The Golden Age of Television is Now
It seems as though most people romanticize the popular culture of their youth to the point of designating it "the best era of music/TV/movies ever!" while engaging their peers in casual discussion about "classic" entertainment. I have always held that belief to some extent, particularly as it pertains to the TV of the 1980's. There's no denying that the 1980's was a perfect time to be a 10-year-old boy since virtually everything on TV was catered to 10-year-old boys (The A-Team, Knight Rider, Airwolf, Dukes of Hazzard, The Fall Guy, etc. etc. etc.) These shows are still fun to watch in reruns and their comic-book appeal and top-notch old-school production values send all the good times of one's elementary TV viewing days rushing right on back. On the other hand, their cleverness and old-fashioned fun only go so far in distracting adult viewers from the bad acting, formulaic plots, and stereotypical cookie-cutter characters. In no way do the best shows of the 1980's (excluding MacGyver, which should go without saying) compare to the best shows on TV today.
I'm not the first person to classify the current lineup of television series (including first-run cable series) as TV's real "golden age". Most critics agree that a random sampling of an average night's programming is evidence enough of how the medium is soaring head-and-shoulders above the television of previous eras, particularly coming off of the dreadful 1990's, far and away the worst era of television in the medium's history. Things started to heat up in 2001, when it became obvious that the networks were making a concerted effort to reintroduce the forgotten action show with a 21st century twist. Two series in particular, 24 and Alias, stood tall as ambitious examples of what modern technology and a more streamlined production process can bring to weekly television in the new millennium. Over time, the former series remained strong while the latter series got goofy, but the bar they set for the TV seasons to come should be celebrated by everybody couch potato in America.
In those years following, the masterfully-crafted and solidly produced NBC police drama Boomtown graced us with an all-too-brief season and a half run; the snazzy special-effects of the WB's Superman-themed Smallville brought new life to that institution; the seemingly cheesy idea about a plane full of survivors crashing on a deserted, haunted island became the best new series of the 2003-04 season on Lost; and the victories go on and on, including some more conventional and short-lived delights such as UC: Undercover and Threat Matrix. Action TV is back with a vengeance and shows no sign of letting up.
But it wasn't until last fall that the Fox network unveiled a series that surpassed my wildest expectations for intelligent plotting, pulse-pumping suspense, and fresh characterizations. I would have never believed Fox could have outdone their existing work with the action-thriller 24, but last year's rookie Prison Break managed to pull it off in spectacular fashion. Clearly inspired by the adrenaline-thumping antics of 24, Prison Break managed to borrow some of that series' kinetic energy without resorting to creative theft. In fact, Prison Break's narrative complexity is much more impressive than that of 24 or Lost, because it's very clear that this series isn't making things up as it goes along. Showrunner Paul Scheuring told reviewers when the show premiered that he had already plotted out the first TWO SEASONS of the series. I was skeptical at first, but watching this first season unfold, it's been an absolute delight watching the puzzle constructed in Scheuring's mind slowly be assembled on our TV screen. As with all shows of this nature, suspending one's disbelief before they hit the sofa is the most vital prerequisite of viewing Prison Break, but what a masterpiece of pulp it has been for those of us able to press that internal suspend button. Having Prison Break and 24 back to back on Monday nights this spring has been a dream come true for me, and with Prison Break having just finished its first season earlier this week, I'm already excited at the thought of what this wild and woolly series has in store for us next year.
Perhaps an even bigger contributor to TV's positive transformation has been CSI. While I admit to being burned out on the CSI franchise and its numerous followers, there's no denying its contribution to primetime storytelling that's a cut above almost anything seen in primetime in the dismal seasons preceding the original CSI's premiere in the fall of 2000. The formula has largely run its course after a collective 12 seasons on the three different CSI series, but I still catch one of the three from time to time and continue to be impressed by the production values and the clever use of science, if not necessarily the increasingly routine motions of the plots. It appears my feelings on CSI being past its prime are not shared by the viewing public, however, as all three franchises are pulling in boffo Nielsen numbers, as are many of its numerous imitators such as Navy NCIS, Bones, and Criminal Minds. I haven't seen any of these series, but I take a glance at them over summer reruns to see if I'm missing anything worthwhile. After all, my experience has been that even the palest CSI imitators have their moments. Last season's otherwise ho-hum Medical Investigation had an episode about a modern-day smallpox outbreak that was perhaps the cleverest hour of television in the entire season.
