Stupid tv shows a mirror of a culture?

The public wants what the public gets

The public gets what the public wants

It's a vicious circle.....

crap i think i just quoted The Jam lyrics from the song Going Underground?

I haven't watched TV for the past few years except for a few exceptions....I find most of it mind numbing crap!
There was a thread about David Attenborough yesterday. I have great admiration for the man and his contribution to television. Even nature programmes that once were informative, now seem to have gone down the " lets find the biggest, loudest personality who can jump around like a mad man and risk life and death" route because of our need to be entertained in all things.

Originally posted by beezzer
Mostly, we wait until a quality show comes out on DVD at then we can watch at our leisure. No commercials, no times planned for a specific night. Sure, we're behind the "culture curve" on much, but tv is a tool that can be used/misused at ones own discretion.

Yeah, I do this, too. I think I just got burned so many times by getting interested in a series, only to see it get canceled with a cliffhanger ending, that it's just not worth getting invested anymore. My motto now is: why should I commit to watching a show when you can't commit to finishing its story?

We stopped watching TV years ago and my IQ has soared...lol. I don't miss it not even a little bit. I find only the things i want to watch on the net and dvd. No commercials. No muss, No fuss.

Friends heralded the sharp downwards spiral of TV entertainment. The reality show phenomenon accelerated the decline. Today, it's like wading through raw sewerage.

Switch off or go online and watch reruns of The Simpsons and Seinfeld.

Originally posted by ChaoticOrder

Originally posted by beezzer

Originally posted by Hefficide

We had House! And we have Game of Thrones....

Wait... These all rely heavily upon British actors....

Oh, crap.

Wouldn't you agree that current popular shows are a reflection of the society that its played to?

Of course our tv shows reflect our culture. Because those shows wouldn't exist if people didn't watch them. The fact they are popular shows how stupid most people are. What people like to watch reflects their personality. Some of the shows these days are so mind numbingly ridiculous I feel ashamed to be associated with the same culture of people who create and watch this crap. But it's their right to watch what ever they want and there's nothing we can do about it.

You know, I'd bet most people who watch these types of programs know how awful they are. They are commonly referred to as a "guilty pleasure". I don't think the quality of the show (or lack thereof) necessarily reflects the intelligence or personality of the viewers. Nor does the show itself accurately represent who we are as a nation.

That being said, it is the equivalent of gawking at the geek in a freakshow tent, and people should feel guilty for supporting it with their viewership. It feeds on a very deep impulse we have to look at ourselves in a fun-house mirror: we like the grotesque, it reassures us of our own normality.

Personally yess, I hate American TV. However Walking Dead IS my current SECOND favorite show, but it would be # without the British actors in it! As good as even THIS show is, Ive not missed an episode of Coronation Street in who knows how long, I do remember when Racquel came on though!

reply to post by beezzer


People still watch television??? The only junk i put in my brain is reading fiction.

I haven't watched tv since... hmm 2003. By the sound of your post I think I will continue to add more years to my count.

reply to post by beezzer


another aspect I think is important here is that not only is the production value of reality tv in the toilet but these people actually exist and act like this daily.

I watch tv when I don't want to think about anything and this stuff is perfect. can't wait to watch the hill billy show

Originally posted by beezzer
I just finished watching the first season of BBC's "Sherlock Holmes."

Well written, well acted
(I'm getting the season 2 DVD this week!)

Probably the best tv show in the northern hemisphere! Well maybe, at any rate.

But onward to my RANT!!!

I was surfing the Drudge and other sites when lo and behold! saw a newsfeed on MTV's new show, "Buckwild". Imagine Jersey Shore but in the mountains and with rednecks.

First off - these kind of shows are cheap to produce and usually non-union. Very Cheap indeed - no pesky writers or actors or directors... Then there is the self promotion show which cost the networks even less - like "Pawn Stars" "Hollywood Treasures" these are paid for by the subject of the show themselves as advertising. Just imagine how a network loves that - a full half hour of advertising income will little overhead.

Reality TV got it's start back during the writers strike at the end of the last century.

All that said, on to quality. BBC is funded by the UK government through taxes on all citizens and is done efficiently and with people not technology at the center of production (writers, actors, directors, costumers, etc). There are huge cost savings when you do things well and with minimal flash. That's why we like their programing (for the most part we see only the best - they have trash too - I recall seeing something with gypsies). I do have to say that for all the costumes and sets dec and wonderful acting I find the writing in Downton rather poor. The writing lacks momentum and appeal - it's all style and little substance. Good thing I don't watch it for the writing.

