Deluge
International Playboy
     
Posts: 3,995
Joined: Jun 2011
Reputation: 76
|
RE: What's up with American television?
|
|
| 10-06-2012 09:27 PM |
|
|
storm
Alpha Male
   
Posts: 1,307
Joined: Apr 2012
Reputation: 21
|
RE: What's up with American television?
(10-06-2012 07:00 PM)Sabra Wrote: Back in the day we had Jeopardy. 30 minutes of real smart people answering tough questions about the humanities, classics, science, etc. Subjects a well-educated person was expected to know. The smartest and quickest would win around $40,000 a show.
Before the 2008 crash there was 'The Weakest Link', where they dumbed down the questions and players got ahead by screwing each other over.
After 2008, 'Who wants to be a Millionaire" became the most popular game show. Pointless questions on useless trivia - pop music, reality stars and whatnot. But the grand prize is $1,000,000, for completely random, useless knowledge. What's the message - you can get ahead even without putting in real sweat.
So the question isn't 'what's up with American television'. It's 'what's up with American society'?
They're pandering for market share. People love it when they can answer questions on a trivia show, it makes them feel so smart. By dumbing down the questions (and making them multiple choice) they can naively expect to get more viewers. And this may be working:
Jeopardy: 9 million viewers (average)
WWTBAM: 19.2 million viewers (march 1999)
And as to the blatant pandering to women in television: Women are 85% of consumer purchasing power, and producers of consumer goods only stand to benefit as that number goes up.
Besides, young men, who are more likely to be depressed are more likely to watch television. Self-loathing goes hand in hand with depression. I would think they aren't hurting their ratings too much by taking this side.
After all, it's all about money. There's no secret feminist media conspiracy to create a generation of wimpy men. All of this - everything - is there because it is making somebody a profit to be there.
|
|
| 10-07-2012 03:29 AM |
|
The following 1 user Likes storm's post:1 user Likes storm's post
Built to Fade
|
Spike
True Player
    
Posts: 2,922
Joined: Jun 2011
Reputation: 54
|
RE: What's up with American television?
(10-06-2012 07:54 PM)Aliblahba Wrote: (10-06-2012 07:00 PM)Sabra Wrote: Just a reflection of the direction of society.
Back in the day, there was 'This Old House'. No b.s., just good, practical info on home repair.
Before the economy crashed in 2008, 'This Old House' was replaced by those 'home-flipping' shows where everyone all of a sudden was a real estate genius and contractor, and was 'flipping houses' in a week or two and getting rich quick. No real renovation knowledge, just people making money in a bubble.
Nowadays there's that terrible 'Extreme Home Makeover' show (wifey loves it), one hour of idiotic drama with some spiky haired ass talking about how amazing some family is, and basically just handing them over an upgraded home. Wonder how long these amazing families last with the bills and upkeep on these upgraded homes before they have to sell.
Who are the hero's in today's action films? Jake 'brokeback' Gyllenhall? Shia Lebouf? Who were they back in the day? Schwarzenegger, Eastwood, McQueen.
Another one: Back in the day we had Jeopardy. 30 minutes of real smart people answering tough questions about the humanities, classics, science, etc. Subjects a well-educated person was expected to know. The smartest and quickest would win around $40,000 a show.
Before the 2008 crash there was 'The Weakest Link', where they dumbed down the questions and players got ahead by screwing each other over.
After 2008, 'Who wants to be a Millionaire" became the most popular game show. Pointless questions on useless trivia - pop music, reality stars and whatnot. But the grand prize is $1,000,000, for completely random, useless knowledge. What's the message - you can get ahead even without putting in real sweat.
So the question isn't 'what's up with American television'. It's 'what's up with American society'?
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Same here,
But he does forget to mention Stallone and Van Damme and maybe Norris.
I think the only action hero of today is Jason Statham
Book - Around the World in 80 Girls - The Epic 3 Year Trip of a Backpacking Casanova
My new book Famles - Fables and Fairytales for Men is out now on Amazon.
|
|
| 10-07-2012 04:49 AM |
|
|
Stitch
Chubby Chaser
 
