I heard that Japanese TV was doing shock "reality shows" 5-10 years ago.
Already, we're importing anime and Japanese variety shows like Iron Chef.
I think if you were to turn on a Japanese TV and watch for a day, you would see the future of American TV.
And boy, is it awful.
I just hope we get that Miniskirt Patrol show.
lol bring on the miniskirt patrol.
The present state of TV isn't exactly great. As always there are a few exceptions (good shows which get the ratings) but generally the better stuff is left to waste or get cancelled early whilst the mediocre "hits" continue to gain popularity.
>generally the better stuff is left to waste or get cancelled early whilst the mediocre "hits" continue to gain popularity.
Hmm... Maybe we're all just wrong about what makes good television?
I have'nt turned on my TV in close to six months. I visited a friends, and watched some of what passes for cable tv.
A line from a Pink FLoyd song ran through my head as I watched.
"I've got thirteen channels of shit on the TV to choose from".
Literally, they have 200 some channels, and it was entirely shit.
For me it's just irritating how juvenile and mean-spirited televison has gotten. Put people in some manufactured situation, egg them on, weatch them tear each other apart, and call it a reality show. It's human cockfighting.
either, reality shows or fox/wb teen dramas nowadays, and it SUCKS
I've been watching the most popular videos on video.google.com...
most of them are produced in Japan, or even China, and many are from Japanese TV. They are usually from the sort of wonky "news"/variety shows I'm talking about, that have largely displaced reality TV in Japan.
It's just a matter of time until the American networks start to catch on.
The best TV is now better than it's ever been. At the same time, the worst TV is worse than ever :/.
Joss Whedon on the future of TV:
"The networks will all be creating exciting, innovative new spin-offs of today's shows. Approximately 67 percent of all television will be CSI-based, including CSI: Des Moines, CSI: New York but a Different Part than Gary Sinise Is In and NCSI: SVU WKRP, which covers every possible gruesome crime with a groovin' '70s beat."
http://www.tvguide.com/News/Insider/?cmsGuid=%7BCDE83132-DDF2-48F9-9DD7-AA5381BCC22F%7D
I stick to the DIY, HGTV, and Food Network, and some old stuff that is timeless, like.. Seinfeld... I avoid teen drama shows like the plague. I prefer learning stuff than caring weither Britney is falling in love with Jason or whatever the heck goes on there.
Get cable. So you can get more reality TV trash for your dollar.
Actually, the premium channels have been impressing me with some of their new shows.
>>13 has a point. More channels mean more specialized programming. The big networks might suck, but there's a lot of other choices that just didn't exist before. Who ever thought there would actually be an Anime Network one day?
In Canada we have a show called Holmes on Homes that is way better than any home-makeover or decorating type show. Instead of dressing things up with silly gimmicks, it's just a contractor coming in to someone's house and fixing serious problems that are wrecking their life. It's done documentary style instead of like a gameshow. It's edited to make it entertaining of course (it is TV after all) but it has more reality than your average reality show. And there's no childish bickering because people actually manage to get along! I believe it's HGTV's highest-rated show.