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Out Of Touch

Saturday, 10. October 2009, 22:34:03

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So, shocking news for us, when watching Season 4 Part 2 of Supernatural a few weeks ago, we learned that Kim Manners passed away in January. January! I was rather shocked at this news, the man has been responsible for so many popular tv shows... Most known probably being The X-Files.
That guy was responsible for many of my hours lost in a truly enjoyable show... Tv just won't be the same.

I know I'm a little behind in the world of tv - My regular readers know that wait for whatever we watch to come out on DVD before we see it.
Today, Season 4 of My Name Is Earl finally drops through the door, and we're three discs in before I realise that "The Final Season" is printed everywhere, all over the box and all the discs. The bastards have cancelled it!

So many interesting shows have been cancelled in the last few years...
Pushing Daisies, a charmingly delightful black comedy that only made it 2 seasons, Dead Like Me, another really intriguing 2 season show cut short (there is a film I've yet to see) and Arrested Development, the offbeat, irreverent comedy I've fallen in love with made it to season 3 before being axed (thankfully they were notified and were able to finish it - and there's also a film due for this) to name but a few.

Yet, stupid reality shows full of barely talented morons and sob stories are going season after season.

I'm out of touch with the media, news-wise. Perhaps even in taste? Or is that the network executives? Or just the general population..?

For RosieWord Of The Month

Comments

Dacotah 10. October 2009, 22:40

I don't like reality shows at all.
I don't watch much tv anymore.

H82typ 10. October 2009, 23:38

I caught a few episodes of ''Dead Like Me''! I liked it! I read about the other two, I'd have probably liked them as well. Bummer. :frown:

garlingmatthews 10. October 2009, 23:40

It's deliberate. Conventional T.V. advertising is suffering, so they're concentrating on reality T.V. because it's cheaper to produce, and easier to shoehorn sponsorship into the actual show. I read a year ago that one of the networks decided to stop airing drama entirely in the eight o'clock slot. But the basic problem is that people are watching less T.V., and there are more channels. I.T.V. and channel 4 are feeling that pinch as well.

I like My Name Is Earl, but it didn't feel like a show that should run for seven years. That's what I like about a lot of U.K. series; short and sweet, before the joke can get stale.

Furie 11. October 2009, 00:04

My Name Is Earl had a good five seasons in it before it would've started getting too samey. The creators seemed to know how best to keep the show unique and how to evolve the characters so they probably would have ended it at the right time. Unfortunately it got cancelled after four seasons, with a large revelation and a "To Be Continued" notice as the last thing we saw. :irked:

garlingmatthews 11. October 2009, 00:10

Oh, I hate that. The end of Brisco County, Junior still rankles. Couldn't they at least do a T.V. movie to finish up?

H82typ 11. October 2009, 00:11

Well, that always leaves the door open for a reunion show... :whistle:

Furie 11. October 2009, 00:16

Don't get me started on reunion shows...

clean 11. October 2009, 00:49

The cancellation that annoyed a whole lotta people, apparently, was Quantum Leap way back when. But for me it was the end of Now and Again. He finally gets his wife to believe he is who he says he is, they escape, and five minutes later the government come bursting through the house looking for them ... what next? No idea. 'Unjustifiable expense', apparently.

gdare 11. October 2009, 05:48

"So many interesting shows have been cancelled in the last few years..."

On the other hand, a lot of latino soap operas will go forever....

garlingmatthews 11. October 2009, 06:43

Quantum Leap at least had a last episode that wrapped everything up, though.

Diabolical 11. October 2009, 09:42

Till what is Heroes still ongoing?
Good shows seem to be cancelled when there's still some wortwhile scripts to be written.
But of course the crap that keep going is crap that follow a soapstar like plot and don't get me started on the fucking reality shows.
The only of which I can follow is when it's mayhem and destruction like security camera clips of stupid burglars.. :whistle:
Bachelor sucks! :insane:. :lol:

Spaggyj 11. October 2009, 09:46

Carol - me either. For me they're below dirt :yuck: .

Dennis - yeah, Dead Like Me was really interesting. As the show went on, it got a bit more serious. It was just starting to get really interesting when it ended.

Gavin - that makes sense. It's all about the money. People just want to drool in front of the television and not be forced to think, after all.
While it's true that some shows get stale, too many aren't being given a chance to maybe deteriorate. I'd rather have a finished story with a less-than-great quality than it just being cut off.
I'm actually more fond of American shows than British.
I'm hoping Earl will be picked up again. It's been known to happen. Dunno if you ever watched Tru Calling, but that only made it to one season too, if memory serves.

David - I never knew Quantum Leap got cancelled :left: . I don't think I've even heard of Now And Again, so I'll be clicking the link after I've sent this through. Sounds like a really bad place it left off at though :irked: .

Dark - that's true. Probably because the production values are pretty much pennies.. People like to watch things that do not stimulate them into thinking, and it irritates me to no end!