Soft-core science fiction has returned to the small screen with the success of Lost, the surprise hit of the 2004 season that had an incredible first season of first-rate storytelling and characters. The series has been less consistently strong in its second season, but has still had plenty of gripping moments. Given the constraints of the setting, the writers definitely face a challenge in keeping things interesting on this series as it proceeds into a third season, but I'm optimistic they'll be up to that challenge. As is the case with every successful series, Lost has spawned a litany of similar-themed cousins in the past seasons....some of them good, others not, but none particularly successful with the possible exception of the WB's Supernatural, which I have never seen. Invasion was probably the best of this season's Lost children, but was canceled this week by ABC with only a marginal chance being picked up by another network.
The situation comedy has suffered in both quantity and quality since the days of Seinfeld, but it was definitely time for the sitcom genre to take a backseat after 15 years of primetime domination. The rise of clever, offbeat comedy fare such as My Name is Earl, The Office, and Arrested Development (and to some extent Desperate Housewives, even though it's not technically a situation comedy) will certainly help the sitcom remain relevant on the primetime lineup until its inevitable resurrgence comes to fruition. And now that it's become clear that the "reality show" will never completely consume the television lineup, I have no problem deferring a few hours a week of the primetime lineup to those shows either. Their smaller budgets and high profit margins for their networks help ensure a greater supply of available capital to produce more big-budget fare such as Lost, Alias, 24, and Prison Break, which is a perfectly fair tradeoff for me. Beyond that, there's an undeniable appeal to the Cadillacs of the reality series genre, such as the Machiavellian Survivor and the globe-trotting The Amazing Race which vastly exceeds the quality of the tabloidy newsmagazines (the low-budget profitmakers of yesteryear) that cannibalized multiple hours of the primetime schedule just a few short years ago.
Beyond that, there are numerous shows that receive consistently high marks which I have not been watching. Medical dramas Grey's Anatomy and House are consistently in the top-10 and get tremendous buzz from fans and critics. The medical drama genre has never been a favorite of mine, but in an era with fewer quality shows, I would be tempted to give those shows a look. And living in the ghetto of "basic cable" for most of the last five years, I've never had the opportunity to see acclaimed made-for-cable series such as The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, and The Shield either, but hope the opportunity arises to do so at some point.
With as much quality television that is being produced today, it amazes me how many snobby or ignorant people I still hear say that they don't watch TV, only to sing the praises of a recent feature film that pales in comparison to the average hour of modern primetime television. To each his/her own, but for as long as this pinata keeps showering candy upon me (and I know it won't last forever), count me as a regular nightly viewer of the small screen. Kudos again to the networks for bringing their A-game to the table in the last few seasons.
I'm not the first person to classify the current lineup of television series (including first-run cable series) as TV's real "golden age". Most critics agree that a random sampling of an average night's programming is evidence enough of how the medium is soaring head-and-shoulders above the television of previous eras, particularly coming off of the dreadful 1990's, far and away the worst era of television in the medium's history. Things started to heat up in 2001, when it became obvious that the networks were making a concerted effort to reintroduce the forgotten action show with a 21st century twist. Two series in particular, 24 and Alias, stood tall as ambitious examples of what modern technology and a more streamlined production process can bring to weekly television in the new millennium. Over time, the former series remained strong while the latter series got goofy, but the bar they set for the TV seasons to come should be celebrated by everybody couch potato in America.
