What's new

Does anyone work at these studios over the age of 40? (1 Viewer)

Jeff_HR

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2001
Messages
3,593
I wish I was that optimistic. :frowning: The Fox representative indicated that the performance of "NYPD Blue" would have an effect on whether or not "Hill Street Blues" got a release. And of course "NYPD Blue" will be discontinued. I wish QUALITY was a much bigger determining factor. But it appears to be down the list of factors.
 

Joe Karlosi

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2003
Messages
6,008
"I'll take Green Acres over anything done today. I guess it's a generational thing, but to see the Anna Nicole Show be released on DVD before Get Smart isn't only stupid, it's insulting."

Couldn't agree more.
 

Joe Karlosi

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2003
Messages
6,008
Another thing about modern "sitcoms".... now, I'm far from being a prude, and I love sex like anyone else does .... but when the hell did sitcoms start to get so badly written, where every other single gag is a sex joke??

Take one of the greatest comedies EVER MADE -- "THE HONEYMOONERS" ... where's the need for sex jokes there? All you had was a kitchen table and a kitchen sink - but along with these were a very funny and talented cast who were well-served by some extremely gifted comedy writers.

Today, a sitcom hasn't begun for even three seconds when a character's already joking about "my ass" or "her breasts" or laughing about what happened "the last time we had sex..." -- and sometimes the opening credits of writers/producers/directors haven't even finished yet!

I catch parts of this new garbage because my wife is very much into "modern" TV. I can't believe what I'm seeing most of the time, so I rarely join her for a whole show. What lousy writing...
 

Carlos Garcia

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 11, 2004
Messages
1,065


Hey Ralph, Esquire. VA VA VA VOOM!

But seriously, you are correct. Anyone can make a sex joke and get a laugh today, but that gets old fast. In the old days, you had to work for a laugh, and guess what? That's what passes the test of longevity. Case in point...Take all the popular shows of today, and see in 40 years, let's see where history puts them in perspective with the old classics. Chances are many of them will be forgotten, but the oldies may still be around.
 

Jonathan Carter

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jul 7, 2003
Messages
535
Yeah, a show with a pig of a husband, an idiot for a best friend, and a nag for a wife who puts up with way to much crap. Now that's hilarious:rolleyes:. Sorry, but comedies like Seinfeld, Sports Night, and to a lesser degree, even The Simpsons and the first 4 seasons of Friends, and a few other shows are far superior to the Honeymooners.

I think this discussion is probably going to just be a perfect example of the generation gap and nothing else. I think we all may be spinning our wheels trying to get points across.
 

Dave Scarpa

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 8, 1999
Messages
5,765
Real Name
David Scarpa
Not to mention most comedies beside the sex jokes just feature the players constantly insulting each other, or trying to show the husband or wife as an idiot. Even the Loved "Everyone Loves Raymond" is like this, can a comdy show a family or Husband or wife caring about each other? Almost every honeymooners had Ralph declaring his love for Alice despite their insults
 

Carlos Garcia

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 11, 2004
Messages
1,065


I agree Seinfeld may be a better written show than The Honeymooners, but the others you mentioned won't even be remembered in the history books 50 yrs from now. The Honeymooners broke new ground, along with shows like I Love Lucy. In the same fashion, no other show has ever been done like Seinfeld, before, or after. Friends? Just another sitcom, like Frasier, nothing historically special. The Simpsons? While it may have been unique when it started, it was nothing more than an 80s Flintstones. The only difference is that today they throw in alot of offensive language, cheap sex jokes, and poke fun at celebrities, and people think they have a classic. Sorry, it takes talent to become a classic. But like I said, only time came name a classic. Anyway, this is all a moot point because everyone has a different opinion, and I've only stated mine.
 

Jonathan Carter

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jul 7, 2003
Messages
535
It is true that time will make a classic. Thing is, future generations forget all about that stuff. TV just isn't as enduring as books, art, or even movies. It ends up only being important to to the generation that it was made for. The Simpsons and Friends will both go down as historically special, even though they aren't even close to being half as good as Sports Night was. But hey, ratings and popularity don't mean a show is great.

As much as I ended up despising Friends during it's last 4 seasons, it was an institution. Maybe not among to 40-60 year old crowd, but among my generation the show was a touchstone, no matter how unrealistic parts of it were.
 