Posts: 382
Joined: Jun 2011
Reputation: 1
|
RE: What's up with American television?
I do own a television, but no service--it exists purely for rented movies and the occasional game. However, I've just moved, my stuff hasn't gotten here, and occasionally I'm tired enough after work and hours of walking to explore that I try TV...
...with the same observations, over here in the UK; TV shows are about weak men and too-smart-for-them women, advertisements are about clueless men being shown up by their wives and/or children. I'm going to be very glad to have my computer and workshop back and lose access to this. Interesting reexposure to it, though.
Does have the perverse effect of making me really miss my LTR woman I just left, though--feminine, caring, and absolutely hated TV. Good woman, that.
|
|
| 10-07-2012 12:05 PM |
|
|
Spike
True Player
    
Posts: 2,922
Joined: Jun 2011
Reputation: 54
|
RE: What's up with American television?
(10-06-2012 09:13 PM)HeyPete Wrote: Since I was a kid, I was always a fan of cop shows, but besides Southland there aren't any that I can watch anymore.
One of the biggest things that bugged when I was watching shows like Law & Order SVU or Criminal Minds was the ridiculousness of some of the situations with women detective or agents.
Some even made me laugh at the sillyness. Example: Mariska Hargitay's character on SVU. She's easily mid 40's, perhaps older. Yet in dress shoes she can rundown a sprinting male teenager. Come on, an athletic male cop would have trouble doing that. And certainly as a woman, she was never fast enough in her entire life to do this.
Or the revenge factor. Where a female FBI agent on CM would rush into the house -- of course after SWAT and other male agents cleared the area and rough up a male suspect and basically act like a tough guy badass.
Maybe that's why there is a trend in society I hear lately. Whenever a situation is described where some man supposedly wrongs a woman - all these women commentators are saying, "I would have kicked his ass" or "I hate men like that. I would have beat him senseless."
I always think: "Uh, no you wouldn't. The average man, no matter what you cupcakes see on TV, would get pummeled. And a tough, mean chick, is in no way a turn on. It's an embarassment."
Law and order SVU used to be one of my favorite shows but in the last seasons the stories are either very predictable or so unlikely it's laughable. I stopped watching.
Book - Around the World in 80 Girls - The Epic 3 Year Trip of a Backpacking Casanova
My new book Famles - Fables and Fairytales for Men is out now on Amazon.
|
|
| 10-07-2012 01:02 PM |
|
The following 2 users Like Spike's post:2 users Like Spike's post
HeyPete, Built to Fade
|
Basil Ransom
International Playboy
     
Posts: 4,877
Joined: Aug 2008
Reputation: 112
|
RE: What's up with American television?
(10-07-2012 01:02 PM)Neil Skywalker Wrote: (10-06-2012 09:13 PM)HeyPete Wrote: Since I was a kid, I was always a fan of cop shows, but besides Southland there aren't any that I can watch anymore.
One of the biggest things that bugged when I was watching shows like Law & Order SVU or Criminal Minds was the ridiculousness of some of the situations with women detective or agents.
Some even made me laugh at the sillyness. Example: Mariska Hargitay's character on SVU. She's easily mid 40's, perhaps older. Yet in dress shoes she can rundown a sprinting male teenager. Come on, an athletic male cop would have trouble doing that. And certainly as a woman, she was never fast enough in her entire life to do this.
Or the revenge factor. Where a female FBI agent on CM would rush into the house -- of course after SWAT and other male agents cleared the area and rough up a male suspect and basically act like a tough guy badass.
Maybe that's why there is a trend in society I hear lately. Whenever a situation is described where some man supposedly wrongs a woman - all these women commentators are saying, "I would have kicked his ass" or "I hate men like that. I would have beat him senseless."
I always think: "Uh, no you wouldn't. The average man, no matter what you cupcakes see on TV, would get pummeled. And a tough, mean chick, is in no way a turn on. It's an embarassment."
Law and order SVU used to be one of my favorite shows but in the last seasons the stories are either very predictable or so unlikely it's laughable. I stopped watching.
For you guys, you can't watch something if it isn't realistic. I'm the same way. I suspect that this trait is much more common among men who patronize these forums, and others like it.
I tell people I can't 'suspend disbelief,' that these shows are so unrealistic I can't enjoy them. They look at me funny - even if they agree with me, as to why the show is not realistic. They think "well, I don't see why that should *deter* you from watching the show." It's just unsettling, irritating even, for us to watch bullshit propaganda as HeyPete described, but most people don't seem to care.
|
|
| 10-07-2012 01:17 PM |
|
The following 2 users Like Basil Ransom's post:2 users Like Basil Ransom's post
HeyPete, Built to Fade
|