I was intrigued by Ken Levine’s post, When a thing stops being a “thing”. Surely much of it applies to me.
He talked about missing the reality show Survivor. It’s still on the air, in what seems to be its 200th season. “At the time it was innovative, original, and best of all – a ‘thing.’ People talked about it the next day.” And now I too see it on the schedule and remember the great season one, the mediocre season 2, and well, that was about it. Once they started recycling contestants, e.g., Boston Rob, who appeared on some OTHER reality show, I stopped even paying attention.
This is American Idol’s final season. I started watching near the end of the first season, some 15 years ago. I couldn’t even tell you the last nine winners. As Levine noted, “Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood became legitimate stars. Jennifer Hudson (who lost) later won an Academy Award… I suspect the next American Idol will get a gig at Six Flags Magic Mountain.”
Whereas I don’t even think I ever saw The Daily Show with Craig Kilborn, or with Jon Stewart until well after 9/11. But I watched it religiously – “THE DAILY SHOW was THE way to follow the news” – until Stewart left in August 2015. He departed at the point where the man with the orange hair was still perceived as an ersatz candidate for President. I wonder if Stewart were still doing the show, the point at which he would have realized that The Donald was no longer a joke.
While Trevor Noah’s still finding his way as Stewart’s successor, Stewart’s other disciples are closer to the function what Jon Stewart was serving. Larry Wilmore on The Nightly Show noted that Drumpf was not funny anymore about three months ago. John Oliver on HBO’s This Week is taking great long-form looks at seemingly boring topics such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement and net neutrality, topics that should be snore fests. Samantha Bee’s new show I haven’t watched, but the clips I see online appear sharp.
Truth is, though, that there are dozens of shows that were or are a “thing” I have never seen more than five minutes of: The Wire, The Sopranos, Orange Is The New Black, Mad Men, Lost, oh, far too many to mention here. And now that there is more programming of new, scripted television than one can watch viewing 24/7, I don’t fret. (Not that I was fretting before.)
I’m just not a “thing” watcher. The Good Wife, which is going off after this season, I guess, was still a thing in some circles, but I was watching before it was so anointed.
But maybe you can tell me what “thing” I should be watching; trust me, I’m not watching it presently.
Watched Good Wife thru to the end. Didn’t like the ending at all but it was more than time to end it.Lost that and Downton. now my only episodic tv is Big Bang, NCIS both more like out of habit- and Madame Secretary- which I’ll recommend.
The Wire and Mad Men are as good as you’ve heard. Probably better. I consider them two of the best TV dramas of all time. John Oliver is a national treasure right now; we’ve never needed him and what he does more.
Jason Jones and Samantha Bee from the Daily Show have created a new comedy airing on TBS (you can watch it on their website, I linked to it tonight on Facebook) called Detour. It’s a sharp, adult, modern look at a family road trip and I am hooked after only two episodes. It has all the earmarks of their brand of comedy from TDS and is stunningly executed.