About American and British TV

[dangermousie]

When is season 4 of Doctor Who set to air?

And when do we get more Moonlight?

Also, do you find yourself not wanting to even check out certain shows based on the subject matter, even if everyone on your flist loves them?

With me it's:

1. Friday Night Lights. Critically acclaimed, blah blah. Also, people on my flist love it. But it's about high school football in Texas. The only way I'd be less interested in this topic is if it was in Khmer with no subs. (Wait, if that was the case, I'd check it out for sheer weirdness). Short of either (a) Mr. Mousie or (b) fire_snake telling me it's good, I can't see myself ever checking it out.

and

2. The Office. See above, only replace "high school football" with "white collar office." Don't people spend enough time at work as is? The only way I'd watch an office drama, is if it had gorgeous people doing no work but staring longingly at each other, while the hottie boss fell in love with the seriously ill janitor girl with a greedy family, and someone turned out to be someone's long lost sibling. But then it means I'd be watching a kdrama.

and

3. Any show about over-privileged soapy high schoolers/college students. Could be the O.C. if it was still running, now would be Gossip Girl. Why would I care about overprivileged shallow immature twits who did nothing to earn their money and position? Also, if you got all this and you are still doing the 'my existence is paaaaain, feel sorry for my photogenic angst,' you better have an abusive parent waiting for you at home or someone attempting to murder the love of your teenage life.

And last but not least, only semi-related: why must people have the prerequisite of their hobby/show whatever being 'awesome quality' before admitting their liking for it? What I mean is, if your hobby is going to war zones and rescuing the wounded, I'd say that's a heck of a worthwhile hobby. But there is no need to feel ashamed if your hobby is doing crosswords. But don't insist there is a deeper societal meaning to it!

It's not as if you are only allowed to like classic entertainment either. Hello, most dramas are soaps on crack. I freely admit it. So what? I still enjoy them, I don't need to believe that it's a masterpiece of world culture. So why do so many people must insist that [insert show/book/movie here] is a masterpiece, because otherwise they feel bad for liking it. Why is 'it's entertaining to me' not enough?

Comments

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I will never, ever watch Friday Night Lights because the football coach at a school I used to work at loved it. And given my feelings about him I would rather deprive myself of the best TV show ever in the history of ever than allow him to be right.

The Office had a love triangle. And pining. That was enough for me.

PS

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

the older I get the more I delight in ending people's pretentious conversations about the deep and meaningful things they like by describing the utter rubbish I watch. If they are really annoying and are so lofty that they won't even watch TV I retaliate by telling them the plot of Stairway to Heaven.

[gingifere.livejournal.com]

I think Spring for Doctor Who? I couldn't get an exact date on the website but someone else might know. I'm really excited about it though!

I never saw the appeal of The Office. Although Ricky Gervais from the original UK version is pretty funny sometimes in stand-up. Just. I don't know. I tried to watch it and it really bored me. A lot.

I guess people just want to be watching whats popular? Maybe they don't feel like they fit in if they dislike the 'fashionable thing'. I've always been really fussy about things so I try to be honest if I dislike something.

[morwen_peredhil]

1. High school. High school football. High school football in Texas. Three very good reasons why I will never watch FNL no matter how good people say it is. I watch for actors and/or subject matter, not "quality" alone, which is also why I have no interest in The Wire.

2. I used to think that, but then I started watching and loved Dwight so much that I got hooked. It helps that my husband likes it.

3. WORD.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I very, very often reject shows, movies, books and manga based on subject matter, no matter how popular they are.

My requirement for entertainment is that it entertain me, and not hit my hot buttons(though sometimes I can let those slide) I don't get the obsession with high quality or classics.

