Is it just me, or does television really suck?

[MrRochesterNY]

Often times, I think TV was better when we just had three channels (ABC, NBC, and CBS) to choose from, instead of 500 channels....

I agree. When you have a couple hundred channels running 24 hours a day, what can you do but run a lot of junk and scrape the bottom of the barrel to find the most tasteless and morbid stuff? Filmed copcar chases cost nothing to create compared to a scripted and acted fresh piece of quality programming.

 

[roadtripboy]

In Canada most of the stuff on our tv channels are American shows.

I can understand it seeming that way. But, our cable channels are full of shows from Canada. I think we get every "how to" and cooking show produced in Canada. Not to mention the kids from Degrassi.

 

[CowboyBob]

Yes, television sucks. I wouldn't have cable but the others want it.

All that's on are

1) Commercials "..... buy one, get two ab-so-lutely free...", talking Australian lizards and better living through chemistry.

2) Republicans bashing each other and the President.

3) talentless reality shows

....all for only $89.99 + tax a month!

 

[EasyRory]

It mostly sucks, and the few things I watch I record. The only thing I watch in real time is sports.

 

[MoufOfKhaos]

I can understand it seeming that way. But, our cable channels are full of shows from Canada. I think we get every "how to" and cooking show produced in Canada. Not to mention the kids from Degrassi.

Degrassi is STILL on the air?!

 

[winterknight]

"Is it just me, or does television really suck? "

i actually think there is so much good television out there, its fucking hard to keep up!

you like fantasy or scifi? i suggest game of thrones, doctor who, and fringe! you may also like spartacus, eventhough its not technically scifi/fantasy

reality tv? rupauls drag race of course!

soap operas? revenge, downton abbey, and mad men are all soaps done well. in the case of mad men, its done so well it actually transcends the soap genre.

comedy? i love archer, parks & recreation, and community.

The only ones of these on free-to-air tv in the UK are Downton and Who, both of which I find brain-dribbling. And the likelihood of us getting Sky or cable is slim to nil.

And even I did, the only thing on that list that remotely appeals is AGOT, and that only for the presence of mostly-naked Jason Momoa. Everything else ... I've read the books so many times I know the plot by heart.

 

[sokker]

Well.. at least in USA you have some good tv shows, in Norway on the other hand.. YIKES! We don't have a lot of channels to choose from, and all they ever air is news, documentaries, repeats of old tv shows or movies they've had on a million times before.

Norwegian tv sucks I would love to live in USA just to get access to all those great networks/channels.

 

[hylas]

if i relied on the old model of just switching on the box and looking at what it happens to be showing, id probably be unhappy about the quality, too. but i pick and choose what i watch and when - which is really no problem at all, whether youre using services like netflix, hulu, or itunes, or buying or borrowing dvd's, or finding other ways. i enjoy discussing shows ive seen, or reading reviews of show i havent seen yet, to help me decide what i should watch next, on pop-culture sites like the a.v. club. the only complaint i have is that there is so much quality material and so little time!

 

[winterknight]

Sometimes you can find the earlier seasons of critically acclaimed shows on it like Dexter or Breaking Bad or Mad Men.

You did see the bit where I said that none of those shows appeal to me in the slightest, right?

 

[Adrock-JD]

The only solution is to spend more money. (There's a surprise) Either rent a film, or buy/rent the DVD set of whatever show you'd like to catch up on, or pay for channels like HBO or Showtime. *Which in "on demand" HD run you about 15 bucks a piece every month...

I loathe commercials. It also annoys me that networks edit nudity and language like we're all Amish or something. FYI parents: kids have the Internet, they've seen everything already. Which is why I pay extra for a DVR (to skip commercials) and all the premium channels I can get.

I get HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, STARZ and a tier of a dozen sports channels i.e. Tennis Channel/College sports for $35.00 per month extra on the cable bill.

However, I'm paying another $27.00 per month to have an HD/DVR and an additional HD box.

Still, it's not that bad considering how much On Demand is available these days.

I still go to the theater occasionally. Just saw 'The Iron Lady' last weekend. Going to see 'The Descendants' this weekend or next. With popcorn and a soda those two outings will cost as much as an entire month of premium cable programming.

Plus, at home I don't have to put up with people refusing to turn off their G@ddamn cell phones.

