Interesting piece! I suppose M*A*S*H is the only TV show I can think of that qualifies as "canon" and is also nuanced (compared to most television) in the way it presents moral problems.
It's not that I don't agree with you. I do. Our culture is being carried along in a river of banality. But that doesn't mean worthy (so-called) TV shows don't exist. The Wire probably qualifies -- not because so many people like it, but because so many people like it for important *reasons*. Thumbs up or thumbs down is a piss poor way to evaluate art, but thanks to the commodification of everything in terms of entertainment value (yes, I'm quoting myself here), it's basically all we've got at scale.
The only way we'll be able to collectively cull the gems of longform visual storytelling (TV) from the endless tidal wave of garbage is by developing a widely accepted model of evaluation that transcends "entertainment." Some people are trying, but it's hard because not enough people realize it's even necessary.
Interesting piece! I suppose M*A*S*H is the only TV show I can think of that qualifies as "canon" and is also nuanced (compared to most television) in the way it presents moral problems.
Oh man I want to argue with you so bad.
I think TV is complicated. Our situation is that shows that deserve our attention and respect are obscured by the bottomless glut alongside which they helplessly exist. I wrote about this in https://thedispatches.substack.com/p/everything-is-not-entertainment
It's not that I don't agree with you. I do. Our culture is being carried along in a river of banality. But that doesn't mean worthy (so-called) TV shows don't exist. The Wire probably qualifies -- not because so many people like it, but because so many people like it for important *reasons*. Thumbs up or thumbs down is a piss poor way to evaluate art, but thanks to the commodification of everything in terms of entertainment value (yes, I'm quoting myself here), it's basically all we've got at scale.
The only way we'll be able to collectively cull the gems of longform visual storytelling (TV) from the endless tidal wave of garbage is by developing a widely accepted model of evaluation that transcends "entertainment." Some people are trying, but it's hard because not enough people realize it's even necessary.
Nothing for it, I guess, but to keep preaching.
If you wonder who is watching "I Love Lucy" - better ask who is not....
https://nationaltoday.com/national-i-love-lucy-day/
Food for thought here and lots to follow up on