Posted on 12/07/2013 4:41:14 AM PST by Kaslin
Marketing surveys now show that when Americans come home from work, more folks turn on their computers than their television sets. That is a first.
The reason is twofold: First, you can create your own world on your PC, and second, TV is awful. Flat-out awful. For years, television has been losing viewers because the product, generally speaking, has collapsed.
Reality TV has destroyed the tube. Cheap, mindless shows featuring people who should be deported rule the airwaves. Don't believe me? Well, TV Guide recently listed reality TV's most startling moments. The choices are indeed startling.
Among them is Marie Osmond fainting on "Dancing with the Stars." That was unforgettable, was it not? All 10 of her siblings attempted to resuscitate her.
Laurie has a breast-baring meltdown on a program called "She's Got the Look." I don't know who Laurie is, but I believe she may be overexposed. Or something.
Rebecca gets dentures on "Breaking Amish." I am not fabricating this. I didn't even know that the Amish broke anything. Hopefully, Rebecca can clean the dentures without electricity. At least she's in better shape than Laurie.
An Elvis impersonator is overwhelmed by memorabilia on the show "Hoarders." I missed that. I'm sorry.
Tom DeLay dances to "Wild Thing" on "Dancing with the Stars." That was why Marie Osmond fainted.
"The Osbournes" examining the aftermath of Ozzy's ATV accident. Does it get any better than that? Does it?
Kim Kardashian weds Kris Humphries on "Kim's Fairytale Wedding." This was the nadir. An untalented but ambitious woman marrying a young basketball player and then divorcing him about 20 minutes later. And the guy got hurt. So why are people watching that? Disturbing question.
Monica Lewinsky hosts "Mr. Personality." This was an actual TV show. Insert your joke here.
On a show called "The Surreal Life," the guy who played Mini Me in an Austin Powers movie rides a scooter naked. Why didn't Kim Kardashian think of that?
The "Queer Eye" guys go nude. Did they have scooters, as well? I honestly don't know.
Michelle Obama appears on "The Biggest Loser." This is a weight loss program, not the Republican Convention.
And finally, chef Gordon Ramsay "fat-shames" a "Hell's Kitchen" contestant. All I can say is that Jackie Gleason would have taken Ramsay out.
So it is beyond dispute that television is in deep trouble. These reality shows make "Gilligan's Island" look like "Macbeth." They are like unspeakable zombies destroying the entire structure of the television industry.
Thank God PBS is still on the air. But even here there is some worry. Elmo has been seen hanging with the Kardashians. It's just a matter of time until someone gets engaged.
“I have a lovely flat screen TV 42” HD.”
Well mine is bigger than yours!! It hangs on the wall in my man cave and is turned on only to watch The FOX PANEL (20 minutes) and on Sundays to watch Football.
Occasionally I will watch an episode of PAWN STARS on History Channel but other than that the screen stays dark except to watch a movie. I have a HUGE collection of movies mostly from the 1940’s on through the mid 1970’s and this will constitute the major “on” time of the set.
If someone put a gun to my head and asked me when was the last time I watched network TV my life would be forfeit.
Fail Safe is a 2000 televised broadcast play, based on Fail-Safe, the Cold War novel by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler. The play, broadcast live in black and white on CBS, starred George Clooney, Richard Dreyfuss, Harvey Keitel, and Noah Wyle, and was one of the few live dramas on American television since its so-called Golden Age in the 1950s and 1960s. The broadcast was introduced by Walter Cronkite (his introduction, also broadcast in black and white, is included in the DVD releases of the film). - Wikipedia
Regards,
I had DirectTV for 15 years. Gave up TV for a 40 day fast on February 17. I found I didn’t miss it at all.
So, I cancelled it and now have no TV service. I haven’t watched TV in my home since 2/17/13.
On Thanksgiving, I visited my parents and watched some football on their TV. I was struck by how inane and depraved the tube has become, I noticed it before, but going without it for some long made it clearer.
