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How TV is wiping out the movies -- again
The New Republic ^ | 09.19.06 | Christopher Orr

Posted on 09/27/2006 11:04:53 AM PDT by Keltik

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Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.5. Not quite as good as its cult reputation, but good nonetheless. And who, after all, imagined that, post-"Buffy," we'd be lucky enough to see another second-tier movie turned into first-tier television? (What's next? An Emmy-worthy re-imagining of The Black Hole?) The four-part miniseries that launched the show is a little too pleased with its own bleakness, but things improve quickly. And while Edward James Olmos may not quite be a Jaime-Escalante-in-space, he lends gravity enough to keep "Galactica" from drifting away.

I cannot say enough good things about BSG. Most of season 2.5 though was a downer till the final 3 episodes got their footing back. Even with the low points it was still the best show on TV with season 3 coming up in 2(3?) weeks.

If you haven't seen the show seriously check it out.

21 posted on 09/27/2006 11:54:56 AM PDT by Domandred
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To: lovecraft

You will be hooked. My husband and I are half-way through season 3.


22 posted on 09/27/2006 11:58:46 AM PDT by Miss Marple (Lord, please look over Mozart Lover's and Jemian's sons and keep them strong.)
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To: wolfpat
When is Fox going to compile a "Best of O'Reilly" series?

They won't because they can't. BOR should go back to teaching third graders.

23 posted on 09/27/2006 12:03:49 PM PDT by Cobra64 (Why is the War on Terror being managed by the DEFENSE Department?)
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To: FormerACLUmember

I dumped cable about 4 years ago now... and other than big news events.. I don't miss it at all.

There are only a handful of shows worth making an attempt to see on...

The ones I make an effort to see:

My Name is Earl
Everybody Hates Chris
The Simpsons - hit or miss anymore,but still watch.

Generally will watch the Law and Order series' if they are on I'm not busy, but don't go out of way to see them.

My wife is die hard Veronic Mars fan, and frankly there is far worse on TV.

She was huge into Buffy and Angel back when they were on.

If I could just get the shows I wanted, I'd probably give that a chance, but no way in hell I'll ever have full fledged cable again.... 879 channels of crap, and frankly can't escape insanely over sexualization on cable even in the middle of the afternoon... just flipping through the channels a 3pm at a hotel and I had to turn it off.


24 posted on 09/27/2006 12:04:41 PM PDT by HamiltonJay
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To: Young Werther
The Avengers


25 posted on 09/27/2006 12:06:00 PM PDT by Cobra64 (Why is the War on Terror being managed by the DEFENSE Department?)
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To: Robwin

Your list is not adjusted dollars.. that puts newer movies at a huge advantage.

A mediocre movie can make 50-100 Million today.. when in 1970 that would have been an unquestionable blockbuster.


26 posted on 09/27/2006 12:07:06 PM PDT by HamiltonJay
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts
"I spend most of my viewing time on The Science Channel and the History Channel."

I sure wish History Channel would back off on the "Modern Marvels" show a bit. It's not a bad show but it seems like it's all that's ever on.

27 posted on 09/27/2006 12:08:40 PM PDT by joebuck
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To: Keltik

They left out the best TV show...ever.....THE SHIELD. It's now five seasons of incredible TV to watch on DVD. The absolute best adult drama EVER EVER EVER on TV.


28 posted on 09/27/2006 12:09:08 PM PDT by Hildy (Canada is like a loft apartment over a really great party house)
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To: carton253
I can't even stand to look at the slobs who walk through the door. Even the adults tend to look like these two:


29 posted on 09/27/2006 12:12:26 PM PDT by Cobra64 (Why is the War on Terror being managed by the DEFENSE Department?)
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To: Keltik; BlackElk

For the record, Battlestar Galactica started out as a TV-movie/series and was not originally a secont-tier movie. (It was later re-released in theatres AFTER the TV showing).

I actually thought that Wolfe's "I Am Charlotte Simmons" would play extremely well as a maxi-series. It is too involved to be a two-hour movie. I wish there'd be some way to tone down the language and bedroom/dorm scenes, but the book would work perfectly in the maxi-series format.


30 posted on 09/27/2006 12:14:08 PM PDT by sittnick (There is no salvation in politics.)
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To: Keltik

HBO shill wrote that garbage.
The Fox show "24" just garnered all the awards and is making zillions in boxed sets.

Rome compared to "24" ?.....you have to be kidding me.


31 posted on 09/27/2006 12:20:56 PM PDT by TET1968 (SI MINOR PLUS EST ERGO NIHIL SUNT OMNIA)
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To: lowbridge

"Unless you get the dreaded "long wait" or worse "very long wait". Which is what happened to me with the 2nd season of the series "Ghost Hunters"."

Hey, I edit Ghost Hunters. Glad to see someone here is watching!