I'm all over the place today - another thing about BBC is the actors look like real people no barbie dolls.

As to HBO and Showtime they have subscribers and only produce a limited amount and so can spend there money on quality in all areas of production they are not attempting to lure in watchers for advertising. (Or rather there advertising is much more subtle).

Only TV shows in the past 10 years worth watching:
Survivorman
The Wire
Deadwood
Oz
King of the Hill
The Walking Dead

supply and demand.

reply to post by beezzer


People love the mindless trash tv. In this country it seems to offering another lifestyle choice for the young. If they can not become famous for singing in a talent show, then maybe they can find success in a pseudo reality tv show.
It is producing a generation who think that being thick and a bit dim, is someway something to aspire too.

I think these jersey shore, only way is Essex program's are the worst thing to come along in a while. Heading in the direction of idiocracy.

Thing is there are some great things on TV, BBC four does awesome documentaries most nights, but would be considered boring by the vast majority of the viewing public..

Although I confess to be being a coronation street fan. It's the northern parent thing.

reply to post by beezzer


As if ANYTHING from MTV can be considered the gold standard for American television shows. I'm pretty sure Stan Lee came from America, thus most famous superheros came from America.

I don't think you need to watch a different country, you need to watch a different channel on the television.

Originally posted by beezzer
I just finished watching the first season of BBC's "Sherlock Holmes."

Well written, well acted
(I'm getting the season 2 DVD this week!)

Probably the best tv show in the northern hemisphere! Well maybe, at any rate.

But onward to my RANT!!!

I was surfing the Drudge and other sites when lo and behold! saw a newsfeed on MTV's new show, "Buckwild". Imagine Jersey Shore but in the mountains and with rednecks.

Now my criticism might be premature, but when compared to the brilliant writing of Sherlock, MTV doesn't have a great track record. The dumber Americans get, it appears to be reflected in the tv shows being aired.

(With the exception of The Walking Dead)

Are we going to continue to be bombarded with shows that highlight the stupidity of a culture?

Is this the sort of tripe that we can continue to expect?

Or can we push to have shows that reflect good writing and great acting.

The Walking Dead is the only show on TV that me and my family sit down together and watch with vast amounts of popcorn. Love that show--could be better written, though, IMO.
Onto Buckwold, most people that I've talked to here in West Virginia is against it. They do not wanna see idiots like Jersey Shore. We're hoping that they are respectable, intelligent-acting people and NOT what the producers of that show are looking to spread around. Jerry Springer done this and created a lot of the stereo-types about hillbillies that just aren't true. Incest is highly against our culture. Most of the people I know, or have known, have good teeth. Not too many go barefootin', but I guess people everywhere do that, really.

Again, I hope it's not a "exploit the dumb hick" show that these people in control of the medias like to portray us as. Essentially, it's racist horsecrap. Where are the TV shows showing jewish culture?? You won't see it unless it's done of the highest accord. I assure you.

In closing, I'd just like to say on behalf of my fellow mountaineers, that most people here have an abundance of common sense---they are very smart, and have a lot of respect for other people. Just naturally nice people, unless crossed. It's one of the safest places on earth to live and an excellent place to raise kids. Traditions never die and people here have never, and will never allow outsiders to influnce our beliefs or culture. Many have tried, and all have failed. Even durung the civil war. W.Va is the only state that succedded from another state and signed by the president because people in the mountains did not like the way the new yorkers who took over Virginia were conducting buisness, or their culture.

When, or if, you watch this Buckwild show, take it all with a grain of salt because there is a war against the people of the appalachias by the owners of these medias. They hate us because we will not be conformed.
Research the Battle Of Matewan or The Battle Of Blair Mountain to understand a little more about people here, and what has been done to us.

reply to post by Novaroc


This show was created to compete with Amish: OUt of the Order on NatGEo. Which is a very interesting show.

I have an absurd amount of channels, like 1000.

You have found one show and have decided it reflects all of society.

Guess what, our society has rednecks, and they are rather proud. Which is why you have Honey BooBoo.

I like to watch educational programming, which there is a lot of also. There is stuff for sci fi geeks, science geeks, nfl fans, soccer fans, horse racing fans, children, adults, old people, Mexicans, you name it.

I like to watch Brave New World by Stephen Hawking, and I like to watch Transformers: Rescue Bots. I love Dexter. I love invetigative discovery channel. I love Tosh.O.

If any show reflects culture, it would be Tosh.O.


What a person chooses to watch is what tickles their fancy. There are a million shows out there now. No single show has a bearing on society, or determines people's intelligence.