In those years following, the masterfully-crafted and solidly produced NBC police drama Boomtown graced us with an all-too-brief season and a half run; the snazzy special-effects of the WB's Superman-themed Smallville brought new life to that institution; the seemingly cheesy idea about a plane full of survivors crashing on a deserted, haunted island became the best new series of the 2003-04 season on Lost; and the victories go on and on, including some more conventional and short-lived delights such as UC: Undercover and Threat Matrix. Action TV is back with a vengeance and shows no sign of letting up.
But it wasn't until last fall that the Fox network unveiled a series that surpassed my wildest expectations for intelligent plotting, pulse-pumping suspense, and fresh characterizations. I would have never believed Fox could have outdone their existing work with the action-thriller 24, but last year's rookie Prison Break managed to pull it off in spectacular fashion. Clearly inspired by the adrenaline-thumping antics of 24, Prison Break managed to borrow some of that series' kinetic energy without resorting to creative theft. In fact, Prison Break's narrative complexity is much more impressive than that of 24 or Lost, because it's very clear that this series isn't making things up as it goes along. Showrunner Paul Scheuring told reviewers when the show premiered that he had already plotted out the first TWO SEASONS of the series. I was skeptical at first, but watching this first season unfold, it's been an absolute delight watching the puzzle constructed in Scheuring's mind slowly be assembled on our TV screen. As with all shows of this nature, suspending one's disbelief before they hit the sofa is the most vital prerequisite of viewing Prison Break, but what a masterpiece of pulp it has been for those of us able to press that internal suspend button. Having Prison Break and 24 back to back on Monday nights this spring has been a dream come true for me, and with Prison Break having just finished its first season earlier this week, I'm already excited at the thought of what this wild and woolly series has in store for us next year.
Perhaps an even bigger contributor to TV's positive transformation has been CSI. While I admit to being burned out on the CSI franchise and its numerous followers, there's no denying its contribution to primetime storytelling that's a cut above almost anything seen in primetime in the dismal seasons preceding the original CSI's premiere in the fall of 2000. The formula has largely run its course after a collective 12 seasons on the three different CSI series, but I still catch one of the three from time to time and continue to be impressed by the production values and the clever use of science, if not necessarily the increasingly routine motions of the plots. It appears my feelings on CSI being past its prime are not shared by the viewing public, however, as all three franchises are pulling in boffo Nielsen numbers, as are many of its numerous imitators such as Navy NCIS, Bones, and Criminal Minds. I haven't seen any of these series, but I take a glance at them over summer reruns to see if I'm missing anything worthwhile. After all, my experience has been that even the palest CSI imitators have their moments. Last season's otherwise ho-hum Medical Investigation had an episode about a modern-day smallpox outbreak that was perhaps the cleverest hour of television in the entire season.
Soft-core science fiction has returned to the small screen with the success of Lost, the surprise hit of the 2004 season that had an incredible first season of first-rate storytelling and characters. The series has been less consistently strong in its second season, but has still had plenty of gripping moments. Given the constraints of the setting, the writers definitely face a challenge in keeping things interesting on this series as it proceeds into a third season, but I'm optimistic they'll be up to that challenge. As is the case with every successful series, Lost has spawned a litany of similar-themed cousins in the past seasons....some of them good, others not, but none particularly successful with the possible exception of the WB's Supernatural, which I have never seen. Invasion was probably the best of this season's Lost children, but was canceled this week by ABC with only a marginal chance being picked up by another network.
The situation comedy has suffered in both quantity and quality since the days of Seinfeld, but it was definitely time for the sitcom genre to take a backseat after 15 years of primetime domination. The rise of clever, offbeat comedy fare such as My Name is Earl, The Office, and Arrested Development (and to some extent Desperate Housewives, even though it's not technically a situation comedy) will certainly help the sitcom remain relevant on the primetime lineup until its inevitable resurrgence comes to fruition. And now that it's become clear that the "reality show" will never completely consume the television lineup, I have no problem deferring a few hours a week of the primetime lineup to those shows either. Their smaller budgets and high profit margins for their networks help ensure a greater supply of available capital to produce more big-budget fare such as Lost, Alias, 24, and Prison Break, which is a perfectly fair tradeoff for me. Beyond that, there's an undeniable appeal to the Cadillacs of the reality series genre, such as the Machiavellian Survivor and the globe-trotting The Amazing Race which vastly exceeds the quality of the tabloidy newsmagazines (the low-budget profitmakers of yesteryear) that cannibalized multiple hours of the primetime schedule just a few short years ago.