Spaggyj 11. October 2009, 09:47

Heroes is still on the cards from what I know, yeah. Third season's out soon on dvd and I think filming the fourth has already started. Hell, they could be showing it by now. From what I've heard about season 3, though, it could be really disappointing...

clean 11. October 2009, 09:55

Apparently Quantum Leap just ended unsatisfactorily for a lot of people. Folks wanted a better ending for Sam, who 'never made it home'.

clean 11. October 2009, 09:59

Season Three ended with the whole battle with Sylar/The Petrellis (notice I didn't spoil the ending for those who haven't seen it) and ... uh ... how that all worked out was kind of previewed as a teaser for Season Four. Have I got my seasons right?

Oh ... saw a preview online for the new season of House, the other day (which has been out since July, apparently - the preview, at least :rolleyes: ) ...



Spaggyj 11. October 2009, 10:11

Now And Again sounds really interesting - plus, Dennis Haysbert - awesome - I may have to find it despite the lack of ending.
The seasons sound correct - not seen season 3 and the fight you mentioned, so... I've heard some stuff on season 4, so far, unimpressed.

garlingmatthews 11. October 2009, 10:13

Tru Calling got shown while I was at work, I think.

Babylon 5, Stargate SG-1, Nikita and Star Trek Voyager all got picked up after there original methods of distribution ceased being viable, but none of them had been on major networks. Well. Nikita had been on Fox. The only example of a major network show coming back that I can think of is N.Y.P.D. Blue.

Weird that they'd cancel when it's still getting nominated for Emmys. http://www.nbc.com/My_Name_Is_Earl/

Dacotah 11. October 2009, 11:53

For me too Kimmie. I have seen a few and wondered what kinda of real life are you living. :lol: :D

rose-marie 11. October 2009, 18:41

Even though the tv is mostly on in the background, I hardly follow any shows, so yes - out of touch here too, I think.

Diabolical 11. October 2009, 19:42

Except for Simpsons? :sherlock:

H82typ 11. October 2009, 21:07

Homer: Doh! p:

Spaggyj 11. October 2009, 21:21

Gavin - indeed.

Carol - exactly!

Rose - ah, but you make up for it with your vast knowledge of music :wink:

Dacotah 11. October 2009, 22:43

Glad I wasn't the only one thinking that. :D

rose-marie 12. October 2009, 07:22

No, I don't! They're completely different subjects :lol:

True that, Diablo :happy:.

funz81 12. October 2009, 09:19

I'm guessing you don't like Big Brother then? :left: :lol:

Spaggyj 12. October 2009, 09:22

Rose, it's all media p: .

Fan, I loathe Big Brother with a passion :lol: . I've heard that the next one is the final one though :hat:

funz81 12. October 2009, 10:00

:lol: me too! I just can't believe that there are people watching it Homer: Doh!

Furie 12. October 2009, 10:11

I can't believe there are people who let their kids grow up thinking that's how to act in life. :irked:

fammcdon 12. October 2009, 10:40

"Tool Academy" is another winner. :faint:

Spaggyj 12. October 2009, 11:23

Just Wiki'd Tool Academy. Bad. Bad. Bad.

fammcdon 12. October 2009, 11:41

Yup! :lol:

funz81 12. October 2009, 12:38

Originally posted by Spaggyj:

Just Wiki'd Tool Academy. Bad. Bad. Bad.



just did that too and I agree! *nods*
But Wikipedia makes it sound interesting though...

Originally posted by Wikipedia:

The winner for the first season of Tool Academy was Josh "Tiny Tool" Douglas and Ashley Pellegrino.



So... the tiniest gets to win, eh? :sherlock:

garlingmatthews 12. October 2009, 18:32

My workplace replaced the Big Brother website with a page saying "Shouldn't you be working?" when it started p:

qlue 13. October 2009, 05:06

What's tv? :whistle:p:.

H82typ 13. October 2009, 05:58

I think that's what you call where you sit and watch your clothes go round and round til they're dry.

theoddbod 13. October 2009, 07:13

Family Guy came back, and Futurama's coming back.

Babylon 5 almost got cancelled. JMS had to squash his original story arc into 4 seasons rather than the planned 5 because they weren't sure they'd get the 5th.

As for Quantum Leap, it ended oddly but pretty much the whole series is excellent :happy: I think it ended just at the right point in its run.

garlingmatthews 13. October 2009, 08:32

Futurama too, yay! Both were Fox, weren't they?

qlue 13. October 2009, 08:39

quantum leap was an excellent show! :hat:.

qlue 13. October 2009, 08:39

quantum leap was an excellent show! :hat:.

Dacotah 13. October 2009, 09:23

I loved quantum leap but didn't like the ending. Wish it wouldn't of ended.

Spaggyj 13. October 2009, 17:36

I'd reply to everyone but I can't be bothered p:

clean 13. October 2009, 21:29

* ahem *

"Meanie!" :wink:

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