Is Televisions Golden Age dying?

[ABNorman]

If I watch all my TV on my laptop - is it still TV?

[epilogue]

What does Confucius say?

[doug rr]

What does Confucius say?

many man smoke but few man chew

[LoathedVermin72]

Mad Men, specifically, has tremendous visual style. But maybe what I like more about TV than film right now is that's veering toward being much more a writer's medium. The visual aesthetic you find so lacking (of which I disagree) is made up for by a writer's aesthetic. Which, as a writer, I think is great.

Maybe shows are directed in a gun-for-hire way (again, we're seeing a drastic slant away from this) but it's fine because people like Matt Weiner and Vince Gilliagan and Dave and Dan over at GoT, and Damon Lindelof (love him or hate him) have much more control over their content. Many of these shows have the same people writing the majority of the episodes. There is a clear, consistent vision.

Aaaand this is exactly why I DON'T like TV. The idea of a writer's medium goes totally against what I like about movies. Maybe there's a consistent vision, but it's a narrative vision, not an aesthetic one, and personally, I don't really care about narrative.

So you just watch movies for pretty pictures?

I would say I primarily watch movies for aesthetic pleasure, so in a way, kind of. It's not the only reason, but it's the biggest one.

[Monkey_Driven]

Mad Men, specifically, has tremendous visual style. But maybe what I like more about TV than film right now is that's veering toward being much more a writer's medium. The visual aesthetic you find so lacking (of which I disagree) is made up for by a writer's aesthetic. Which, as a writer, I think is great.

Maybe shows are directed in a gun-for-hire way (again, we're seeing a drastic slant away from this) but it's fine because people like Matt Weiner and Vince Gilliagan and Dave and Dan over at GoT, and Damon Lindelof (love him or hate him) have much more control over their content. Many of these shows have the same people writing the majority of the episodes. There is a clear, consistent vision.

Aaaand this is exactly why I DON'T like TV. The idea of a writer's medium goes totally against what I like about movies. Maybe there's a consistent vision, but it's a narrative vision, not an aesthetic one, and personally, I don't really care about narrative.

So you just watch movies for pretty pictures?

I would say I primarily watch movies for aesthetic pleasure, so in a way, kind of. It's not the only reason, but it's the biggest one.

Did you happen to watch True Detective on HBO?

[lennytheweedwhacker]

you guys watch tv differently than I do

can i borrow your season 3 copy of mad about you?

[Farmer John]

I also thought Breaking Bad and Fargo were both visually beautiful, but I probably don't know what I'm talking about.

[doug rr]

you guys watch tv differently than I do

can i borrow your season 3 copy of mad about you?

I never watched that show lenny

[LoathedVermin72]

Mad Men, specifically, has tremendous visual style. But maybe what I like more about TV than film right now is that's veering toward being much more a writer's medium. The visual aesthetic you find so lacking (of which I disagree) is made up for by a writer's aesthetic. Which, as a writer, I think is great.

Maybe shows are directed in a gun-for-hire way (again, we're seeing a drastic slant away from this) but it's fine because people like Matt Weiner and Vince Gilliagan and Dave and Dan over at GoT, and Damon Lindelof (love him or hate him) have much more control over their content. Many of these shows have the same people writing the majority of the episodes. There is a clear, consistent vision.

Aaaand this is exactly why I DON'T like TV. The idea of a writer's medium goes totally against what I like about movies. Maybe there's a consistent vision, but it's a narrative vision, not an aesthetic one, and personally, I don't really care about narrative.

So you just watch movies for pretty pictures?

I would say I primarily watch movies for aesthetic pleasure, so in a way, kind of. It's not the only reason, but it's the biggest one.

Did you happen to watch True Detective on HBO?

I actually haven't, but I'm well aware this could be the exception to the TV rule. I love Fukanaga's movies.

[tommymtcom]

I also thought Breaking Bad and Fargo were both visually beautiful, but I probably don't know what I'm talking about.

Hannibal should also be added to the list of visually stunning TV (maybe the most beautifully shot of the bunch)

[LoathedVermin72]

I also thought Breaking Bad and Fargo were both visually beautiful, but I probably don't know what I'm talking about.

The Fargo pilot actually did look pretty good visually, but I was put off by its blatant attempt at emulating the Coen aesthetic and tone. It felt like a watered down copy of a good original. They totally lost me when Martin Freeman was accosted on the street. I was done at that point.

Also, I thought the Hannibal pilot was pure garbage. And I LOVE Mads Mikkelsen.