Mark To

Supporting Actor
Joined
Feb 23, 2004
Messages
570


You contradict yourself. First you say that if the shows were great they would be in syndication and then you state how great Sports Night is, a show that neither got ratings nor is in high demand in syndication. Are we arguing popularity or quality, make up your mind. The shows that I mentioned as well as many others, do not commonly run for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that people of a certain age immediately turn the channel (oops, sorry, click the remote) when they see anything in black and white. So right away that eliminates 99% of all shows pre-1965. Only Lucy, Honeymooners and Twilight Zone seem to escape this prejudice. Secondly, if you know anything about television, hour long shows throughout history have not done well in syndication. Thirdly, shows of that era require you to concentrate and pay attention to the characters and the plot, something people under a certain age seem unwilling and incapable of doing. They also do not contain all of the hip, wiseguy cracks and oh so witty constant pop culture references that shows feel the need to insert in current shows in lieu of good writing. And no, even if they got great ratings, no one would air these shows because your generation wouldn't watch them and no network wants my generation as their audience. You see, advertisers want those viewers who can be easily bamboozled into buying their products, something older viewers are a little too savvy for. So that's why SciFi runs modern crap and not The Invaders or most older shows anymore. Its why Nick now runs garbage from the 80s instead of the shows from the 60s. Has nothing to do with quality or even with viewership. And as for modern shows, I agree, comedies now are made up of sex jokes and insults. That's it for 98% of them. Frasier its first few years happened to be a well written, intelligent show, not at the usual moronic level. I also happen to think that The Simpsons is one of the best, if not the best show of all time. But to me Friends is nothing special, no different than lots of other shows and certainly not a classic. And if a show is only funny to a certain age group, then what's so great about it? A great show appeals to all, not just some. I don't know anyone in the baby boomer group who thinks of the show as any big deal.
BTW, if you want to see some great older, forget TV Land or Nick at Nite, check out the shows Trio runs on their Brilliant but Cancelled series. You're more apt to find GOOD older shows there as opposed to popular older shows.
 

Carlos Garcia

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 11, 2004
Messages
1,065
Mark To...Excellent post, and very intellegently written. I know many people the same age as the people who watch and who star on "Friends" and they not only don't watch shows like that, they especially go out of their way to watch oldtime classics (60s and earlier). So to say it is a generational thing is very wrong. The same way a modern show can appeal to an older person, an old show can appeal to a young person, but to say it's a generational thing is not correct.
 

Dave Scarpa

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 8, 1999
Messages
5,765
Real Name
David Scarpa
Mark you hit the nail on the head with your B&W comment but it's not only the young ones, a friend of mine that's 42 yrs old came over while I was watching liberty valance and asked why it was'nt in Color on DVD. He refuses to watch anything but new movies. So it's more about a lack of respect for anything that's older than ten years old.

So it looks like DVD is the only respite that classic TV Has left.
 

Jonathan Carter

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jul 7, 2003
Messages
535


Hmmm, I enjoy the Cosby Show and Cheers. Those are also classics your batch of "classics" couldn't touch.

Look, your whole argument makes you sound like a bitter old man who hates anything new and sits on his porch grumbling about "kids today". I'm positive this isn't the case at all but I think this whole issue is just a sour grapes situation and I just get offended when I hear people talk about how nothing today can compare with older stuff because it's wrong. You may not like it as much but that doesn't mean it isn't just as good, in some cases better because the honest truth, and you it's true, is that if the networks thought they could market it and make $$ off of it, it would be on the air. Anyway, I hope the future brings you all the DVD on TV you could possibly hope for and plenty of time to watch them.
 

ScottRichard

Second Unit
Joined
Oct 14, 2003
Messages
254
Location
Michigan
Real Name
Scott
Aren't we lucky to have Jonathan here to tell us what's good and what's "saccharine sweet, contrived crap?" I think I'll go watch my Waltons and Little House DVDs!
 

Jonathan Carter

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jul 7, 2003
Messages
535
Everything I state in my posts is simply my opinion, just like everyone else here in the forum. That's why we can have these discussions.
 

Scott_F_S

Second Unit
Joined
Jun 15, 2002
Messages
408


I agree wholeheartedly, Jonathan.

And this thread degenerated quickly into a trash-talk contest by a couple of posters who think their opinion of what's good is the only one that counts.
 

Ryan Wishton

Screenwriter
Joined
May 17, 2003
Messages
1,130
Wow, this thread reminds me of a playground school fight. Damn. Here I thought I just ran into a Jr. High thread.

Your show sucks. My show is better. Thats this. This is that. Boo. Yeah.

Am I the only one here who appreciates certain shows for all decades??? Every decade has it's quality shows.


I mean come on. I can see being disappointed (There should be balance and every generation should get things they like), but to call 80's shows like The Cosby Show and Cheers garbage is way immature.

Both were top shows that won many awards. Cosby Show was a number 1 rated show for many years (99% of shows never achieve this). Cheers had the 2nd highest rated finale of all time behind Mash. Nick at Nite airs these because they score well in ratings. The showings are justified.

The shows that are still around today are mostly ones that did good in the ratings.

Many Nick at Nite shows were #1 shows.

I Love Lucy, All in the Family, Three's Company, Roseanne, Cosby, etc. all were number 1 at their peak. They will all still be here 50 years from now. Thats why they are on there. You might not like it, but thats just the way it is.

There are many things I want as well. But, I am not going to go out of my way to attack what others like just because something I like isnt available.

I might say I want this, I didnt like this, or I feel the studio is messing this up (Believe me. Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about Paramount), but thats as far as I take it.
 