I have a super home theater set up, but only watch DVDs or something off Netflix or Amazon prime streaming.
I like Christmas shows and enjoy watching them with my daughter, so I bought two yesterday—for less than $20. My DirecTV bill was $96 monthly, with no premium or movie channels.
I don’t miss TV a bit.
Of course the movie version was better—the movie was nearly three hours long in the theater! What we saw on NBC is essentially the original stage version of the show, which in many ways is quite different than the movie.
We got rid of TV a few years ago. Unaffordable. I paid for Netflix for a while, but better shows are on Hulu+, but I abhor commercials if I’m paying. So now I watch a few shows on Hulu free, and watch Longmire on AETV (A&E website, watch for free just after air date). We have AT&T Uverse internet, and are bombarded with offers from them and satellite/cable, but it is ridiculously expensive and there is such a dearth of programs. I mostly watch sci-fi/fantasy/silly to avoid the disgusting content of most sitcoms/drama.
currently watching:
Once Upon a Time, Once Upon a Time Wonderland, Grimm, Marvel Agents of Shield, Almost Human
Hey I have been watching that channel for the last several nights. It’s the old romantic in me I guess. You are correct and HALLMARK should have been included! Thanks Kas!
Well, I am a musician, and play 4 instruments, all of which require daily practice, so TV is not a big part of my life anyway.
FR, on the other hand....LOL!
Do it. You will not regret it. You'll save money and wonder where you found the time to watch the silly thing in the first place.
That’s using it right. It should be something YOU control, not the other way around! :-)
We re-emphasized books a few years back, and the television viewing here has dwindled to almost nothing. Sometimes the Food Network used to be on, but the nighttime programming there has congealed like bad gravy in a cold beanery.
PBS? Bill has to be playing Mister Give-Them-a-Chance (like he does for Obama) to make himself look "fair and balanced" again; were it not for twenty-five year old reruns of Britcoms, most PBS stations would have fewer viewers than our local library has homosexuals in the restrooms. Then again, even reruns of "Dad's Army" might actually make him thank God in comparison to the other slop being handed to us.
Mr. niteowl77
Still worth watching TV for:
1. Megyn Kelly
2. Gold Rush
3. NFL Football
4. NBA Basketball
5. NCAA Basketball Tournament
6. Downton Abbey
7. Homeland
Better use of HDTV
1. Chromecast & YouTube for music
2. Chromecast & YouTube for How Do I Do That Type Videos
3. Chromecast & Netflix
4. Chromecast & YouTube & “What is BitCoin?”
Aaahhhh... the light breaks in. We have been called twice this week by Nielsen Ratings, asking what we watch, and if they can keep asking us : o
Said even if we don’t watch much, they want to know, “for business purposes”, LOL.
We politely declined, since we haven’t watched “networks” in decades, and recently, have noted a significant decline/hard lean to the left in all programming - even in sports!?! So, the DH and I have been discussing the most economical way to watch what little we do : /
Strange times these...
Tatt
Nods. Such has been our thinking of late.
When college football commentary began to be co-opted, we started listening to the audio from the “radio”/computer, while watching the video on TV, and knew that the end was near ;)
This just may be the time for us to make the break as well.
May God bless you and yours Friend,
Tatt
Bill’s an idiot. Reality TV is simply a substitute for the overly mindless and repetitive (not to mention preachy) drek that exists for comedy and drama writing on television. There are 500 channels but, for most of them, there are only two programming choices - recycle shows that first aired on the main networks or create programming on a miniscule budget in hopes some sort of oddity will draw an audience. Given the choice, Reality TV attempts to be original programming within the budget constraints of many of these channels. Often, it fails but at least it tries to entertain.
Ow My Balls is the best show on tv.
There are many alternatives to the alphabet channels now.
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Sadly, thats what seems to pass for “normal” nowadays.
Check out Antenna TV, its what Nick used to be.
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