[Farmer John]

I also thought Breaking Bad and Fargo were both visually beautiful, but I probably don't know what I'm talking about.

Hannibal should also be added to the list of visually stunning TV (maybe the most beautifully shot of the bunch)

I'm in the middle of season one of Hannibal and I agree.

[Farmer John]

They totally lost me when Martin Freeman was accosted on the street. I was done at that point.

That seems like a totally random thing to turn you off of a show. Please explain.

[epilogue]

Mad Men, specifically, has tremendous visual style. But maybe what I like more about TV than film right now is that's veering toward being much more a writer's medium. The visual aesthetic you find so lacking (of which I disagree) is made up for by a writer's aesthetic. Which, as a writer, I think is great.

Maybe shows are directed in a gun-for-hire way (again, we're seeing a drastic slant away from this) but it's fine because people like Matt Weiner and Vince Gilliagan and Dave and Dan over at GoT, and Damon Lindelof (love him or hate him) have much more control over their content. Many of these shows have the same people writing the majority of the episodes. There is a clear, consistent vision.

Aaaand this is exactly why I DON'T like TV. The idea of a writer's medium goes totally against what I like about movies. Maybe there's a consistent vision, but it's a narrative vision, not an aesthetic one, and personally, I don't really care about narrative.

So you just watch movies for pretty pictures?

I would say I primarily watch movies for aesthetic pleasure, so in a way, kind of. It's not the only reason, but it's the biggest one.

Fair enough.

Have you tried watching shows like Mad Men, Breaking Bad and Fargo with the sound off?

[@SkitchP]

I think the issue here is that you are looking for something entirely different in television than everyone else LV. Television isn't the cinema. The advantage of the long form story telling IS the narrative and character development, and this golden age is about the mastery of that we've seen over the past 10-15 years. If you are only interested in the visual elements, then I guess I can see your point. But your perspective is entirely different than everyone else in the thread, so there really is no point in engaging in that discussion with you. We're talking about pizza, and you're saying the pizza isn't very good because it's not ice cream.

[epilogue]

I also thought Breaking Bad and Fargo were both visually beautiful, but I probably don't know what I'm talking about.

The Fargo pilot actually did look pretty good visually, but I was put off by its blatant attempt at emulating the Coen aesthetic and tone. It felt like a watered down copy of a good original. They totally lost me when Martin Freeman was accosted on the street. I was done at that point.

Fargo actually got better as it went on. I won't say it stopped altogether, but they put the breaks on the Coen impression after a few episodes and it really became its own thing. But I actually agree with you on that point.

Still a phenomenal show, though. Even in its worst moments of "poor copy."

[doug rr]

joey is going to hate me but I stopped watching mad men 2 episodes in this year...I really loved it from the beginning but just got bored with it I think...

*runs for cover

[epilogue]

I think the issue here is that you are looking for something entirely different in television than everyone else LV. Television isn't the cinema. The advantage of the long form story telling IS the narrative and character development, and this golden age is about the mastery of that we've seen over the past 10-15 years. If you are only interested in the visual elements, then I guess I can see your point. But your perspective is entirely different than everyone else in the thread, so there really is no point in engaging in that discussion with you. We're talking about pizza, and you're saying the pizza isn't very good because it's not ice cream.

This is a great post, Skitch, but I need to know whether or not you laughed at my joke about watching shows with the sound off.

[Monkey_Driven]

I think the issue here is that you are looking for something entirely different in television than everyone else LV. Television isn't the cinema. The advantage of the long form story telling IS the narrative and character development, and this golden age is about the mastery of that we've seen over the past 10-15 years. If you are only interested in the visual elements, then I guess I can see your point. But your perspective is entirely different than everyone else in the thread, so there really is no point in engaging in that discussion with you. We're talking about pizza, and you're saying the pizza isn't very good because it's not ice cream.

You are better with words than I am. Well said.

[@SkitchP]

I think the issue here is that you are looking for something entirely different in television than everyone else LV. Television isn't the cinema. The advantage of the long form story telling IS the narrative and character development, and this golden age is about the mastery of that we've seen over the past 10-15 years. If you are only interested in the visual elements, then I guess I can see your point. But your perspective is entirely different than everyone else in the thread, so there really is no point in engaging in that discussion with you. We're talking about pizza, and you're saying the pizza isn't very good because it's not ice cream.

This is a great post, Skitch, but I need to know whether or not you laughed at my joke about watching shows with the sound off.

I feel like you said i made a great post just so you could as me that.

which i am cool with. And yes, I liked your sound off joke.