Comments on: What Grinds my Gears Friday

By: Tuathal

Tuathal — Tue, 02 May 2006 08:06:00 +0000

Yes, but the aforementioned Family Guy was cancelled, twice, and only brought back from the dead because the public realised what they missed and went out and bought the DVD. That won’t happen with Alias or Arrested Development etc.

At the moment the biggest show in America in terms of ratings is American Idol, and its ahead by a distance. The market is full of similar successful Reality TV shows, which means the millions of people watch them and TV executive are encouraged to make more of this cheaply produced drivel.

If its pretentious elitism to claim that this is a bad thing, then guilty as charged. Let TV become nothing but the ‘idiot box’ many have long claimed it to be.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 03:42:00 +0000

So people shouldn’t watch what they want because it’s “crap”? I have no interest in any of those programs but if they’re being made people must be watching them. It sounds like the worst kind of pretentious elitism to me when people imply that the public needs to be told what programs to watch. By the way, there are a lot of programs watched by millions that are top-class: The Sopranos, Lost, 24, C.S.I., Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, South Park - even the aforementioned Family Guy is back.

By: MacDARA

MacDARA — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 13:49:00 +0000

Its all part of the big plan to dumb down the world. I don’t believe it’s what people want its what people in power want us to be watching. Fill our days with crap and then nobody will bother asking questions about what’s going on in the World. National Geographic seems to be the only station showing good programs these days.

I have 120 stations at my disposal and if you think watching Big Brother is bad or Pop idol imagine watching BB Africa , Middle East idol its like the whole world has caught the stupid flu and is thriving on the same shit in different languages.

By: Tuathal

Tuathal — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 13:27:00 +0000

The problem with democracy is that people, collectively, are idiots, who don’t know what they want. I mean, god help me for using this as an example but, look what has happened to the Euro-vision ever since ‘the people’ were allowed to pick the winner.

I’ve always believed that a benevolent dictator is the way to go.

As for the arts argument, there may be some similarities, yes.

By: Simon

Simon — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 11:32:00 +0000

actually Tuathal not me wrote the above

By: that girl

that girl — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 10:48:00 +0000

Sounds to me like tv has been democratised, is playing to what audiences want to see and hear. Now, where have I heard that argument recently in relation to the arts…

I totally agree with you of course…but if you’re to apply your thinking about the arts to the current state of tv maybe you’ll see a correlation!