TV is Evolving!

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Television is Evolving Before Our Very Eyes

October 17th 2006 02:12

Category: Thoughts of a TV Blogger

The face of television is evolving. I think we can all see that, but the question is why?

I have a couple suggestions.

This year we’ve seen the birth, or maybe even over-population, of “serialized

Jericho

dramas.” Shows that continue on week after week, even season after season with the same plot and story arcs. Although some of these new shows have already been axed (Smith and Kidnapped) many of them have found quite loyal audiences that will continue to watch every week (Heroes

Heroes

and Jericho).

The era of the “one-couch-sitcom” is all but dead. Even comedic sitcoms are following suit by making themselves “serialized.” While Seinfeld

Arrested Development

was one of the first comedies to carry storylines and inside jokes to following episodes, comedies like Arrested Development and The Office have taken this aspect to a whole new level. Now newer comedies

30 Rock

like 30 Rock on NBC are continuing this trend.

Tivo Logo

So what has led us to this new kind of TV? Why are more people willing to put up with drawn out storylines? One simple acronym: DVR.
The DVR has changed television. People are now able to digitally record shows, and play them back at a time of their choosing, skipping commercials, and not having to be in front of the TV at a certain time.
I think that 24 really paved the way for these new “serial” shows. It was 24

that really started this whole thing off, after Lost caught on the whole thing shifted into overdrive and networks started searching for any "serial" show they could find.

The Office

For myself I love all these kinds of shows. I think that TV will continue to evolve. Although we have a long way to go, because American Idol is still the number one show in America when it airs (which is sad. Sad and wrong).
I for one am glad about how TV is changing. It seems to be forcing the networks to come up with better and more creative ways of telling stories. Maybe the American viewing public is starting to wise up…except the 30 some-odd million people that watch American Idol, but that’s a different post for a different time.

What’s everyone else’s thoughts on how TV is changing? Do you like it? Is there anything else that you would like to see happen to TV? Do you love me?

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Comments

35 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Nina

October 17th 2006 02:46

Great article! I too am extremely happy about the move from individual episodes to season long cohesiveness.

As well as 24, Alias is another of the shows that really introduced this trend (they started the same year, I believe). I think having season long episode arcs in any show, be it comedy or drama, gives it depth and meaning. It creates another level beyond the superficial - people who watch television because they appreciate it as a storytelling medium also appreciate it when shows give the audience credit to follow through with the interweaving plotlines.

DVR is definitley a factor in this creation. I think it is also a fight back against reality tv. If people want superficiality in their viewing, they can watch reality tv. If they want complexity and depth, then scripted shows now provide that.

Idol rates very well here too. It makes me sad, particularly when shows like Veronica Mars and Alias have to struggle to be aired here

Comment by Adele

October 17th 2006 04:23

Lost Fanatic
Day Break TV

Good post. The DVR is important, as you said, because it allows us to pursue our lives without interfering with our television viewing. More accurately, it allows me to watch and try out tv shows that come on during soccer or ballet practice. Lost comes on after dark, but many good shows come on around seven, when we're still out and about.

Comment by Aaron

October 17th 2006 05:22

Nina: Even though I didn't watch Alias I know what you're saying in reference to it. Also, if we didn't have Alias we wouldn't have Lost because that's really where J.J. Abrams got his start in becoming the God of television show creators.

I hear so much about Veronica Mars, but have never seen an episode. Maybe I should get with it and start watching that show.

Aaron.

Comment by Aaron

October 17th 2006 05:24

Adele: Thanks for the comment. I think the DVR has really changed the viewing public. It seriously has forced advertisers to become more inventive in what they do. How are they going to make people watch their commercials if they end up skipping right passed them? Everything is evolving because of us the viewer. We actually have a say in everything. Look at what downloading music did to the music industry, and is still doing to the industry.

I bet TV changes big time in the next 5 years.

Aaron.

Comment by Sisi

October 17th 2006 09:30

I love Veronica Mars!
I might grow to love you

Haha nicely done dude!

Comment by Aaron

October 17th 2006 15:56

Sisi: I sure hope you grow to love me!
Thanks.

Aaron.

