007, 04:51 PM

Saturday night in the early to mid 70's on CBS deserves a mention

- All in the Family
- Mash
- Mary Tyler Moore
- Bob Newhart

MrMon · #25 02-13-2007, 06:42 PM

This is one area that has gone way downhill. Saturday night programming is now virtually gone. Even SNL sucks, but no one cares.

MyTurn2Raise · #26 02-13-2007, 08:28 PM

DVR fills all voids

I don't even know the regular air time for many shows anymore

mrbaseball · #27 02-13-2007, 09:45 PM

[ QUOTE ]
DVR fills all voids

I don't even know the regular air time for many shows anymore

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here. Except for sports events I never see a commercial anymore.

MrMon · #28 02-14-2007, 10:57 AM

Don't I know it. I've had a DVR of some sort since 2000. Couldn't live without one. DirecTV is adding a ton of HD programming this year, but I so don't want to give up my TiVos for Brand X. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

stigmata · #29 02-15-2007, 10:08 AM

idk what to think, but all i do know is that the Morse repeats at 4pm on ITV really stuff up my poker schedule...... it's all I watch on TV at the moment.

cognito20 · #30 02-15-2007, 03:21 PM

[ QUOTE ]
If I were reissuing the show (M*A*S*H) on DVD, I'd redo the soundtrack without the canned laughter, it'd be SOOOO much better.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, all the M*A*S*H DVDs that I own (up through Season Five) come with an option to turn off the laugh track, an option I usually take advantage of. Agree with your general point about Alda's hijacking of the show, although it was still a pretty good show even after that. Just not what it had been.

--Scott