32 posted on 09/27/2006 12:23:28 PM PDT by agooga
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To: Domandred

I completely agree. I just got through 2.0 e12 and the second series was actually better than the first. One of the few sci fi series I've seen that makes the reaslistic case for war against an implacable enemy. Very timely.

Only caveat: takes a post-Starship Troopers approach to battle troops, though Katee Sackhoff makes a cracker=jane Starbuck. Light=years better than the original, IMHO.


33 posted on 09/27/2006 12:27:32 PM PDT by BelegStrongbow (www.stjosephssanford.org: Ecce Pactum, id cape aut id relinque)
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To: Keltik

I don't really think the popularity of these TV show DVDs marks any trouble to the movie business at all. For most of the last 25 years (with a hickup last year, though this year seems to be back on trend) attendance and/or revenue at theaters has been up. What the DVDs are a death knell for is the old model of rerun syndication. It used to be the holy grail of TV was to get 100 episodes and sell the rerun rights, these days instead of trying to convince local and second tier national stations to buy the rerun rights they now try to convince the audience to buy their own private rerun rights. We're now seeing an entire era of TV shows that will probably never be sold to syndication no matter how many episodes they produce.


34 posted on 09/27/2006 12:29:59 PM PDT by discostu (you must be joking son, where did you get those shoes)
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To: agooga

I never miss Ghost Hunters - can't wait for the next season!


35 posted on 09/27/2006 12:31:47 PM PDT by GodBlessRonaldReagan (Count Petofi will not be denied!)
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To: Keltik
TV shows are coming on DVD so thick and fast I can hardly keep up! Especially with the multi-season sets. Star Trek led the way with the TNG box sets and since then every TV show has followed suit. The reason for watching shows on DVD is the absence of commercials and the ability to watch a show whenever you want. Its true on demand TV - and a bonus is the absence of extra fees, good if you love cable shows but can't afford 'em... wait til they come out on DVD.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

36 posted on 09/27/2006 12:34:25 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: agooga
Hey, I edit Ghost Hunters. Glad to see someone here is watching!

There are more of us here, but I think I'm the only one who will openly admit it! :-)

"What? Me watch a show about hunting ghosts? Never! Hey, wait a sec, the show ghos....er.....the mozart opera I've been looking forward to watching on the Sci-Fi channel is coming on right now...gotta run!"

(Actually, I dont have cable tv. I used to have it up untill late 2002, but couldnt afford it anymore. So now I watch all my movies and tv shows via Netflix/Blockbuster rentals. I learned about the series from just average surfing around the internet)

37 posted on 09/27/2006 12:37:24 PM PDT by lowbridge (I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather. Not screaming, like his passengers.)
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To: Keltik

I'm actually enjoying Studio 90, even if it is written by Aaron Sorkin.


38 posted on 09/27/2006 12:43:13 PM PDT by D-Chivas
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To: BelegStrongbow

"I completely agree. I just got through 2.0 e12 and the second series was actually better than the first. One of the few sci fi series I've seen that makes the reaslistic case for war against an implacable enemy. Very timely."

One of the "contriversial" episodes that really made me think was somewhere in 2.5 I think it was, may have been in 2.0. Episode dealt with Doc Cottle(sp) doing abortions among the fleet.

President Roslin, apparently a pro-choicer, had the realization thanks to Baltar that the situation they were in abortion was not an option, and harkened back to the mini-series when Adama said "they better start having babies." Tigh: Is that an order? Adama: It might be soon.

Anyway the point being that BSG really tackles some issues that are pertinant to us, but drive the story there. Rape, Murder, the black market (episode sucked but had a point), military coup, abortion, racism, politics, religion, war (of course), war crimes, and more.

Some resolutions are left leaning, some are right leaning. Overall it comes back to right/left doesn't really matter, it's how less than 50,000 people are going to survive, and that what ends up making the decision.

It's all there. BSG reimaged is a drama that happens to take place in space, where as most sci-fi is sci-fi that happens to have some dramatic elements.

As far as "bleakness" goes of course it's going to be bleak. Billions of people got whacked in less then 24 hours and the survivors mostly just happened to be in space at the time on commercial transport vessels. Galactica had no bullets, and old fighters in a museum, as she was an old ship up for decommision. Of course the show is going to be bleak, unlike the original series that almost every episode forgot that they were the only survivors and half the time everything was happy go lucky.

Anyway I'm rambling.


39 posted on 09/27/2006 12:43:31 PM PDT by Domandred
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To: FormerACLUmember
800 channels and nothing is on worth seeing.

I completely disagree. We are living in the TRUE "Golden Age" of television! TV has never been better. Battlestar Galactica, Myth Busters, Dirty Jobs, NFL Live, House, NOVA, Modern Marvels, the Family Guy, Bones, Deadwood, etc. My Tivo usually has far more enjoyable programming stored than I can get to.

I love TV!

40 posted on 09/27/2006 12:46:18 PM PDT by shempy (EABOF)
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