What is with TV lately!?!

It seems as of late every other show is either a cop show, showing what it's like to live in prison, shows about prisoners, criminals, speeders, so on and so on.
Has anyone noticed the rise in this kind of programming?
I know it's not just me. I have asked a few other people if they agree and they do, in fact strongly agree.

It's getting rather annoying when so many of these kind of shows are on all the time.
Sure I know- change the channel. But damn it's getting really absurd how every TV network lately has to have a show dedicated to showing this crap.
Even radio is running a lot more law and order type programming or news segments.

Are they trying to brainwash us into getting used to this kind of thing? Maybe if they show us enough people getting busted by cops for this and that we will be so dumbed down drooling over ourselves that when they come and nock on our door to cuff us for whatever new law we broke and didn't even know existed we will just submit?
I mean c'mon even channels which have no reason to run this kind of programming are. Not that I watch MTV, but even they have a show like Cops now.
Don't even get me started on how MSNBC is running these prison shows back to back every night.

What's going on? Is this just peoples fascination with reality crap? I thought we were all sick of that @#$@# by now!? You can't tell me people want to see more shows about this kind of programming. It's like our idiotboxes are being turned into virtual TV prisons.

reply to post by darklife


its about money. that is what people want to see right now. so that is what they show. same with reality tv(one of the main reasons, i no longer have a tv) the american public are idiots and like to watch other idiots because is makes them feel less like an idiot. and the networks make money. just the way it is. when the public start to swing their viewing pleasure toward shows about hillbilly lawyers that are secret liberal tree huging terrorests that is what the networks will start to sell. yeah it sucks but not a big conspiracy at least in my mind. good point it is annoying. i really hate cops but i think i hate tv a little more.

I havent noticed because I am turned off by any show with cops in it. I am quite disgusted with our police forces, and the sheer amount of stories of crooked cops, etc. So I could not stand to soak up in my brains all kinds of repulsive police based shows.

But if there is anything to it, it is to get us used to a police state.

Cop shows, medical shows, reality tv shows. That's been the meat and potatos of TV for a long while. Pretty dull. I think reality tv was invented by demons. It's downright evil.

(except Top Chef and Ghost Hunters, of course )

They are showing cops chasing the bad guys and making it OK for the cops to just cross the line in order to take out the bad guy.

It's OK if the cops don't have a warrant, the bad guy had done something bad in the past and no doubt will do it again in the future.

The media is just preparing people for over the top policing.
This is while keeping the masses distracted with reality TV.

How man ypeople are getting reality and entertainment confused now?

Originally posted by munkey66
The media is just preparing people for over the top policing.
This is while keeping the masses distracted with reality TV.

How man ypeople are getting reality and entertainment confused now?

EXACTLY. This was close to the point I was trying to make before I drifted off into my hatred of these kind of TV shows
I don't see how it's a matter of making money for these channels to run these programs though. I could be wrong but I don't know a single person who watches them unless nothing else is on.
I am positive there has been a huge spike in these kind of shows in the last few years. A "spike" doesn't even do it justice, more like an explosion. I'm suprised my towns police don't have their own TV show yet.

I have found I need to be VERY selective and mostly go with the cable stations for "entertainment withouttoo much brain-rotting",LOL!

The Tudors on Showtime...who knew history could be so hot?

Weeds on Showtime...isn't everyone's young- widowed Mom a dope-dealer? Totally dysfunctional 1/2 hour of entertainment.

Breaking Bad on AMC...OMG...insanely creative story of a terminally ill high school chem-teacher turned meth cooker.Bryan Cranston is amazing in the lead role,this show was "whispered about" until e got an Emmy out of nowhere.

Rescue Me on FX...mostly for Dennis Leary but the humor and grit of this firehouse is so addictive! Crazy funny chit.

True Blood on HBO...on hiatus currently but THE coolest vampire show ever,IMO,based on the novels by Charlaine Harris and directed by the quirky Alan Ball.

Ax Men,Ice Road Truckers,Most Dangerous Catch...various stations,where men are men and they do stuff most would NEVER do like it was nothing!
Cool stuff in limited doses.

You really just have to dig deep,Tivo a few things that look somewhat interesting and stay the F away from network,LOL!

Oh...and to me,"Oz" on HBO along with "The Wire" were two of THE most brilliant,hard to watch some of the time but launched many a career shows on TV,both are rentable now.

[edit on 19-4-2009 by irishchic]

Originally posted by darklife

What's going on? Is this just peoples fascination with reality crap?

I suppose that it is easier to pruduce this kind of program. They don't have to pay actors or writers. The channels thereby make more money off of the companies that put ads on their stations. Why produce quality programming when they can make money off of this sort of thing?

I don't think it has anything to do with getting us accustomed to anything. It's just a way of making more money.

Well - I think I have watched a grand total of about 3 or 4 hours of television in the last 5 years. In the last 10 years I might have watched maybe 20 hours worth.

I do watch TV news snippets on the net that interest me - but I dont count that as TV - I count it as research.

