Quality Television



Tom Westman is the newest Survivor. Kendra Todd is the latest Apprentice. Sergio Mora is the Contender. And Carrie Underwood is the American Idol.

I find it disappointing that the media have given most of the attention to the one whose name I actually didn't know off the top of my head when I started to write this blog. I don't consider American Idol interesting beyond the occasionally humorous jabs of Simon Cowell in the early weeks of the contest's season.

Especially when you consider that Sergio Mora, the winner of the boxing reality show, The Contender, won by beating three different boxers who were more heavily favored to win. I admit that I've never seen a boxer who was more capable of keeping his wits about him in the ring.

In the last year, I have found myself watching more television. That is due, at least in part, to the fact that my son, Harry , was born last year, and I have found TV to be a good distraction for when I'm at home, he's asleep, and I know I can't go out.

The list of TV shows I enjoy is still relatively short. I really only sit all night in front of the TV with intent on certain shows on Sunday and Wednesday nights. And, as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing on during prime time hours, on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

So, with the most recent TV season officially over, here's the complete list of shows that I had set my TiVo to record every week:

The Contender (NBC)
The Apprentice (NBC)
Medium (NBC)
Survivor (CBS)
Alias (ABC)
Lost (ABC)
Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)

Two other shows that didn't get any airing in the last six months, but which will be returning that I watch, are Boston Legal (ABC) and Six Feet Under (HBO).

I consider it interesting that, out of the entire list above, the only non-reality show that doesn't air on ABC, is Medium.

That said, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise. Fox, UPN, and the WB all seem to pander to horny teenagers.

NBC. The two shows that are on NBC right now that I used to watch, have long since "jumped the shark." I used to enjoy watching ER, but I haven't watched it since Dr. Carter and his girlfriend were stabbed. She died; he survived but got addicted to the painkillers. Basically, when its foil in the form of Chicago Hope was canned from CBS, ER ceased to be interesting. And I haven't watched Law and Order since before all of the spinoffs started coming around.

That actually brings me to Law and Order. I think an interesting argument that could and should be made against the science of cloning, is to look at what is happening with this TV series. How many variations on the same theme can one television franchise support before it totally collapses? Can someone explain why they need to inundate the airwaves with it all?

And that, of course, brings me to CBS. If there was ever a show that I could not get into, it's CSI. If I were a TV producer or executive, I would use this as a textbook example of how not to design a TV show. Start with boring characters for whom you would have little sympathy, fill it with bland dialogue, and build up to a predictable, anticlimactic ending with each episode. The only thing unique about CSI is that they actually offer up an education about how they reach the aforementioned anticlimax. The science of policework. My next sentence should be "yawn," but I do need to qualify that somewhat by saying that I was completely turned off to science by my 11th grade physics teacher, Mr. Hanlon. My wife says that's a shame, due to the fact that I've got the aptitude for it.

Like Law and Order, let's stop with the clones of CSI. I'm not interested in the main version of it, so let's not do New York, Miami, LA, Omaha, Boise, or any other large-to-mid-sized cities....

When it comes to dramas, there are other professions that can be the basis of a good show, other than lawyers, doctors, and cops. Six Feet Under and the Sopranos proved that...

Situation Comedies. I haven't watched any sitcoms with any regularity (unless you count the Simpsons or South Park as sitcoms) since Howard Hesseman left Head of the Class. Cheers and Friends were occasionally humorous, but I never got as "into" them as other people did. To this day, I still don't understand the popularity of Seinfeld and Frasier. They could do away with sitcoms entirely and TV won't be any worse off.

When the new season rolls around, I'm sure that there will be a new show or two worth watching. I'm disappointed that the Contender won't be back for another round.

TV, as a whole, can do a lot better. ABC is the only station that's getting it right, consistently.

Posted: Thu - May 26, 2005 at 08:14 AM          

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