7 posts tagged “television”

I like newspapers and fact-checked stories and reading things that I can hold in my hands. I like that the people who wrote them (usually) went to school to learn how to write solid, factual articles. Sure, there's the occasional mistake, or even the blatant lie by a seasoned reporter, but they're still generally reputable.

I can understand the argument that people have with letting the "establishment" determine what stories are important. And it does bother me that news has become such a for-profit industry, with so little attention paid to news around the world. But, there are so many good ways to get free, independent news, via the internet (albeit not so for the major television networks). Access to newspapers from all over the world, and any blogger with a mind to do it can write an opinion piece.

However, it's not often in my life that I come across a phrase as terrifying as "Crowd-Powered Media."

Isn't that just synonymous with "Media of the Mob"? And, as a public, are we really prepared and qualified to determine what news is important.

Will we hear any less about Britney Spears's personal life if the People are the ones deciding what's important?

Probably not. And I'd anticipate hearing more than you'd like. Adopt with caution.  

Dear American Public,

It has come to my attention that there will be a third direct-to-video sequel to the popular 2000 teen flick, "Bring It On."  While the first movie was at least bearable, because of Kirsten Dunst and that adorable boy who played Xander in "Buffy," and because it was chock-full of pop culture references, the sequels have had not an inkling of that same ditzy charm. They are hypersexualized and often objectify women horribly, and send horrible messages to young women about who society wants them to be. So why do they keep getting made?

Because you, the American Public, keep buying them. So, I appeal to your sanity. Please stop. If you stop buying them, I promise they'll stop making them. You are wasting the time of at least four or five screenwriters who would rather be working on the next American masterpiece. You are taking up valuable cable airspace, where if not showing a "Bring it On" marathon, they might instead be showing "The American President," or some other movie that the non-preteen set adores. And you can spend the recovered time building strong daughters. Teach them how to play a sport. Play a board game. Have them learn a musical instrument. Enroll them in actual cheerleading or gymnastic classes, where they'll build self-esteem based on their accomplishments. But stop buying movies for them that tell them that the best, strongest woman they can be is a hypersexual, big-breasted, small-minded cheerleader.

We now return to your regularly scheduled programs.

I haven't had a lot of substance to write about lately - nothing's changed. Unfortunately, I can't gripe about medical school forever (although I have the sheer number of gripes to do so endlessly). So tonight, I'm going to take an hour and write about a show that I watch pretty much religiously, in spite of its rapidly declining quality.

8:00: When Meredith talks now, I just blank out.
8:02: Seth Green is just really lacking in cute Jewish boy-ness when his neck explodes. Haaaahahaha... I love that the intern answered with his number and not his name.
8:03: Jackass Derek.
8:05: Bailey is the one surgeon on this show I've felt bad for ALL season. The writers have done really well turning her into a character truly deserving of sympathy.
 
- Commercial -

8:09: "I don't care if the patient is on fire." Wowwwww.
8:11: "She's saving the life of a white supremacist." To the black husband. Who is officially a jack-ass. I believe that in the timeline of the show, his life was saved by surgeons that his wife works with - how quickly we forget.
8:12: Hahn is the reason that I've ruled out surgery is a career.

- Commercial  -

8:19: Don't do it, Lexie! Don't fall in love with Seth Green! It violates medical ethics EVERYWHERE. What is it with this show and not being able to keep your hands off your patients? I don't care how cute you are - if i'm holding your life (and carotid artery) in my hands, any attraction I had for you is out the window. Now and forever. Plus, in my head, if you're Jewish in real life, any subsequent character you play is Jewish, and I am sure that Lexie is not Jewish. There aren't enough attractive Jewish men. So step off, bitch.
8:24: I don't totally hate Rose. She seems kind and balanced.

- Commercial -

8:31: Hahn is going to have an aneurysm if she keeps talking to herself like that.
8:36: Really. Hahn's going to kill herself with that attitude. I know exactly who in my class is that crazy surgeon woman.
8:37: See, Lexie? If you hadn't been the shiksa woman off snatching hot Jewish men from those of us so deserving, Seth Green's carotid wouldn't have blown and he wouldn't be flat-lining now, and then you wouldn't be crying. Let that be a lesson to you.

- Commercial -

8:45: Way to stick it, Christina. Also, way to screw yourself up hardcore for the rest of your residency. Enjoy the next four years.
8:47: Derek-Rose kiss. Hands off the nurses, Shepherd.

- Commercial -

I got so bored that I got up to make jello and a drink. I came back just in time to see the end of Gizzie, which is perhaps the only good thing to come out of this episode.

Anddd we're back to the frantic dancing.

It was all over the news today. The MTV Video Music Awards were last night, and they sucked it up big time. Outlets are saying things like "Britney and VMAs are desperate" and "ratings lower than ever."