Mark To

Supporting Actor
Joined
Feb 23, 2004
Messages
570
This has become quite amusing to me, as now I am depicted as someone who rejects all new shows and likes only older shows. Nothing could be further from the truth. I happen to like both, I just prefer older shows. However, unlike some of the posters here, the difference is, I have seen both. And not just the handful of popular reruns that TV Land shows. See, that's the difference. I've watched at least a few episodes of almost all of the modern shows whereas the people disparaging the older shows have not seen the majority of them. So you see, I know and have sampled all of the current programs so I can make an assessment based on my perceptions. But I'm just curious, if shows like Joan Of Arcadia are "contrived crap", what exactly do you consider good? Skin? Girls' Club? Fastlane? The Mullets? Other than Sports Night, I hear putdowns of both older and newer shows but few examples of this vast array of modern gems that my geriatric eyes are failing to appreciate.

Regarding hour long shows, it is easy to pull out exceptions to any rule. But, meanwhile, how many hour long shows that are pre-1990 can you name that are running many places? I can name you plenty of sitcoms. Oh, and maybe you don't understand that by syndication, I don't mean FIRST RUN SYNDICATION, I mean OFF-NETWORK SYNDICATION or to put it in terms you understand, repeats. Not "FRESH" episodes (as if TV shows were fruit).

I admit to being wrong about Nick as its been so long since I looked at their schedule. I just remember the last time I looked they were running Facts of Life, Different Strokes and Full House and after that I stopped paying any attention to them.



Really, is that why I hear all the time about shows not bringing in the right demographic? And how networks need to find shows that appeal to a younger audience? And that's why CBS canceled all of their "rural" shows in 1971 even though they were still getting good ratings. Or why shows get canceled all of the time for skewing "too old". Or why Bridget Loves Bernie finished #5 for the year but got canceled because it was protested by religious groups. Or why idiotic reality shows pepper the networks' schedules and a top 30 show like The Guardian gets canceled. Perhaps its you who doesn't know how television works. Networks don't just want viewers, they want certain viewers. They don't want someone like me, 46, and who watches everything off my DVDR hard drive so that I haven't seen a commercial in years. 18-35 is what they want, size of the audience doesn't matter. Pick up a copy of Broadcasting Magazine, you'll see.
 

TheLongshot

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 12, 2000
Messages
4,118
Real Name
Jason


This is why I don't have much sympathy for your arguments. In all eras there were good shows and crap shows. We forget about the crap over time, since we only see reruns of the good shows.

The only reason why TV is worse today is the onslaught of Reality TV, which none of those shows will stand the test of time. It is like having DVDs of "Battle Of The Network Stars".

Personally, I think there were a lot of great shows in the 80s. As mentioned above, Cosby and Cheers. Also, Night Court, Hill Street Blues, and St. Elsewhere. And that's what comes off the top of my head.

The Simpsons will stand the test of time just on longevity. Any series that lasts at least 10 years is not going to be forgotten. (You mentioned that The Simpsons is just the modern version of The Flintstons, but The Flintstones is just an animated version of The Honeymooners, when you get right down to it. I can say that The Simpsons is probably more creative than The Flintstones ever was...)

Anyways, we all want our shows, but there is only so much manpower to put this stuff together. Of course it is going to be what the studio believes will sell that will come out first, despite how great we think certain series are. Personally, I loved Night Court, but I don't think it is a high priority for the studios, because the appeal might be limited. I live with that and watch all the other things that come out in the meantime.

Jason
 

Jonathan Carter

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jul 7, 2003
Messages
535


I guess since I don't like shows specifically and pathetically catering to the religous right and the "family 1st" crowd I have no taste at all. Here is some of the stuff I watch since you were curious...

Touching Evil, Buffy, Angel, Sports Night, Seinfeld, Fraiser (1 few seasons), Law & Order (all but Criminal Intent), C.S.I (regular, not Miami), Star Trek: TNG, Star Trek: DS9 (1st 2 seasons), Millenium, Freaks and Geeks (short lives but far superior to The Wonder Years, which was good also) American Gothic (another crime of cancellation), The Profiler (1st season), Friends (1st few seasons), The Simpsons (seasons 3-8), Family Guy, Party of Five (I have no shame), Curb Your Enthusiasm,
Sopranos, Carnivale, Cracker, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Roswell, Smallville, Chicago Hope, E.R. (1st few seasons), X-Files (up until the last 3 seasons), any Looney Tunes and Tom & Jerry involving Chuck Jones, Cowboy Bebop, Justic League, 80's Transformers & GI Joe, Voltron, and a lot more. That is a sampling of what I watch/watched throughout the years.

Anyway, like I said, watch what you want and I hope you get it all on DVD, but understand the business aspect of it and don't be suprised when a lot of it doesn't show up. And just because something is old doesn't mean it's a classic.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,814
Messages
5,123,769
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top