Last month, unbeknownst to any of you, I wrote a blog post that I never published entitled Understanding Unpopular Views that used television as my examples. I wasn't really happy with the writing, so it sits... It did, however, bring up thoughts on recent television series. I've always been a television junkie. As, I've gotten older, the likable shows seem to have dwindled. Have I become picky in my old age, or has the formula for writing television shows changed drastically?
I can rattle off numerous television shows from the 70s, 80s, and 90s that I watched from start to finish. Now, it's only a handful - and most I missed on first airing because it didn't grab me with their promos, so I binge watch them. If they are good, I binge them all - or they head to the unwatched, possibly never to be finished "pile."
Thinking back the first show that I had been excited about in quite some time was Heroes. It did not disappoint! That first season was amazing and watched every episode as it aired. The second lost a bit of a shine, but I hung in there, and then by the third they were filing up my DVR. I still have never seen that season or the final season.
That was 2006. I didn't get excited for another show until 2010 brought to life The Walking Dead. I've stuck it out for 8 years now watching this. I have the last two episodes on my DVR and it is the first time since it started that I am two episodes behind by choice (other times, I was out of town or what not - or AMC and Dish were in a fight). I haven't given up yet, and I see so many that have. I guess I want to have faith in a show that I've put so much into for 8 years - that it should for once end appropriately.
This brings me to the "hooked until the final episode and then completely let down." Flash Forward and Persons Unknown are high on that list. Both of these I watched as they aired, as at the time the DVR was only for 'not worthy' shows. I do think they are the reason I am leery of liking another show too much - they each lasted only one season and left everything open... I'd like to say they Twin Peaked me. Yes, I watched all of Twin Peaks and I'm still angry about it...
I'm slow to start watching shows with large followings (other than TWD). I binged Game of Thrones in 2-3 weeks just before season 7 started - and only watched episode one of season 7 as HBO was showing it free. I binged watched Sons of Anarchy about a year and a half ago. I only made it through the first 5 seasons before I moved on to something else.
MASH ran for 11 seasons. It's final episode (2 parts) - is probably my favorite show series ending episode. It stayed up to snuff the entire run. There are probably other shows that people can say the same - but do they really compare? Six Feet Under had a pretty good run, but got a bit wobbly here and there. The Sopranos is one I could accept as a worthy opponent, but to me it's still not up to MASH's status. Friends... don't even attempt to have them in the same room - it got more than wobbly way too many times.
Remind me of what I've omitted from my television memories since 2000's started and think that television quality has gone down hill...
(As a side note the television show I discussed in the unpublished post that inspired this post has not been mentioned - The Good Doctor).
I can rattle off numerous television shows from the 70s, 80s, and 90s that I watched from start to finish. Now, it's only a handful - and most I missed on first airing because it didn't grab me with their promos, so I binge watch them. If they are good, I binge them all - or they head to the unwatched, possibly never to be finished "pile."
Thinking back the first show that I had been excited about in quite some time was Heroes. It did not disappoint! That first season was amazing and watched every episode as it aired. The second lost a bit of a shine, but I hung in there, and then by the third they were filing up my DVR. I still have never seen that season or the final season.
That was 2006. I didn't get excited for another show until 2010 brought to life The Walking Dead. I've stuck it out for 8 years now watching this. I have the last two episodes on my DVR and it is the first time since it started that I am two episodes behind by choice (other times, I was out of town or what not - or AMC and Dish were in a fight). I haven't given up yet, and I see so many that have. I guess I want to have faith in a show that I've put so much into for 8 years - that it should for once end appropriately.
This brings me to the "hooked until the final episode and then completely let down." Flash Forward and Persons Unknown are high on that list. Both of these I watched as they aired, as at the time the DVR was only for 'not worthy' shows. I do think they are the reason I am leery of liking another show too much - they each lasted only one season and left everything open... I'd like to say they Twin Peaked me. Yes, I watched all of Twin Peaks and I'm still angry about it...
I'm slow to start watching shows with large followings (other than TWD). I binged Game of Thrones in 2-3 weeks just before season 7 started - and only watched episode one of season 7 as HBO was showing it free. I binged watched Sons of Anarchy about a year and a half ago. I only made it through the first 5 seasons before I moved on to something else.
MASH ran for 11 seasons. It's final episode (2 parts) - is probably my favorite show series ending episode. It stayed up to snuff the entire run. There are probably other shows that people can say the same - but do they really compare? Six Feet Under had a pretty good run, but got a bit wobbly here and there. The Sopranos is one I could accept as a worthy opponent, but to me it's still not up to MASH's status. Friends... don't even attempt to have them in the same room - it got more than wobbly way too many times.
Remind me of what I've omitted from my television memories since 2000's started and think that television quality has gone down hill...
(As a side note the television show I discussed in the unpublished post that inspired this post has not been mentioned - The Good Doctor).
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