So - sorry - I have no idea what your talking about. However, cop and prison shows sounds like mental conditioning to me - "Police violence is OK! There's bad people out there - turn them in - even if its your neighbor or friend."

TV is generally retarded nonsense, propaganda or mental conditioning. If I want movies I buy DVD's - if I want news, I use the net.

The TV lookity box. I find it is very useful for building up ones thumbs. Great workout if you are a professional thumb wrestler. But you have to pick your poison you can find something you want to see. The history discovery channels are what I watch mostly. If I find something they say I am not sure about I’ll research and find out the “truth”. But I believe

Groucho Marx said it best. TV is educational every time some one turns it on I go in the other room and read a book.

reply to post by darklife


Yeah I noticed this. I am so tired of reality shows esp ones about criminals and cops. They do not deserve any kind of publicity, they are criminals! I watch one channel mostly and that is the History Channel. I usually turn it on and leave it on all day if I am home. I also watch National Geographic and Discovery when it's something interesting. I am not too keen on the cop like reality shows but I do love some Law and Order:SVU

reply to post by darklife



They put violence on tv, the monkeys imitate it.

They put stupid stunts on tv, the monkeys imitate it.

Monkey see, monkey do.

I guess they just want us to get familiar with our future surroundings!

reply to post by darklife


also has anybody noticed on all the csi shows, criminal minds, etc....that the criminals ALL CONFESS WITH NO LAWYER PRESENT!! i have not seen one of these shows where the defendent is in their office and when presented with the evidence at the end of the show, tells them he wants a lawyer and won't say anything else...THEY ALL CONFESS!! cracks me up, as if not one of these people know their rights.

Well that would take all the fun out of it. There would be no reason to show how "smart" the CSI team was that put all the clues together and at the end of the show go in and tell the person exactly what they did. It would actually take away from the show if they would just confess. IMO

I am also disgusted at television lately. The disgusting things they have people do on those reality shows says it all. Add in all the infomercials and the government run news, and T.V's a disaster. I remember a time when they used to actually have some intelligent shows, science and stuff, but it just turned into an idiot box, watch sports, watch reality shows, do anything but get off the couch. nothing but another way to numb the masses when it could have been so much more, I'm not switching to digital, I'll be better off without it.

Do not allow THEM access to your mind via teevee. TURN OFF the idiot box. I haven't owned a teevee or watched teevee for over 5 years now (probably 6 years now). Yeah, I still buy DVDs now and then, and I'll watch something once in a blue moon over the Internet, but that's it. Most of what's on teevee these days is total crap. Teevee is a total waste of time .. limited time .. your life! Give up the addiction, I dare you all to do it. Come on teevee junkies, I challenge you all to turn off that idiot box for one month! I kinow, I know, you teevee wussies think you can't do it, huh .. but I bet you can. Try it. Just do it. The withdrawal symptoms aren't that bad and they last only a few days. Soon, you'll find you have a lot more time for the important things in life. Take up a hobby. Make new friends. Read more. Use that time to get things done that aren't getting done right now. Imagine how the PTB would react if everyone one of you gave up the idiot box right now, tonight! They would got nuts and start begging ya'll to turn the idiot box back on. Just do it, I dare you, I challenge you. And .. those that can't, well .. you're all wussies, ha. YUP! Wussies!!! Prove me wrong and turn that crap off and DO NOT allow them to pollute your mind with that trash entertainment and capitalist advertisements!!! Prove me wrong, show me that you have what it takes to kick the boob tube addiction .. don't make excuses .. don't come up with lame reasons why you can't .. JUST DO IT and see how doing so will improve your life by getting back all that time you all waste every day in front of that stupid box for drooling dorks. JUST DO IT, I DARE YA!

Speaking of the powers that be how true are the new comercials that are out now.




I don't want to give up my TV lookity box. If I did I would miss these lovely gems.

They're conditioning you to turn in your neighbors. If Bob next door has a gun or a bunker and you know then guess what, The government wants to know too because old Bob next door is a threat to National Security.

Ever had your neighbor call the police on you because your license plate expired the day after it was supposed to be renewed?

I was thinking after posting this thread yesterday how if enough TV shows started convincing ignorant people that some new law exist that really doesn't how many people would watch and start to believe it.
It scares the crap out of me how many people I know loved ones and some friends watch TV and believe just about everything they see on it.
I have always kept in mind that none of it is real unless I know what I am watching to be truthful or if interested enough to research the subject.
I can really see how another War of the Worlds like radio program could happen today but with TVs instead if enough networks just wanted to screw with people.
How did it come to the point where so many people trust the people they see on TV more than people they know in real life? Good example is when someone I know was watching The Doctors and got all worried about something. I knew the info to be false and even was about to dig up the proof but all the person had to say was "well those guys are real doctors and you aren't". They were angry because they didn't like me telling them their favorite TV show may just be wrong about something, which it was.
I won't go into details about it more then that but..
The sad part is, I know a lot of people like this, and I bet you all do also

[edit on 4/20/2009 by darklife]

We all know people like that sure. But with the internet I doubt another War of the Worlds scenario could play out again. To many people in contact with each other from all parts of the globe.