Don't Like Most Modern Shows

[The Penguin]

Most of the shows on the air does not interest me since most of them is reality TV. It seems directors are not very creative anymore, so they focus mainly on reality TV shows. It also seems we in the era doing a lot of remakes of older shows.

The last modern show I did like was Silicon Valley. I do know this show is not very popular like most other shows since this is a technology based show. However, I consider this show unique compare to most shows out there.

Overall, the last decade I found when there was a lot of good shows was during the 90's. I'm not expecting everyone to agree with me as all of us have different taste.

Besides this, the only other modern programing I would watch is documentaries. Though I don't count a show like Myth Busters as a documentary as I consider this show more of a comedy or goofing off show.

 

[JohnH]

"Reality" shows are still scripted somewhat by the producers and directors. They tell the people to overreact to things and create fake conflicts, or exaggerate their personalities. The main reason behind those shows is to save money, by avoiding paying the salaries for good writers and professional actors. You either get amateur wanna-be celebrities, or has-been A-listers who want to be famous again and make a few bucks doing it.

All TV programming is just an attractant to get people to watch commercials. It's the bait. People sometimes have the TV business model backwards (especially with cable, where you pay to have it piped in) and we think we are the customers. We are not. We are the product. The advertisers are the customers, and the TV and cable networks make their money by delivering our eyes and easily manipulated minds to the advertisers.

There are still a few good shows here and there, but most of the content is whatever is the least money they can spend to attract the most eyes, and to fill up hundreds of channels 24 hours a day.

I tend to wait until I can watch things on Netflix or other services without commercials.

 

[The Penguin]

"Reality" shows are still scripted somewhat by the producers and directors. They tell the people to overreact to things and create fake conflicts, or exaggerate their personalities. The main reason behind those shows is to save money, by avoiding paying the salaries for good writers and professional actors. You either get amateur wanna-be celebrities, or has-been A-listers who want to be famous again and make a few bucks doing it.

All TV programming is just an attractant to get people to watch commercials. It's the bait. People sometimes have the TV business model backwards (especially with cable, where you pay to have it piped in) and we think we are the customers. We are not. We are the product. The advertisers are the customers, and the TV and cable networks make their money by delivering our eyes and easily manipulated minds to the advertisers.

There are still a few good shows here and there, but most of the content is whatever is the least money they can spend to attract the most eyes, and to fill up hundreds of channels 24 hours a day.

I tend to wait until I can watch things on Netflix or other services without commercials.

I wonder when there will be good TV again?

 

[Judge]

About the only interesting production trend I've noticed away from the more traditional economic strategies in television involve a combination of pronounced usage of computer graphics imagery and casts with predominantly unknown actors. (The "Sparticus" mini-series in particular. Of course this is also programming not for any general audience.) With the technological improvements of CGI I see some real promise in this particular equation. Of course again what is central to the issue is the economics of it all.

On a sidenote, if you go to a corporate grocery store you may have noticed many more of the checkout stations are now unused. They want you to use the self-pay stations. Different industries, same economics.

Things haven't been the same since the 80s when businesses discovered downsizing as a way to improve their bottom line even during better economic times. I just don't see the drive to operate "lean and mean" changing whether the global economy improves or not. That television is likely to remain all about "audience shares" at the lowest possible cost regardless of content.

 

[Pyrola]

I agree, there aren't too many shows I like nowadays either, unless you count cartoons. I love Adventure time! Lots of other shows and even movies are just too formulaic, if you've seen one, you've seen them all. I'm probably just weird, but I love TV shows from the 60s, I love the way they dressed back then and the comedy is just to my liking. Plus, the channels they show those on don't market to my age demographic; catheters,stair lifts, and life insurance commercials galore! I kind of do like watching more generally applicable commercials though, it's interesting to see the different marketing ploys they use, sneaky devils.

 

[ThatSkyWing]

I haven't seen many modern shows that I like either. The only modern shows I really like are Adventure Time, Madoka Magica, and I sort of like that Game of Thrones show.