Lack of good TV

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longtimelurker: Oz is about life in this really rough prison. Theres tonnes of drug abuse/gang violence etc. and the sort of stuff you'd expect to go on. I think the best way to describe it is 'gritty'. I think the reason it is on so late here is that there is also some homosexual rape which would just flood the office with complaint letters from upstanding middle-classed little old ladies!

And about SJP - what I meant wasn't that she is an ugly tramp or anything - she does look alright BUT if you ever read an interview of her she comes across as though she thinks she's the best thing since sliced bread. Just has FAR too high an opinion of herself methinks...

And yes - I am very relieved that no-one has used 'World's blankiest blank' (as Futurama put it - great show!) as their favourite!

 

[B_DoubleMeatWhopper]

In my opinion, HBO has had some of the best series on American TV. Oz was my favourite, but also good are/were The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Sex in the City, The Wire, and let's not forget Real Sex! And hey, does anyone remember Dream On? That was another good HBO original Series. And I got to see the premiere episode of Carnivale last night, and it looks like it's going to be one kick-ass series! Apart from HBO, I always especially enjoyed The X-Files.

 

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TragicWhiteKnight: DMW, 'Dream On' was on HBO? I thought that was an old NBC sitcom from the early 90s by the 'Friends' people with Brian Benben and Michael McKean.

Longhornjok, there's plenty of sitcoms around that don't use canned laughter. Off the top of my head, American examples include the excellent 'Larry Sanders Show', 'Action', 'Freaks and Geeks', 'Undeclared', 'The Job' and the upcoming 'Arrested Development'. Not to mention all the great animated shows ('The Critic', 'Family Guy' et al), and half-hour dramedies like 'Sex and the City'. 'Sportsnight' is just one of many that went without laughtracks (and, in my opinion, one of the weaker ones).

And, of course, 'M*A*S*H' originally didn't have a laughter-track (although one was tacked on when it was first aired, it wasn't produced with one).

To be honest, canned laughter does suit plenty of shows, as long as its kept at the right level; 'Seinfeld' and 'Cheers' without it would truly suck. I think the problem is people are expecting more 'realism' and less vaudeville-mugging; in the UK, when series 2 of 'I'm Alan Partridge', everyone thought it had suddenly acquired a new laughtrack, (which actually always had) because 'The Office', 'The League of Gentlemen' etc have conditioned audiences to be used to the more 'subtle' approach. And while canned laughter can be illustrative of a lame programme, there's plenty that lack it which are even worse (if anyone saw that Noble & Silver crap, they'll know what I mean).

And I'm desperately trying to get hold of 'Carnivale' episodes to watch here in poor old deprived England (where I won't even have a TV), since Kazaa and other TV downloading devices are strictly off-limits at University.

 

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TragicWhiteKnight: Ooh, and has anyone seen Trio's 'Brilliant But Cancelled' schedule? That looks amazing. Pilots of 'Lookwell' starring Adam West, 'Fargo' with Edie Falco, 'LA Confidential' the series, that Jack Black superhero pilot...

I'm a US TV nerd who doesn't have US TV. What a state of affairs.

 

[B_DoubleMeatWhopper]

[quote author=TragicWhiteKnight link=board=99;num=1063921863;start=20#22 date=09/21/03 at 12:24:50]DMW, 'Dream On' was on HBO?  I thought that was an old NBC sitcom from the early 90s by the 'Friends' people with Brian Benben and Michael McKean.[/quote]

It originally aired on HBO, as did The Larry Sanders Show. The strong sexual content would not have been allowed on NBC. The episodes later were heavily edited when they went into syndication.

And I'm desperately trying to get hold of 'Carnivale' episodes to watch here

Carnivale had its debut last week, so only one episode has appeared so far. The second one comes on tonight. It reminds me of the movie Something Wicked This Way Comes, and not just because of the circus theme. Anyone else feels this?