TV Apocalypse
The state of television over the past few weeks is appalling. There are only a few good shows in first run, and most of them are cult shows like Friday Night Lights and Doctor Who.
While both of these shows are the exception to the norm in America, why can’t we have our own big blockbuster show like Doctor Who in the UK?
Without going into a long rant on why Doctor Who is awesome, let’s just say it has a good concept, great writing, and good actors with great chemistry.
Shows in America get little chance to thrive, and have a here today, gone tomorrow point of view. Once ratings start taking a dive, the show either loses a large amount of its budget, or is axed altogether.
Fox over the last decade canned three great shows by giving it a season or less to thrive. Firefly is a cult show that is definitely worth a look on Netflix. New Amsterdam was like a detective version of Highlander which also is worth a look of you get a chance. Finally, Lonestar, a really ORIGINAL show concept about a conman who leads a double life got canned after FOUR Episodes despite solid reviews.
Even Friday Night Lights, which I dare say is the best American show on TV is getting cancelled due to poor ratings, and like Doctor Who, has the same factors that could allow it to go on forever like Doctor Who.
So, without further adieu, I give you the biggest reason for the downfall of American Television: Reality TV.
Ok, so this is an old topic that was fresh in 2001, but in 2011, the TV apocalypse we were all warned of has come true. Perhaps that was the doomsday prediction made by Harold Camping.
Look at the major networks, and all you see is American Idol, The Voice, Minute to Win It, Survivor, etc. The most ironic part of the whole debacle is the only reality show that did any good for society, America’s Most Wanted, is getting canned.
Then there’s the worst sinners of them all, the train-wreck reality shows like Jersey Shore and the Housewives of X City/County. However, that’s a story all to itself.
So while Simon Cowell, Ryan Secreast and Networks Execs get rich off people desperate for attention, we’re stuck losing our FNLs and Law and Orders for The Biggest Loser. In the end, we’re all losers.