Comment by Wort

October 17th 2006 16:17

Aaronlynsky-Go Jack Bauer! and the rest of the 24 team. How bout we just have no tv commercials, Im going to call it NTVC. Everyone will have it in the future, you watch!

Comment by Aaron

October 17th 2006 16:20

Wort: Hello! Nice to have some Wortley's visiting me here at my site.

Please keep coming back often.

Aaron.

Comment by Anonymous

October 17th 2006 17:09

I'm starting to become a huge fan of your site you have here. The insight you have on television is amazing.

I personally don't spend a lot of time with TV, but I really want to get into some shows. I want to see what all the fuss is about.

What shows do you recommend?

Comment by Aaron

October 17th 2006 17:20

Anonymous: Thanks for your encouraging words.

I recommend:
Lost
24
Prison Break
The Office
My Name Is Earl

I know that's a lot of shows.

Another guide to shows I recommend are shows I review on here. Check out the catagories section. Those are the ones I recommend.

Have a great day.

Aaron.

Comment by Loren

October 17th 2006 17:41

Of course I love you! You're reviews are very insightful, my friend. I love reading them.

Comment by Aaron

October 17th 2006 17:43

Loren: Thanks a bunch. Tell everyone you know about me!

Aaron.

Comment by PokerPro

October 18th 2006 01:38

Hey Aaron

I think something else that is affecting television and our viewing of it is the ability to download episodes
via Torrent sites or otherwise. I am not in any way advocating such behaviour, but it has certainly
put the heebee jeebies up the tv executives.

Otherwise, I am continually appalled at our commercial free to air station's treatment
of program scheduling. It is no wonder that people go in search of other methods, be it Tivo or
online, in order to watch their favourite program.

Comment by Aaron

October 18th 2006 02:03

Poker Pro: I know all about the Torrent sites

Shhhh! No, but it's true. It's the same thing that happened with downloadable music. The music industry has had to drastically change the way it promotes and distributes it's music. The funny thing is. They're always like 3 years behind. The big companies and networks don't like to change. They think that people should form to what they do. But, it really is the consumer in the end. The consumer has the last say. Always.

Thanks for stopping by. Please keep coming by. Do you watch any TV shows PokerPro?

Aaron.

Comment by Joy

October 19th 2006 00:25

Hey Aaron,

The DVR is absolutely glorious. I do love the way shows are shaping up: serialized rather than stories contained in individual episodes. But I also like House, which is by and large a show where stories are not carried over, except for over-arching elements like his bum leg.

Joy

Comment by historylass

October 19th 2006 00:36

The Written Word
History Lass

I think television is a lot more clever than it used to be. Does anyone ever watch old television shows, and think "How could I ever like anything that stupid?" Television is also more likely to comment on current events and make people think. I like all that. And I think that part of the reason why serialized shows are taking off is because television producers have realized the audience is smart enough to remember what happened in last week's episode!

Comment by Aaron

October 19th 2006 00:39

Joy: I agree the DVR is a most glorious and beautiful thing. Also, it drives the networks crazy! And that's always a plus.

Aaron.

Comment by Aaron

October 19th 2006 00:41

hostorylass: I agree with you! I'm glad their finally giving us credit as thinking, breathing human beings. Although there are those shows <cough> CSI: Miami and American Idol that do amazingly well, and require no thinking or even a dumbing down of an audience. So, we've still got a long way to plug along it would seem

Thanks for stopping by, historylass.

Got any shows that you watch regularly?

Aaron.

Comment by historylass

October 19th 2006 01:07

The Written Word
History Lass

I do like Jericho. I'm also a big fan of Boston Legal. To be honest, I tend to watch more history documentaries than anything else. But whenever I catch a drama show that gets me thinking, I generally try to watch it when I can.

Comment by PokerPro

October 19th 2006 02:21

Its funny, I used to watch quite a bit of tv. But now I find all my spare time is taken up on the PC.
I do, however, watch tv through winamp.

My fav show of all time would have to be Red Dwarf. I bought all the videos years ago.

Comment by JohnDoe

October 19th 2006 09:05

Film & TV on DVD

First one that springs to mind for me is david Lynch's Twin Peaks (1990), now that is a show that benefits from DVD technology. Being able to buy a full season and just have a marathon, soaking iot all up is heaven.

