Is the TV DVD release the "end?" (1 Viewer)

[Gary OS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TravisR /t/318918/is-the-tv-dvd-release-the-end#post_3903062

 

[jcroy]

My 4 y/o daughter has fallen in love with GILLIGAN'S ISLAND (the black-and-white episodes) and prefers watching that on many occasions over contemporary kid shows. That's an encouraging sign. I think there are some shows that will continue to stand the test of time because of their enduring qualities, regardless of how old they are. So I don't think DVD is the end, but in many cases it's the beginning for a whole new generation.

Some shows/movies may possibly have a "timeless" quality to them. I noticed some younger relatives who were into stuff like: - the original Star Trek series - older James Bond movies (from the 60's and 70's) - Dirty Harry - older horror movies from the 70's and 80's - Rambo - older Transformers cartoons - original Star Wars trilogy

 

[Carabimero]

In my opinion, "timeless" moments in any media have several things in common. In terms of the subject at hand, TV shows, they usually don't involve a lot of speech but rather focus on some sort of communion, a coming together that transcends current circumstance. I was just watching "Opie The Birdman" from THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW. In my opinion, its themes of responsibility and the cycle of life make it transcend the trappings of 1960s Mayberry. It is as relevant today as it was 50 years ago and I believe will be just as relevant 50 years from now. The Myth archetype deals a lot with these qualities, things that are unchanging and timeless, like courage and responsibility. In the shame culture of Mayberry, Opie is expected to do "right" (take responsibility), as opposed to a guilt culture (ours today?) where he would be expected to do "well" (perhaps achieve personal glory by being a good shot with his weapon). The more our culture shifts from shame to guilt, the more timeless such shows become, in my opinion, and the more they transcend the "end of the road" being disc-based media.

 

[Professor Echo]

Alan, I think the difference between the generational shifts from the time of a series like ANDY GRIFFITH comes down to the fact that people at one time aspired to "be good." Parents used to instill this in children and we were taught to behave in ways that would honor ourselves in the greater social sphere and inherent definition of the word civilization. I don't sense that anymore. Now so many people seem more preoccupied with being right all the time no matter their philosophies and practices. There seems little room for just doing the right thing even when it opposes your personal beliefs, we are in a morass of individual entitlement that negates the basic goal of being a good person.


Oh well, off topic, I know, and not the right forum, I'm sure, but I was responding to your post and the interesting ideas expressed therein.

 

[Carabimero]

Thanks for your response. I think this topic has a wide latitude. And the huge influence of reality TV might be appropriate to bring up. So-called "reality" shows (available on DVD) have staying power and certainly emphasize doing "well" rather than doing "right." One only has to think about SURVIVOR, and that hapless contestant who let the two other players convince him to "do the right thing" and give up his immunity idol to one of them, and they would protect him. Of course, they promptly voted him off within 60 seconds. My point is, success on a reality show is virtually always dependent on someone choosing to do "well," and rejecting the virtues of doing "right." So if we talk about TV being an agent of socialization, that is, showcasing the dominant ideology of a culture or, at the very least, values prized within that culture, one of the top ten shows of the 1960s (Andy Griffith) teaches the value of responsibility, while a top show from the current generation (Survivor) teaches year after year that to succeed, one has to outwit (lie). I don't mean to overstate the role of TV in shaping the values of our culture; I'm simply trying to keep its role from being understated. Yet another reason why I say that DVD is not the "end" for shows. DVDs allow their values to continue to influence, for good or ill.