Beyond that, there are numerous shows that receive consistently high marks which I have not been watching. Medical dramas Grey's Anatomy and House are consistently in the top-10 and get tremendous buzz from fans and critics. The medical drama genre has never been a favorite of mine, but in an era with fewer quality shows, I would be tempted to give those shows a look. And living in the ghetto of "basic cable" for most of the last five years, I've never had the opportunity to see acclaimed made-for-cable series such as The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, and The Shield either, but hope the opportunity arises to do so at some point.
With as much quality television that is being produced today, it amazes me how many snobby or ignorant people I still hear say that they don't watch TV, only to sing the praises of a recent feature film that pales in comparison to the average hour of modern primetime television. To each his/her own, but for as long as this pinata keeps showering candy upon me (and I know it won't last forever), count me as a regular nightly viewer of the small screen. Kudos again to the networks for bringing their A-game to the table in the last few seasons.
posted by Mark at 9:16 PM
6 Comments:
I am not a female, but I would say there are plenty of good shows to entertain the female veiwer. ABC seems to be putting out some very well written shows that key on relionships and quality characters. What About Brian is very underrated imo and might breakout next fall along with ABC's new show Six Degrees.
Mark - the advent of TV shows to DVD and TiVo has greatly added to this "golden age." Shows that are often not viewable you can now rent at a later date and watch an entire season in a couple weeks (or days if you are aggressive enough). And TiVo (or DVR) allows you to get off of the netwok's schedule and watch the shows you want to watch when you want to watch them.
I strongly suggest that you rent Soprannos. The Shield and Six Feet Under have been strongly suggested to me but I can't vouch for them.
charli, the hit shows of the 80's didn't achieve supersized ratings based on 10-year-old boys alone, so I suspect you're right regarding that the "hunky" male leads of these series kept the females coming back to the trough as well. But I'm gonna have to scold you for neglecting to mention the ultimate 80's crimefighter in your review. :)
Glad to hear that "Grey's Anatomy" has captured your fancy the most of the current TV lineup. I hope for your sake that ABC's kamikaze scheduling won't take the wind of the series' sail. It's moving to a very competitive Thursday night slot up against "CSI" and "The OC".
I also implore you to give "Prison Break" a whirl as you will be hard-pressed to find a more imaginative series. It would be an excellent DVD purchase for the man in your life.
tom, I concur about DVD packages. I'm notoriously thrifty when it comes to that sort of stuff, but if one waits just a few months after a DVD release, they can expect to see Best Buy selling the overstocked sets at half price. Of course, I can't wait that long to purchase my "MacGyver" DVD sets.
Certainly DVD rentals are an option as well, but not one that I have participated in thus far. How long do you get to rent the DVD sets? Seems like it would be difficult to squeeze 22 episodes into a one-week rental.
DVD rentals actually rent you 1 DVD at a time. So you can easily cram 4 or 5 episodes without piling up late fees, but you have to make 4 rentals to see a full season.
Charli, apology accepted on the oversight. I imagine that you're not the only one whose breath catches regarding the "Priceless" ad. At Richard Dean Anderson's advanced age, that daring 30-second escape is probably the most action he's seen since his last shuffleboard tournament. :)
Enjoy "Last Comic Standing". I'll have to take a look at it this summer at the end of my grueling days at the office. I doubt my "jailbird show" will air in reruns this summer, which means you'll have to wait until fall to get in on all the "male eye candy" in those baggy orange jumpsuits.
I missed my chance at TiVO when I bought my once-every-two-decades TV back in 2002. Looks like I'm stuck with the squeaky old featherweight VCR the current non-TiVo TV burns out....or until the sun burns out, which ever comes first.
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