|
|
Post by sillierthings on May 23, 2015 21:10:11 GMT
So, am I just old and grumpy or does it seem like the powers that make television shows are jerking fans around more and more?
There is the "Game of Thrones" fiasco, of course, but lately, I've hesitated starting a program unless it's already complete and I know it is quality. Are the writers just bad or are they delighting in making decisions to "shock" the audience? For example, I never even watched "How I Met Your Mother," but that had an ending so terrible I felt sorry for fans of the show. I don't watch "Supernatural," but I've seen angry posts by fans on tumblr. I made the mistake of getting into "The Walking Dead" season 4 only to experience the crappy and senseless death of Beth Greene.
So what is going on? Are audiences so dumbed down now, that Hollywood producing "feelies" to give them a little jolt of emotion? Or what?
And even when I DO like the direction a show takes, the creators often will deliver a statement that negates my interpretation (and often my pleasure) in a program. I stopped watching "Sherlock" on BBC not only because Season 3 was utterly ridiculous but because Stephen Moffat kept making statements and interpreting developments and characterizations that contradicted what I was seeing on the screen. I totally enjoyed the finale of "Mad Men," finding it to be a dark and revealing look at American society and the role of consumerism, and then Matthew Weiner comes out and says no, it's a happy ending.
I don't even know what to think anymore except to say that I'm glad I enjoy reading as much as I do because I'm about to give up on television.
|
|
|
|
Post by katie on May 23, 2015 21:45:09 GMT
TV people are looking for "water cooler" moments. They want to create buzz and trend on Twitter, regardless if it even makes sense within the narrative of their show-verse. It's ratings, it's chatter, it's attention.
That's why I am loving the new shows on streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, Yahoo!, etc. They are not beholden to the same bullshit as broadcast and cable networks. They aren't slaves to Nielson ratings and trending topics. They have the freedom to make shows with some goddamn substance. Netflix in particular. Although I haven't watched them, I have heard so many good things about "Agent Carter" and "Daredevil", and then you also have shows like "House of Cards" and "Orange is the New Black" (I admit, though, that I'm not a fan of the former, but I do enjoy the latter). Even their comedies are better - "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "Frankie and Grace" are outstanding. And "Other Space" on Yahoo! Screen is unlike anything else on network TV, and that's a good thing.
That's why I think creatives are shifting more toward web-only content. There is so much more latitude for telling GOOD stories that aren't gonna be sullied by "network executives". It's really exciting to see what's happening with this medium now, and they're gonna leave the cable bullshit in the dust.
|
|
|
|
Post by sillierthings on May 25, 2015 17:28:22 GMT
I do have hope in that. We canceled our cable about 5 years ago and have just used Netflix, Hulu and iTunes ever since. I haven't watched most of the shows you listed (Agent Carter, House of Cards--not caring about politcal dramas usually), I do like "Orange is the New Black." In fact, I was surprised by how much I loved that show. I laughed out loud in shock and delight with Miss Rosa's triumphant exit last year regarding Vee, and let me tell you, very little has made me gasp delightedly on television lately. More than that though, the show takes time for all these beautiful, character driven moments. It's not perfect (the stuff with Larry and the best friend was boring and predictable--they did not need to go into as much detail as they did to make it affect Piper's characterization), but I never feel like I wasted my time.
"The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" is the same for me. I see flaws in it, but absolutely forgivable flaws--a joke fell flat or something was a bit too on the nose--but those kinds of mistakes are easy to overlook when the rest of it is so truthful in its humor.
A show doesn't have to be perfect, but I want to feel like the writers are not just trying to jerk me around, to make my nihilistic, overly-pleasured body feel a pleasant or interesting sensation--ooo! murder! Ooo! rape! ooo! murder and rape! Ooooooo!
I did not watch "Game of Thrones" last night, and I felt better for it. However, I thought of all those people who tuned in, who will continue to tune in because they consider it good t.v. The only thing I can see that is "good" about it anymore is that it gives some people a little jolt. Remember "Brave New World," when Lenina and Bernard went to the feelies? Other than the fact that I'm not having the smells and vibrations of the show transmitted to me, I don't see much difference between "Game of Thrones" and a "feely" in Huxley's world. And call me a Bernard Marx, angry about it all, but still so tempted all the same. I don't have hope that cable television will improve at all, but I'm glad to know that you think there is hope in other mediums!
|
|
|
|
Post by katie on May 25, 2015 17:52:40 GMT
Yeah, I canceled my cable for good a couple months ago and just have Apple TV now. I only have Netflix, though, and I use my friend's HBO Go account, LOL. I though about getting Hulu as well, but I figure the subscription fees would add up to about the same amount I was paying for cable, and that would defeat the purpose of canceling my cable to begin with! Agreed! As OTT as it can be at times, there's so much truth there!! Now, I just started watching "True Blood" because a friend of mine said it was just so trashy that it was one of those "guilty pleasure" things. And I have to say, it definitely IS trashy, but the thing I like about it is, it never takes itself seriously, and that just makes the more somber and dramatic moments feel more authentic. It never tries to pretend to be something that it's not, and i respect that. There have even been a few scenes so far that made me quite emotional. What, you mean you DIDN'T want to see Sansa curled up in a ball on her bed weeping? And then standing up to approach Theon so that we could see all the bruises on her arms and neck and her tits barely contained under her dirty sleeping shift? But her make-up was flawless and her hair looked GREAT!!!  And in the very next scene, she's totes all better! All rosy-cheeked and light on her feet as she takes a jaunty little walk through the castle grounds with her husband and taunts him about the one subject he's most sore about because that is totally how you act around the man who rapes you on a nightly basis! I guess she figured she didn't have anything left to lose. As she told Theon in the scene before, "It couldn't possibly get any worse." Ahahahaha oh Sansa... Yes, even some people I know who were absolutely appalled by the Sansa rape scene are still tuning in because they think "it has more good points than bad". Ummm are you sure you're really even paying attention?? And these are from intelligent, creative people too whom you would think would know a shitty narrative when they see one. Go figure. The thing everyone seems to be talking about today is "ZOMG the meeting we've all been waiting for!!! Dany and Tyrion!!!!" Welp, I guess that non-canon event totes makes up for last week's non-canon event... D&D win again. |
|
And in the very next scene, she's totes all better! All rosy-cheeked and light on her feet as she takes a jaunty little walk through the castle grounds with her husband and taunts him about the one subject he's most sore about because that is totally how you act around the man who rapes you on a nightly basis! I guess she figured she didn't have anything left to lose. As she told Theon in the scene before, "It couldn't possibly get any worse." Ahahahaha oh Sansa...