[arathesane.livejournal.com]

well, I love both Offices because they are brilliantly funny, amazingly well-written and acted. and while they are elements of realism and drama they are more satirical in nature. I mean Michael Scott would never make it as real boss, Dwight is far too ridiculous to be exist in reality. but they are fun to watch and the actors are good so they don't cross over too much into parody. there are plenty of great shows I love set around offices or other work settings. I've never really been turned off by those settings.

as for what I won't try it I think it is just down to individual programs with me more than the setting or subject. because shows that I can't get into -Heroes, Family Guy, Six Feet Under and The Shield to name some that are beloved by some on my flist - it is just the shows themselves. because there are plenty of shows that I do love that are on the surface at least, similar to the ones I listed.

why must people have the prerequisite of their hobby/show whatever being 'awesome quality' before admitting their liking for it?

yeah, I don't get that either. I mean there may be a few shows that I consider worthy of the title "art" - The Wire and well, maybe Homicide and the early days of BSG, currently Mad Men maybe, and a few miniseries, but most of TV is pure entertainment for me. and I certainly wouldn't watch anything if it wasn't in some way entertaining. yes, some programs are of a higher quality but I am not ashamed of liking say, daytime soaps(not that I watch them every day, I would go mad!) or something like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia with its pretty juvenile humor. and I love something like The Wire for its humor and good story-telling as much as for all the of the societal problems it takes on. you don't need to be a genius to watch it, it is just good TV! I don't see the need to qualify things with either "this is my guilty pleasure" or I watch this because it is so "intelligent" and "remarkable" and "different", because ultimately you are watching it to be entertained so why try to justify it?

[catteo.livejournal.com]

1. Taylor Kitsch is VERY pretty. And I am shallow. This is enough reason for me to watch.

2. Mmmmhmmm. Very true.

3. GG has pretty people. And pretty clothes. And pretty shots of New York. What?!

Thus, I hope, cementing my place firmly in the "who gives a crap if it's intellectually stimulating - that's what my job is for - my shows are all about the pretty" camp.

[janlake83.livejournal.com]

i think doctor who season 4 airs later this month in britain....

and i don't get friday night lights, although i like the office.....

not sure when new shows will air...

[hope-fuleigh.livejournal.com]

Gossip Girl is a kdrama. Except without the need for subtitles and set in New York, instead of Seoul.

[filmi-girl.livejournal.com]

If I may, two things that annoy me - 1) People who are devoted to middlebrow entertainment - by which I mean things like "American Beauty" and whatever Oprah's book of the week is 2) people who refuse to watch Bollywood because they 'don't like musicals.'

I find that the above categories overlap with people who don't watch things that are old, subtitled, or featuring non-white people unless it's in some sort of "Oh, how they suffer in third world countries. This is a powerful story about the slums." kind of way.

[kirusai.livejournal.com]

Also, if you got all this and you are still doing the 'my existence is paaaaain, feel sorry for my photogenic angst,' you better have an abusive parent waiting for you at home or someone attempting to murder the love of your teenage life.

Oh baby, you have no idea. WOE is me, I've got the money, I've got the looks, I've got everything, yet, yet, you still aren't focusing enough on ME. Why's the world not spinning around me yet, the nerve?

It's not as if you are only allowed to like classic entertainment either. Hello, most dramas are soaps on crack. I freely admit it. So what? I still enjoy them, I don't need to believe that it's a masterpiece of world culture.

Right. People watch Gossip Girls for entertainment, I have no qualms about it. It's on TV; it's supposed to be crack. Personally, I don't really get why people have to preface watching GG with, "It's really not trashy or stupid or whatever/blah/blahness, let me tell you why!"

Dude, the point is, it's TV, you really don't have to.

It's pretty much the same attitude I have for the current fandom I'm in, SPN. I'm only in it to watch the hot boys and exciting action that they provide (or not, depending on the episode). As long as I still have love for these babes, I'll watch. It's like, I MAKE NO EXCUSES, people.

It reminds me of the recent social commentaries/gender studies/racism examination that sprouted in the SPN fandom - rock on if you like, but me, I'm only here playing in the shallow end. (usually, i'm brain dead after work anywayz, so whatever, fandom = stress relief)

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

I watch for actors and/or subject matter

Heh! Well, "The Wire" DOES have a whole lot of really hot guys (which I feel is not usually emphasized enough!)

