The writer’s strike is over and yet, they’re more reality shows on than ever now. Here I’ve always felt that the old boob tube was invented to provide me with an escape from reality.  Old fashioned, I know, but I always loved watching fantasies coming out of that small(or big, plasma and HD if you have it) screen.
People wonder why movie companies continue to put shows like the Brady’s, Welcome Back Kotter (scheduled sometime this year)and Bewitched on the big screen. It’s because we as a television watching public are missing that little something called fun. Even when they get it wrong–and they usually do with the remakes, we still go and see them, hoping that someone will get it right. Sometimes, just the theme song and a couple of the old stars coming back in cameo roles satisfy us. The Dukes of Hazard wasn’t half bad, and I credit the soundtrack, Willie Nelson, Stifler, washisname. Ok ok, my husband has informed me that it was definately Jessica Simpson’s Daisy Dukes that made the movie.
The dramas were great too, the men were so handsome–of course they had help from makeup and hair, but I could forget that for a while. The women wore glittering jewelry and skimpy clothes I coudn’t afford, and wouldn’t wear to a dogfight even if I could.   The point was, they weren’t real, and I had such fun tearing apart their petty lives that had nothing in common with my own.  Poor rich lady. She’s so unhappy. Aren’t we lucky we’re poor and can’t afford to buy ugly clothes? Look at that dress! You know that’s why her husband cheats on her!!
Some shows were so bad, they were good, they were safe for me to make fun of with avid acidity, like those 90210’ers from Beverly Hills. Some weren’t that bad, I just watched for the hell of it, in the case of the Wonderbra witches, aka the Charmed ones. Others were mediocre, with faint hints of greatness, like Reba, Everybody Loves Raymond, Cheers, and one of my favorites, Frasier. Mostly fluff, yes, but entertaining and oh so far from reality.Â
I loved being swept away by tv shows, taken outside my life for the space of an hour, maybe two. You know like books, with pictures and sound. Maybe if they made my favorite books into movies or tv shows it might better. Wait, no, they never get those right do they?  But, if I want reality, I’ll watch the news.
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Claudine The Mean-
Welcome to my wicked world where I talk about the important things in life, for instance me! All right, I’ll throw in some books just to make Bonnie happy.
There are some reality shows that I love like Antique Roadshow, but overall there are too many phony “reality” shows out there these days. I too enjoyed some of the comedies. I loved the Seinfeld series which probably should have been called Neurosis and the City. I love romances and mysteries and wish there were more good one on the tube these days. Monk and Psyche are fun. I loved Masterpiece Theatre’s Jane Austen series.
Jacqueline Seewald
THE INFERNO COLLECTION, a romantic suspense mystery thriller
Five Star/Gale
I agree with you, Claudine. I sometimes watch American Idol once they’ve picked the finalists. I don’t like the beginning because “some” of the judges humiliate the poor contestants (or maybe it’s part of the show). I watched the first season of The Apprentice and was totally disgusted with the dog-eat-dog corporate world.
In my area a new channel was added -TV Land – where they were going to air the old shows I grew up with – Andy Griffith, Beaver, Mary Tyler Moore, Bewitched, etc, Now, they’re making up reality shows like High School Reunion, The Big 40 – which I don’t want on there. That’s why I tune into TV Land. I want to get away from reality. LOL
Who can we write to? Doesn’t anybody know how to write good sit-coms anymore? 🙂
Lupe
I never saw the remake of Dukes of Hazzard, but the original TV show was always a must-see. Thanks for recalling all these shows to me. Yeah, I see them on the TV Guide listings, but I don’t go back to watching them: except for Seinfeld as Jacqueline mentioned. I loved watching Gilligan’s Island because of all the corny contraptions like the foot-powered car taxi limo thing! Too funny! And who can ever forget Wrong-way Feldman who landed on the island with such a comic wrong-turn! Gilligan. Geeze. Thanks Claudine~~