Television reinventing itself (1 Viewer)

[nmrocks]

It has been a wonderful thing to watch (literally), the cable networks have figured it out with the invention of the high quality Mini series. The network are still clueless. I was totally out of the television thing, NEVER watched, now I'm being drawn in more and more.
Latest is Fargo, true to the feel of the movie but not the same story ( supposed to be a true story) just a few short years ago a couple of quality actors like Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman wouldn't touch television, now I get the feeling the quality of the story and production is turning some Hollywood heads and we will probably see more names going there.
My list of good TV:
Walking Dead
Game of Thrones
American Horror Story
Vikings
Bates Motel (Decent, the mother Vera Farmiga is well done also noted she's one of the producers)
Fargo

It's not current but I think a nod goes to Breaking Bad as getting the ball rolling, but who could forget the Sopranos
Ray

 

[theBaron]

That's not really a change. A real change will come when cable subscriptions include an a la carte option, in which we pick and choose broadcasts and get billed only for those items, and not get billed for a slate of channels that we don't want and don't watch. Technically it's possible, but the nature of the agreements between the cable companies and the entertainment companies that own the content is the biggest barrier. I won't go back to cable again, until I can get that kind of a subscription. Till then, I watch things online, and I buy DVDs and series for my library.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Combat]

It has been a wonderful thing to watch (literally), the cable networks have figured it out with the invention of the high quality Mini series. The network are still clueless. I was totally out of the television thing, NEVER watched, now I'm being drawn in more and more.
Latest is Fargo, true to the feel of the movie but not the same story ( supposed to be a true story) just a few short years ago a couple of quality actors like Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman wouldn't touch television, now I get the feeling the quality of the story and production is turning some Hollywood heads and we will probably see more names going there.
My list of good TV:
Walking Dead
Game of Thrones
American Horror Story
Vikings
Bates Motel (Decent, the mother Vera Farmiga is well done also noted she's one of the producers)
Fargo

It's not current but I think a nod goes to Breaking Bad as getting the ball rolling, but who could forget the Sopranos
Ray

Network TV is simply awful. They have to appeal to a broader audience and avoid offending anyone while staying within the content limitations for broadcast programs. That equals a lot of brainless nonsense for the masses. Cable isn't much better. There is simply more of it to choose from and there are occasionally some great ones. Most is just more nonsense like reality TV and paranormal shows. I sometimes pause to watch those like someone would look at an automobile accident.

 

[Larry Allen]

I am sorta' in Brad's camp ....

I have a very minimal Dish package at the moment, mostly doing DVD's and Online downloads.

A few years ago I subscribed to a middle to higher package but found that I didn't watch 90% of those channels.

I wanted the Military Channel, Science, SyFy, Discovery and others like those. I told the Dish folks, "I would liked a package that included just those and forget all the junk." Her response was .. You get it all or nothing" ...... I chose the "NOTHING".

So now I have only the barest of minimum just a few of the network to get aware of the news and weather. My bill went from $89/month to $14/month which give me more money to get additional figures.

Funny thing is I get two or three eMail or Postal mails per week asking me to come back ....

--- Larry

 

[damian]

The only reason to have a subscription is for the sports networks
The rest is rubbish
You can buy/rent /download the movies you want so why do you have to pay for a whole lot of stuff you never watch
Just wish some -one would organise more streaming of sports events.

 

[nmrocks]

OHHH! rough crowd! believe me I'm not any happier about the way TV is presented than any of you, that being said I was referring to the Content of specific programs. God knows 95% of whats on the tube is total rubbish and re-runs and I hate paying for it as much as any of you.
All I'm saying is there is some intelligent, entertaining and engrossing programing out there that I would say is the equal to the majority of entertainment coming out of Hollywood these days and one of my pet pieves Political correctness that is so prevelent is NOT part of these series!
Ray

P.S. started watching HBO's True Detective with Mathew McCaunaghey and Woody Harrelson, really well done also after 3 episodes

 

[theBaron]

OHHH! rough crowd! believe me I'm not any happier about the way TV is presented than any of you, that being said I was referring to the Content of specific programs. God knows 95% of whats on the tube is total rubbish and re-runs and I hate paying for it as much as any of you.
All I'm saying is there is some intelligent, entertaining and engrossing programing out there that I would say is the equal to the majority of entertainment coming out of Hollywood these days and one of my pet pieves Political correctness that is so prevelent is NOT part of these series!
Ray

P.S. started watching HBO's True Detective with Mathew McCaunaghey and Woody Harrelson, really well done also after 3 episodes

Understood, but that's my point, it's not TV reinventing itself, it's just that those programs you cited are getting good ratings. But there are still a lot of shows on the original broadcast networks with equal ratings, as well as a lot of dreck on both the original networks and on the cable networks. A lot of it is shared back and forth, too, depending on the connections to this media company or that. The cable companies also make some dumb moves. "Hello, Ladies" was a very funny comedy, in a wry sort of way, created and written by and starring Stephen Merchant, and HBO axed it after the first season (8 episodes). So, there's not really a difference between cable and the original networks, except that cable networks can have more profanity and nudity, but even those lines are gradually eroding.

Prost!
Brad