I rarely put the box on. So much seems to be geared at dumbing people down, but there are a few gems worth watching. Boardwalk Empire has just finished season 3, and is always class, as was Sopranos, The Wire and Breaking Bad. Except for those there's not much else I could recommend from the past 10 years.

Originally posted by caladonea
reply to post by beezzer

 

It seems to me that (reality shows) are increasing at an alarming rate on U.S. television; and I will admit that I am nauseated by them.

I think the programing on a high percentage of TV in America is really awful and disappointing; so I choose not to watch those programs that are offensive to me.

I like old movies from the 1930's. 40's, and 50's.

The biggest reason for the rise in "reality" shows (they are anything but reality) is that the networks have enjoyed a steady decline in viewership resulting in lost ad revenue. "Reality" shows are very cheap to produce compared with a drama or cop/detective/lawyer show. Also, stupid Americans apparently enjoy watching people being a**holes to each other.

Then you've got other garbage shows:

Two and a half men - An extended fart joke peppered with sexual innuendo. Target audience: Seventh grade boys. Angus Jones was right on the money with his criticism until his handlers made him take it back. He should tell them to get stuffed. He's already made more money than 90% of Americans will in the entire lifetime.

Modern Family - I don't know ANY families like this. This show is yet another attempt by the amoral socialist crowd in hollywood to destroy traditional family values and corrupt the moral fiber of whatever is left of American culture.

The New Normal - A crappy knockoff of the previous show.

I'm sure there are lots more but I haven't had cable in 10 years, so I'm just going by the few minutes I have seen of the aforementioned filth.

Just heard about the HillBilly Holler show today from a coworker. And tho not every West Virginian is an inbred reject with a single digit IQ, there are plenty of people like that here in the southern part of the state. It's depressing actually. But there are too many dumbed down people all over the US now, and there shouldn't be - we have the technology to make us all better educated, with training in a variety of fields, education and exposure to various cultures, and so on - but why watch educational or thought provoking tv when crap like Honey Booboo is on? After a long day of working just to barely survive - for those fortunate to even have a job - perhaps seeing someone who does make you glad for the life you have and doesn't require any heavy duty thought processing is really the best...er most? the majority can muster. Of course this being ATS, I much prefer to think its some sort of subliminal signal that traps people. I'm just glad that it doesn't work on me. Or maybe they think they are totally fine too and everyone has gone mad...

Sadly people do seem to fall into the thinkers and the "oh that's just too hard!" brain dead types. I do believe art imitates real life- and every time i watch The Walking Dead of late I see it as an allegory of modern culture - the Zombies are the stupid unthinking consumers who will eat you alive if you let them, and the thinking, caring, hard working humans are hopelessly outnumbered and often seem to be just on the verge of realizing the futility of their existence when the necessary constant struggles keeps them moving forward, fighting when a few minutes splid analysis might just make them give up. The zombies have won, and any decent life always involves keeping as much distance between the mindless zombies as possible! :-) And yeah, the fact that a large % of the cast is British isn't lost on most viewers. It's the old "truth on many levels" thing going on. :-)

I totally agree with the poster above who said he/she gave up on tv shows after too many of the few good ones would get cancelled or just disappear and now only does DVDs. There are so few shows that I have found even remotely interesting over the past decade or so are countable on one hand after you remove the British shows from the list. I find myself more and more dipping into gems from the past which are also frequently British, The Avengers (Steed and Mrs Peel, not the superheroes, tho they were certainly super!), Wild Wild West (not the atrocious Will Smith remake, but the Robert Conrad series), Doctor Who (one of the few series where the modern version - fantastically enough which is a continuation of the original series designed to morph and reinvent itself through the time that the hero travels thru!), Buffy (seriously, it's quite good tho my judging it from the horrid movie led to me not discovering it u til the end of the 3rd season), the aforementioned Sherlock (one of the few series that has characters with modern issues that don't slam you over the head), The Walking Dead (tho this first half of Season 3 seems to have lost much of the warmth and draw it had in S 1 & 2, it is still head and shoulders above pretty much any major network series). Also quite love Fringe, which is the X Files of the present.

And sorry, didn't mean to simply post what I watch - but totally agree TV reflects the state of America after decades of flioridated water, the destruction of critical thinking skills known as the Education System, and whatever other mind control techniques that compel what is supposed to be an intelligent species into tuning in week after week to watch insipidly grotesque and mentally damaged creatures degrade themselves proudly and engage in pig genitalia eating contests. If anything, it truly has made me extremely glad not to fit in with the masses of society. :-)