American Gothic (1995)also had me rivetted with what would happen next episode.

V (1983) had me glued to the set every week with teh continuing saga.

10 of the best of the new batch for me...miss an episode and your doomed to loose the thread- (no order)

Carnivale
Oz
DeadWood
Sopranos
Battlestar Galactica 2003 (the greatest cliff hangers in modern memory)
Arrested Development
Huff
Dead Like Me/Wonderfalls
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Over There

My Name Is Earl & Spaced though episodic, are highly addictive and stand up to rewatching

Comment by JohnDoe

October 19th 2006 09:08

Film & TV on DVD

damn, how did I forget Entourage, that show is like crack cocaine for me.

Comment by Aaron

October 19th 2006 13:58

historylass: A good drama on TV right now is Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. If you wanted to know.

Aaron.

Comment by Aaron

October 19th 2006 13:59

PokerPro: Yeah Red Dwarf was a great show!

Aaron.

Comment by Aaron

October 19th 2006 14:02

JohnDoe: You've got a great taste in shows. Arrested Development was great, and may it Rest In Peace on DVD. The Sopranos is like my favorite show ever besides Lost. I have all those on DVD.

And what you bring up is a good point and it's something I didn't think of. DVD's have really been a big part of this whole evolving thing hasn't it? I mean what's better than buying a season on DVD and watching the whole thing in 2 days without commercials. It's wonderful.

Aaron.

Comment by Adele

October 19th 2006 15:46

Lost Fanatic
Day Break TV

Is Over There still on? I watched the first season and liked it, but never saw anything about another season.

Comment by Aaron

October 19th 2006 16:21

Adele: I think Over There has been cancelled.

Aaron.

Comment by Adele

October 19th 2006 16:27

Lost Fanatic
Day Break TV

That's too bad. I could get into those characters.

Comment by Aaron

October 19th 2006 16:43

Adele: It was a pretty interesting show. I'm going to have to do a little more reasearch, but I'm pretty sure it was cancelled.

Aaron.

Comment by JohnDoe

October 19th 2006 23:38

Film & TV on DVD

sadly Over There has been cancelled.....rule of thumb is the better the show the shorter the life these days.....

Comment by Aaron

October 19th 2006 23:42

JohnDoe: I think more so the rule is the smarter the show is, the lesser ratings it recieves.

Shows like The Office are still around, but it's ratings still aren't that great. While shows like Two and a Half Men continue to thrive on TV and they suck! CSI: MIAMI is the top rated show in the world. What the hell!?!? That doesn't make any sense.

Aaron.

Comment by JohnDoe

October 20th 2006 00:02

Film & TV on DVD

Right you are Aarron, the smarter the show (IMO smarter = better) the less viewership.

The networks programme it so that reality TV and mindless sitcoms play in prime time. Its not till 11pm that they run shows like Arrested Development, Huff etc, when only nightowls like me are awake to watch.

Again thank god for DVd, I never watch commercial TV I just order what I want from the states. Usually get to see the whole series before they even show it in Oz.

Comment by Aaron

October 22nd 2006 17:56

JohnDoe: I couldn't imagine living in a place where the shows are not on the same schdule as the US. That would kill me having to wait even more.

I'd just be downloading like mad. Torrents are the best things ever invented.

Aaron.

Comment by Jack Flint

November 2nd 2006 01:27

American idol must die. -wait can I say that isnt the FBI going to come arrest me for saying that. Oh well down with american idol and any other show like it. Who wants to see retired football players and saved by the bell pubs for hair no talent actors dance. And rockstars made on tv. What ever happend to rockstars being made by crack cocain those were the good old days. I think tv for a while went the way of the boy bands, or in other words cheap crap and just like all those stupid preteens those thirty somethings proved once again some people never change. Luckily Sienfeld and Simpsons got me through it. I for one am glad for the change. It is frustrating at times because i can hardly afford a TV let alon tivo or anything like it so often times i tune into my favorite show and half the charactors are dead and a billion more are running about like llamas. Man i need to graduate and get a job!

Comment by Aaron

November 2nd 2006 04:16

Jack Flint: Yea gradutate! Get a job! Buy a stinking TV you deadbeat!

Aaron.

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