As usual, I'm straying off topic.

I don't think ALL television is garbage, just a lot of it. But that takes into account that we have hundreds of channels. I watch what I like and ignore the rest.

 

[mbamike]

Television is like anything else in life, it is what you make it. I usually watch sitcoms, reality shows that require singing, and comedies.

Back when I was in the Navy, I did not always have access to a television, so I read paperbacks. Great entertainment those books.

So, if you don't like what's on television, read a book.

 

[FanofFiction]

Part of my job entails watching 24 news broadcasts... If you enjoy news... television has been good!

 

[winterknight]

No, you see, you're not getting it.

I am well aware of the existence of Netflix and all the other stuff. If there is something I want to watch enough that I am willing to spend money on it, I am more than happy to do so - like I did with Sherlock fairly recently.

However, the overwhelming majority of "Stuff that I'm willing to spend money on" are films made for cinema. When it comes to things made for television, 99.999% of the time, I'd rather boil my head.

And yes, I was also previously aware of the existence of every show that has so far been mentioned in this thread. They have all been given due consideration on the "do I want to watch this enough to spend cash on it" front. As I said, the only one that has come close is AGOT, and that's only so I could ogle Jason Momoa. And I've got Conan for that.

 

[winterknight]

Actually, that's a lie. I did buy the first season of Dexter, but I got cheesed off with it halfway through.

 

[goldenmoth]

It's true British television represents all that's good on telly (Ashes to Ashes, Doctor Who, Downtown Abbey) but it's true. Pretty much all television is dreadful.

They market so heavily to middle aged women that they've successfully wiped out whole demographics. I suppose this is how just about everyone except white, straight guys feel about blockbuster movies.

 

[Paws]

TV has always sucked, it's only now since public access to the internet exists that we notice.

 

[Tadaa]

So many good shows on now I can't stand it. Basic cable, online viewing, Netflix and Hulu have redefined the television landscape. Television is back!

 

[Joshua_me]

I get HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, STARZ and a tier of a dozen sports channels i.e. Tennis Channel/College sports for $35.00 per month extra on the cable bill.

However, I'm paying another $27.00 per month to have an HD/DVR and an additional HD box.

Still, it's not that bad considering how much On Demand is available these days.

^ Wow !

"Not that bad" ??? I'll say... Where do you live ?

Sadly, I live in one of the most expensive area's in the country for cable/high-speed Internet.

I get HBO only, plus HD service and "on demand" in just one room. (No DVR included...) and I pay considerably more than you.

Add on the Internet service and "rented" cable modem, (if you buy your own modem, they can't diagnose/fix any problems over the phone , and will charge you 20 bucks for a service call... bastards...)

Add it all up and it's about $147.00 a month. ( ) More than my power, water and land phone line combined.

Raped and not even kissed.

 

[Joshua_me]

I consider these manipulative interview shows to be the first example of 'reality TV'~

Oh, Walt Disney. (whom I'm a tremendous fan of, but still...) had them beat by a good 10 years....

All those "ads" for Disneyland, and then Disney World, cleverly cloaked under the guise of entertainment were *brilliant*.

There are dozens of them to be found on YouTube, but here's just one - with the proud line that, "White men with guns built America" ! (Can you even *imagine that, today ?)

Still, I'll be forever fascinated by his brilliance.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VMtqfwXeXw[/ame]

 

[Adrock-JD]

^ Wow !

"Not that bad" ??? I'll say... Where do you live ?

Sadly, I live in one of the most expensive area's in the country for cable/high-speed Internet.

I get HBO only, plus HD service and "on demand" in just one room. (No DVR included...) and I pay considerably more than you.

Add on the Internet service and "rented" cable modem, (if you buy your own modem, they can't diagnose/fix any problems over the phone , and will charge you 20 bucks for a service call... bastards...)

Add it all up and it's about $147.00 a month. ( ) More than my power, water and land phone line combined.

Raped and not even kissed.

Joshua, I have Digital Premier cable which is 102.95 per month...but the premium channels are only 35.00 of that amount. i.e. if I just had basic digital cable without the premium channels it would be 67.95 per month for that. Then my Internet is 50.95.
Add the taxes and surcharges and the HD DVR and HD boxes fees and the grand total is 192.55 per month.