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Interesting read here about how tv shows are getting better and lots of stars and directors moving there rather than movies. Got to say I don't watch many movies recently and have got into a fair few tv shows that are really good.

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I've been bored with movies as well recently. Action flicks no longer interest me, things I like best are older more intelligent (for want of a better word) thriller types.

 

Some tv shows now are excellent - 24, Lost and the like. Anyone seen Prison Break? heard good things about that one

 

Having said that, I'm looking forward to the new Superman movie but am bracing to be disappointed.

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After years without watching any TV, the internet has made me an addict recently - The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Real Time with Bill Maher, 24, Lost, Gray's Anatomy, The Office (the US one is getting better and better) and Trailer Park Boys are on my weekly list. And somehow I ended up watching American Idol this season - I must be losing my mind...

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funny, i would argue that as tv is becoming more and more mundane, film directors and actors are taking bigger risks and working on more controversial, meaningful subjects. this year's oscar list is a good example. on that note, just watched "Good Night and Good Luck", i highly recommend it.

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TV becoming more mundane? There is a ton of crap on there, yes, but there is an increasingly large amount of quality drama coming out on tv.

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The article disingeniously states that cinema is in some kind of crisis, and although ticket sales in cinemas are down in the past year or so, they are way up (50%!) in the past decade. Of course, as soon as there is a slightest fall in numbers, the MPAA scream piracy and the TV people get to say TV is better.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4804880.stm

 

It's easy to blame celebrity vehicles and computer graphics for a (non-existent) demise in cinema, but the most popular films recently have all been full of computer graphics (LOTR, Star Wars, Matrix....). And if the most popular film recently, Titanic, isn't just a vehicle for di Caprio, then what is it? Regardless of what you think of it, the formula works commercially when the right film is made. Like it or not, such films are popular.

 

Daver has a point in that Fox would not make Syriana, for example. There's probably more to think about in that film than in all those cable shows put together.

 

Since I'm British, I noticed that the linked article is basically a eulogy to American shows and does not mention British TV. The only TV drama that seems to be done reasonably well in Britain now is Jane Eyre-type period things that are very safe and easy to make. Well-made contemporary series like The Singing Detective, Boys from the Blackstuff etc. don't get made any more. I bet the current BBC wouldn't make Threads either.

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I have to agree with Mr Wiggles that there is very little good drama to be had except that from UK. The odd Aussie offering appears. It may be a valid assertion that the advent of 'cheap' reality TV has tempted TV producers away from drama.

 

Im not an avid fan of TV but a 10n peak at Big Brother a week ago left me reeling. How I wondered could anyone sit and watch such dross?

Any ideas?

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There's a big difference between lots of the reality crap and the quality drama that you can now find on tv. As the article says a lot of actors who would previously not consider doing tv are now doing so.

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Recently I started watching a program on Fox called Roswell. It was just "on" and I started watching and carried on watching. I think the fact that "Shiri" is totally cute might have had something do to with it.

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 Quote:
Originally posted by Fossil:
I have to agree with Mr Wiggles that there is very little good drama to be had except that from UK. The odd Aussie offering appears. It may be a valid assertion that the advent of 'cheap' reality TV has tempted TV producers away from drama.

That's not actually what I said. My point is that British TV only does period drama well, which if you've got the locations, period clothes, and olde-sounding speech isn't all that difficult to do. It's entertaining enough, but rehashes of the Brontes and Dickens are not my thing. They should look for new Brontes and new Dickens writing about new people and their situations. There is as much drama in people's lives now as in the 19th Century. The only contemporary things you get are soap operas, which are totally over the top.

Shohei Imamura RIP.
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Wasn't there some uk drama about the lives of people in the lake district or something? I seem to remember that kicking up a bit of a fuss.

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I saw a really dated thing from the UK recently "Tales of the Unexpected" I think it was called. Quite funny it was actually (and not intentionall!)

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"Tales of the Unexpected" was really popular. Young boys liked it because of the bond-like naked lady dancing at the beginning.

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