Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Wonderfalls cancellation....or what should we do to those idiots at FOX?

gmoot · 04-30-2004, 01:17 PM

My complaint isn't so much about FOX, but more about the quality of TV in general today.

I blame Survivor for the downfall of quality television programming. It seems like after the first season was such a hit, every network exec and his brother came up with a new Reality TV premise and every single one of them got aired. I'll be the first to admit that some of them are good, some of them are unhealthily addicting, and some are complete and udder garbage. I watch American Idol. I was addicted to Paradise Hotel.

But the whole idea of reality tv just sickens me. Has American life become so mundane and complacent that we need to look into this pseudo-reality that the networks keep shoving down our throats just to be happy? If you are that starved for 'reality', turn off the tv and look around...its all around you. The networks come up with some inane idea, send out a camera crew to film it, then promote the hell out of it as if you absolutely must watch it or your life won't be complete. If this is the direction that television is evolving in, I will probably give up tv within the decade.

Remember the early 90's? Remember when there wasn't a 'reality' show in sight and the primetime lineups were the stomping grounds for sitcom after sitcom followed by a good drama? Man those were the days. I honestly can't think of a single decent sitcom to come to television and last since the death of Seinfeld. Friends is running on momentum (just starting up now, it probably wouldn't have made it), and everything else halfway decent is cancelled 1-2 seasons in. No good, deserving shows (such as Wonderfalls) get a chance to make it anymore because 3 months in some exec gets an idea for a reality show and puts regular programming on the backburner where it quickly gets forgotten.

Today's television is dominated by Reality TV and Law & Order wannabe crime dramas. Neither of which really interest me at all. I'm hoping that this is just a phase, because as it is, I only watch TV for about 3-4 good shows a week and just forget about the rest.

04-30-2004, 01:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
gmoot Upright Location: Ohio	My complaint isn't so much about FOX, but more about the quality of TV in general today. I blame Survivor for the downfall of quality television programming. It seems like after the first season was such a hit, every network exec and his brother came up with a new Reality TV premise and every single one of them got aired. I'll be the first to admit that some of them are good, some of them are unhealthily addicting, and some are complete and udder garbage. I watch American Idol. I was addicted to Paradise Hotel. But the whole idea of reality tv just sickens me. Has American life become so mundane and complacent that we need to look into this pseudo-reality that the networks keep shoving down our throats just to be happy? If you are that starved for 'reality', turn off the tv and look around...its all around you. The networks come up with some inane idea, send out a camera crew to film it, then promote the hell out of it as if you absolutely must watch it or your life won't be complete. If this is the direction that television is evolving in, I will probably give up tv within the decade. Remember the early 90's? Remember when there wasn't a 'reality' show in sight and the primetime lineups were the stomping grounds for sitcom after sitcom followed by a good drama? Man those were the days. I honestly can't think of a single decent sitcom to come to television and last since the death of Seinfeld. Friends is running on momentum (just starting up now, it probably wouldn't have made it), and everything else halfway decent is cancelled 1-2 seasons in. No good, deserving shows (such as Wonderfalls) get a chance to make it anymore because 3 months in some exec gets an idea for a reality show and puts regular programming on the backburner where it quickly gets forgotten. Today's television is dominated by Reality TV and Law & Order wannabe crime dramas. Neither of which really interest me at all. I'm hoping that this is just a phase, because as it is, I only watch TV for about 3-4 good shows a week and just forget about the rest.