Still laying on the couch sick and coughing so much that my brains kind of slosh from side to side; but at least TiVo is starting to entertain me a bit. This morning I watched a new show on Showtime called “Dead Like Me,” which is stylish, funny, and brilliantly written and directed. I’ll be getting a season pass for this one.
I don’t understand why this crop of original cable series – The Sopranos, Sex and the City, Six Feet Under – are not mirrored by better programming on regular network television. The only thing I can figure is that networks are still laboring under the misconception that they must reach the broadest (and stupidest) audience possible. In this day and age, when networks complain about the erosion of their audience due to cable television, why don’t they abandon their business-as-usual attitude and try broadcasting programming of a higher quality designed for niche audiences? Then, maybe they could regain some of the luster of the days of Playhouse 90 and the like, back when there were only 2 television channels, featuring programming that today would be considered boring and a money loss. What television network has a symphony orchestra on it’s payroll these days?
You’re right, there is good T.V. if you know where to look. A classic example is that TNN (soon to be Spike TV once Spike Lee pulls his head out of his ass) has brought back ‘Ren and Stimpy’ with new episodes and all it’s wonderfull glory.
I’m now waiting for new episodes of ‘The Shield’ at any time now.
Keep a close eye on cable however, they’ll not only try to convince you that ‘Sex and the City’ is a good show, but they will also try to convince you that Sara J. Parker is the least bit attractive- yeah, I said it.