Burned at Both Ends
I think the problem with television is well demonstrated this evening. I spent an hour enjoying the latest episode of Six Feet Under on HBO; by far some of the best writing on television. This show, along with The Sopranos, OZ and Sex in the City shows us what television can be if we let it. They curse, they show nudity and they talk about whatever the hell they want to and it’s more realistic then anything the networks have to offer.
Speaking of the networks, let’s look at the watered down waste they are pumping through the airwaves. The shows of note are Fear Factor, where we get to see humanities lowest denominators do asinine things for cash; America’s Funniest Home Videos, where we get to see humanities lowest denominators do asinine things for nothing; and the scariest of the lot Baby Bob, about a baby who can speak at an incredibly young age. Now I understand the occasional enjoyment of watching people be stupid. It’s one of the few times that people feel superior, like watching Wheel of Fortune when someone can’t figure out Wishing Well and only the ‘h’ is missing.
Baby Bob? This is just a bad idea. How many episodes can they do about a baby who can talk? Won’t he eventually be of the age that talking isn’t impressive anymore? And the poor cast that got picked for this show, who did they piss off? And if my 3 month old starts talking with the voice of Harvey Fierstein, I’m calling an exorcist because the projectile vomiting is next. Then again, that’s how I feel when watching the show.
Maybe if we lift some of the censorship on television and allowed viewers to exercise their “freedom of choice” instead of white-washing it for the moral majority we would get more shows like Six Feet Under and less like Baby Bob.
I think the problem with television is well demonstrated this evening. I spent an hour enjoying the latest episode of Six Feet Under on HBO; by far some of the best writing on television. This show, along with The Sopranos, OZ and Sex in the City shows us what television can be if we let it. They curse, they show nudity and they talk about whatever the hell they want to and it’s more realistic then anything the networks have to offer.
Speaking of the networks, let’s look at the watered down waste they are pumping through the airwaves. The shows of note are Fear Factor, where we get to see humanities lowest denominators do asinine things for cash; America’s Funniest Home Videos, where we get to see humanities lowest denominators do asinine things for nothing; and the scariest of the lot Baby Bob, about a baby who can speak at an incredibly young age. Now I understand the occasional enjoyment of watching people be stupid. It’s one of the few times that people feel superior, like watching Wheel of Fortune when someone can’t figure out Wishing Well and only the ‘h’ is missing.
Baby Bob? This is just a bad idea. How many episodes can they do about a baby who can talk? Won’t he eventually be of the age that talking isn’t impressive anymore? And the poor cast that got picked for this show, who did they piss off? And if my 3 month old starts talking with the voice of Harvey Fierstein, I’m calling an exorcist because the projectile vomiting is next. Then again, that’s how I feel when watching the show.
Maybe if we lift some of the censorship on television and allowed viewers to exercise their “freedom of choice” instead of white-washing it for the moral majority we would get more shows like Six Feet Under and less like Baby Bob.
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