Well, no shit. If MTV wonders why the ratings for the VMAs are lower than ever, all they need to do is look at their programming. Where is the music? They don't even bother trying to hide it behind the facade of shitty reality television shows (and that's a rant for another time). Great bands are making music videos, but the only place to see them is on YouTube. Furthermore, if they keep using the VMAs as a launching ground for such comeback artists as Britney Spears, they're never going to come back. Seriously, she wasn't even that good the first time around - as if a failed marriage and basically going crazy was going to help.

I am a huge fan of music videos. When a video is well-thought and it enhances the song, it can be enough to move someone to tears. Being able to see a person's face as he sings the song can give you insight into what the song is really about, better convey the emotions and the work that went into it. But there just isn't any way to see them on television anymore, and I'm beginning to fear that it is a dying art.

I think I'm going to begin circulating a petition to change the name of MTV to "Rich Teenagers Act Like Assholes and Display Their Lives Publicly" Network. Who's with me?

... a.k.a. How to tell if you've been watching too much Star Trek Voyager of late:

I was leaving to go to Hillel and I couldn't find my glasses. I really haven't gone anywhere for the past three days except downstairs to check the mail on Saturday. I've been trying really hard to pack up as much as I can that I'm not using, mostly books, decorations, and school supplies.

At any rate, I couldn't find my glasses, and couldn't remember for the life of me where I would have put them when I got back from Sally's on Saturday morning. I had been scouring the apartment for about ten minutes, my annoyance building, when all of a sudden, I said aloud, "Computer, locate glasses."

And then I found them.

I've been nannying for the past week or so, and have had many times my usual exposure to PBS and Nick Jr. I spent this morning gathering a few choice reflections on each show that I've had to watch.

It's a Big, Big World

I grew up during what I would consider to be the end of the golden era of children's television. I grew up on Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, before the advent of Barney and Power Rangers. I watched Muppet Babies on Saturday mornings. I loved Sesame. I never feared puppets. However, "It's a Big, Big World" would have freaked the hell out of my two-year old self.

I am almost positive that the giant three-toed sloth that is the omniscient, G-d-like character in this show is on some kind of controlled substance.

Sesame Street

This is not the same Sesame that I grew up on. I'm very resentful of the fact thta Elmo gets a huge chunk of the show, when indeed Big Bird, Snuffy, Oscar, and Cookie Monster are far superior characters. Elmo annoyed me when I was four, and he annoys me just as much now, which is why I cheer for this:

I also don't think that Sesame Street had so many freaking pop culture references. I don't know a single toddler who gives a shit about Matt Lauer being on this show. Really.

Wonderpets

This show really takes the cake. Dear creators, please stop hijacking decent instrumental music. Also, Ming-Ming, I'm sure your Nickelodeon insurance plan covers speech therapy.

If this show tried to shove any more preachy messages into a half-hour show, it would find a way to electronically explode.

When flying to Greece, please don't forget about the fucking Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea you have to fly over to get there. And you can't land an aircraft on the steps of the Parthenon. If you're going to desecrate it, can you at least provide some kind of historical reference? Moreover, why does the inchworm live in the Parthenon, but the Japanese crane lives in a painting?

Nobody celebrates with celery. Nobody.

Fucking stupid know-it-all guinea pig. And I can't figure out if Ming-Ming is a duck or a chicken.

Nobody wants to save pigeons. Especially in New York City. Seriously. I also have problems with the sexist-sounding "You are one leggy bird" phrase when talking about the crane. Let's instill those attitudes early, shall we?

But, I do love that one of the lessons is "Nature is tough." Break 'em down, Nick Jr. Break 'em down.

Barney and Friends

My sister was a first-generation Barney watcher, when it was just Barney and a group of kids ranging from preschool to Bar Mitzvah age (yes, Michael, I'm talking to you). I've never been able to figure out the purchasing pattern of new costumes - do they buy a new one whenever they have a budget surplus?

Where are these kids' parents? Really, what parent says that, in lieu of adequate childcare, they'll allow their kids ot play unsupervised after school with a big purple dinosaur?

Nobody in the world moves their mouth as much as Baby Bop, BJ, or Riff.

Haha.... Riff just called BJ "Beej"... ::snicker::

I really want to see the fossils of the bioluminescient dinosaur.

Teletubbies

I really don't have a problem with this one as much as the others, for some reason. I would just like to know who contemplated it.

Mr. Rogers Neighborhood

It's a sad commentary on our times when the best television for children today was television from decades ago, created by a man who is now dead. If I only own one boxed DVD set when I have children, I hope that it's the complete Mr. Rogers Neighborhood collection. I still really love him, and I'm convinced that lasting peace in the Middle East will be created when we mandate an hour-long nap after lunch, followed by cookies and apple juice and a half-hour of Mr. Rogers.