[library-of-sex.livejournal.com]

Hee! Your post cracked me up! I don't think half the TV shows I watch are anywhere near masterpieces. I love Footballers Wives, which is absolute trash and horribly inconsistent! To me, TV doesn't have to top-quality as long as it's entertaining. Same with movies and music. I'm not interested in football either, but I a=found myself actually kinda enjoying FNL when I used to watch it during its first season. I can see why others wouldn't though since it's not fast-paced and is rather quiet for a drama. I like my dramas LOUD, man!

[library-of-sex.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I found you via lesbiassparrow, in case you're wondering! Don't want you to think I'm just some random weirdo. Well, I mean 'completely random weirdo.'

[endlessdeep.livejournal.com]

Moonlight starts up again on Arpil 25th.

This is new, a little synopsis of ep 13 (http://community.livejournal.com/moonlight_tv/167535.html?#cutid1) at moonlight_tv. Possibly spoilery if you don't want to know a thing.

[endlessdeep.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way you do about "Friday Night Lights". And I live in Texas, but I'm not a native Texan, I just have the misfortune to happen to live here. No offense to people who love Texas. Anyway, FNL holds no interested for me what-so-ever.

I love your little rant in #3. It's so true. All of it. :)

[ulkis.livejournal.com]

Also, do you find yourself not wanting to even check out certain shows based on the subject matter, even if everyone on your flist loves them?

I feel that way about "Friday Night Lights" too. And "West Wing", and pretty much any show set in a hospital. (Unless it's "General Hospital" *g*). And not a TV show, but I'm feeling this way about "Juno". The movie looks like it's about a Gilmore Girl who gets pregnant. I'll probably watch it and like it, but just right now, so not in the mood.

Hello, most dramas are soaps on crack.

I recently had a discussion with someone on TWoP who was lamenting that schi-fi channel was adding "Passions" to it's line-up. I pointed out that while "Passions" was crap it had supernatural/fantasy elements, and it's not like shows like "Farscape" and BSG weren't soaps anyway. To which the person seemed a bit affronted at my calling them "soaps" and asked my reasoning, to which I replied love triangles! Evil twins! Coming back from the dead! Falling in love with your dead fiance's brother! (They saw my point.)

[plazmah.livejournal.com]

I'm totally unapologetic about watching my shows for one of the following reasons:

1. Intense mindfuckery. (e.g. Lost, X-Files)
2. Hot people who may or may not do it (e.g. Bones, Heroes)
3. Science! (e.g. CSI, House)
4. Hilarity (e.g. Avatar, Colbert Report)

None of it has to do with quality. The only show I've ever seen because people told me it was awesome was Firefly. And I do like it, but it took a while.

[artic-fox.livejournal.com]

I admit, I find nothing more unappealing that a TV show/film about SPORT, especially American football, because I don't even understand that, and no one plays it here in New Zealand. I've heard people say it is good, but MEH.

When is season 4 of Doctor Who set to air?

BBC are being mean and haven't given us a release date. Although apparently one of the US channels said they are playing it April, but nothing specific has been given yet, I don't think.

[catdecember.livejournal.com]

i've heard The Office is good, but i just couldnt get into watching it.

i do like Gossip Girl though. :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I truly think "Friday Night Lights" and you can go well together. I thought the same things as you but - it is NOT about football in Texas. It is about pretty people having angsty loves of their lives whilst playig football. So many new fresh pretty faces I don't remember in any other TV show.

[kitkat-cat.livejournal.com]

I think the Dr. Who is out in Spring, whenever that is...at the moment, the weather system over here can't quite decide if it wants to be cold, or quite warm... Frankly, the BOYFRIEND and I are a bit worried about this series, with Martha being replaced by 'Am i bovvered?' Catherine Tate...i don't find any of her stuff funny and her bride character was just extremely annoying...

There is a Dr. Who the weakest link special on saturday night which should prove funny..

and i agree with your assessments about the office and oc. bleurgh!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I liked CT in the Who special but that's the only thing I've seen her in. We'll see :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am sure FNL is an excellent show but I hear 'Texas' and 'high school football' and tune out. Seriously. It's like a reflex :P

Doesn't help that it's set in high school, and while I can love some things in hs environment (Hana Yori Dango, Veronica Mars, Buffy) generally it's an uphill battle already, for me :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

GG sounds so soooooo cracktastic. The overprivileged bit turns me off though :)