Sit back and relax folks, this is going to take awhile 🙂
TV has come a long way and for those of us who were baby boomers we have seen the changes first hand. Black and white to Color, rabbit ears to cable. All of the programs have been from news to some of the greatest TV shows and movies.
We grew up with Opie, Barney, Aunt Bea and Andy. We learned valuable lessons from each show and dealing with real everyday problems endeared them into our hearts. Then there is Lucy, who has never had a day like hers ? We could relate to her and laugh with her. Didn’t matter if you were young or old, you watched those shows.
Have you ever compared the way it was in the 50’s 60’s and 70’s? It wasn’t a perfect time in our history, BUT many still didn’t need to lock their doors, kids could walk to their friends house “alone”. I won’t claim that crime did not exist, but it wasn’t often major news events happened.
Now crime is incredibly high, you have to lock your doors just to walk to the mailbox and back inside. No one has ever stated the obvious reasons for the change, upbringing!. We were punished when it was warranted and sometimes that did involve a spanking. Now you cannot spank or yell or anything and the kids know it so we are screwed! We all grew up being respectful, honest, helping thy neighbor and treating ourselves in a humane way. If we messed up we got a slap and spent time in our rooms reflecting what put us there.
Refill your drinks, go to the bathroom, there is more to come still!
I do understand that advertising “pays” for our news people, and for maintaining and updating how we receive television. But what I will never understand is why network executives feel that “every” viewer of any show gets up to PEE during every commercial break! I know people who do need to pee ‘often’ but NOT during every commercial break!
They try to make us all nuts. Shows are on a very low volume so you have to turn the sound up to unreal levels, then a commercial comes that blows you out of your chair and destroys the speakers in the TV. Am I wrong?? I think not.
Then there are the shows that come on every weekday evening, ya know, late night shows. If these shows are to be on every weekday evening, why are they in “repeat” mode every other week? They are not alone, drama’s are in the same repeat for no real reason. It’s bad enough we only get maybe 24 new shows a season?
During November, December and January you expect repeats. You may not be pleased with it but it’s easier to deal with since, logically, everyone celebrates one or more holidays during this time.
But as soon as it’s back to ‘normal’ TV we have the super bowl, which isn’t a problem since 99% of the population probably enjoys the commercials, even if they don’t watch the game.
I was always under the impression that ESPN was started to showcase SPORTS! Those that really had to watch sports could subscribe to the sports channel. Just like with HBO we should have ESPN 1 ESPN 2 ESPN 3 ….. etc.. you get the point. This would make the world a happier place to live in. But………..
Since I know we are DOOMED to watching football, or some form of sports, “every” weekend, is there a written LAW that says they cannot start playing two hours earlier, better yet four, then they do now ??? The world knows come Sunday evening there will be nothing normal so many do not plan on being home, or if they are they are watching another TV station for news and entertainment. But if they like the late night drama on the only station that seems to do football on Sundays you are screwed! Sure set the recorder to record the show, but you best tape the news too so you can see the ending of the show.
I thought the DVR’s we all use now were suppose to know the show hasn’t started yet so it doesn’t start to record until the show is actually starting. Guess Tivo is really different and if you are in the city you are all set. But if you live in the middle of nowhere you have to record the news too. Is this really fair? People are going to watch TV on the internet, then where will the networks be?
I’m not sure how things work in Europe, but the shows at least are mostly commercial free, or very few, lucky blocks. And thank God for letting their programs run on U.S.A. television. You know, sometimes their U.S. news is better then ours. And even if cars are not your thing Top Gear will have you laughing. Top Gear, news, Star Trek TNG, and X-files are really the main shows I watch there. Thanks BBC America!
More and more people are watching TV on their computers, but still you cannot escape commercials 🙁 The really annoying and loud commercials I do my best to not buy their product or go to their restaurant. You can get more customers with candy, not blowing out their eardrums. Who is responsible for regulating television? It certainly is NOT our highly over paid government !