Memo to TV
Attention Network Television Executives:
I have stopped watching your TV shows.
What do I care? You ask.
Well, it’s true, we are just one household. You’ve got millions. But we are your most perfect demographic—the one that gets the most advertising dollars out there and we are not alone. Chat around the lunch table used to frequently consist of discussion of network shows.
But not anymore.
Not since you’ve decided to sell out the truly great shows out there and replace them with cheap to make “reality” TV and/or prime time game shows. Could you at least make an attempt here? I mean seriously. Why don’t you run these ideas by some normal people? Who out there thought Identity was a good idea? Shouldn’t the title really be “Stereotype”?
And then let’s discuss American Idol which is increasingly becoming a laughing stock. Is it a set up or are you just that stupid?
Allow me also, a moment to mourn the few truly terrific shows you had on the air: American Dreams, The West Wing, Studio 60. The old ER. (You know, before it jumped the shark.) Even your sports broadcasting is a mess—no sound during the SEC Championship. Poor feed during the NCAA Tournament. You seriously expect people to just sit back and take it?
Well not this viewer. There are hundreds of stations out there and I’m just here to say that if you run NBC, ABC, CBS or Fox I will no longer be watching your stations. (Oh wait, I wasn’t watching Fox anyway.)
Bring back the shows with substance, with witty dialogue, integrity and emotion. Bring back the thought provoking dramas and the hilarious comedies. Ditch the crap.
I’m done.
*stands up and applauds*
I here ya… I remember not so many years ago when the various tv networks were all filled with these absolutely fantastic shows–solid drama and truly funny comedies. Now, so much if it is just so plain bad. I’ve never been a fan of reality tv, but it seems to be something that’s a.) not going away and b.)continuously keeps reaching new lows in showing off and highlighting the very worst in human behavior. Somewhere along the way, comedies started confusing true humor with plain stupidity. Dramas haven’t fared much better, with at least half of them being just gruesome crime dramas that follow the same formula week after week (note to networks: death does not automatically equal drama). The other half seem to either feature overly promiscuous characters, have no real plot, or are just bizarre.
ER has been a lot better this year than it has in recent past seasons, but it still pales in comparison to it’s early years. I really enjoy Grey’s Anatomy, but in my heart it can never live up to TWW, AD, or Chicago Hope. I think it’s the best thing on the airwaves at the moment, but it’s never moved me to quite the extent that various episodes of TWW, AD, or CH have. Ugly Betty is a charmer, but it’s more of a comedy-heavy dramedy.
S60 definitely showed so much promise, but apparently the masses would rather watch a bloody installment of CSI:Wherever or some idiotic reality tv show.