Day 11 - A show that disappointed you.

[osprey_archer]

Day 11 - A show that disappointed you.

Downton Abbey, but I’ve posted so many times about how my disillusionment that I’m tired of writing about it and you’re probably tired of reading it, too. So let’s see if I can think of another show that fits…

Well, actually, I’m kind of spoiled for choice here. Television, especially American TV shows, often seems like an inherently disappointing medium, because they’re so rarely the right length. Either shows are canceled too soon, which is disappointing because of their lack of resolution - Firefly, Wonderfalls, Rome all come to mind.

Or shows hang around after the magic is gone and are disappointing because they lack their former brilliance. I adore Veronica Mars, but it definitely lost its way during the last third of the third season. And at least Veronica Mars got put out of its misery pretty quickly: other shows hang on for ages, like The West Wing, which was really never as good again after Aaron Sorkin left.

And then there are shows like Psych, which I keep quitting because its handling of race and gender and...basically everything, really… frustrates me so much (but I always end up coming back for the goofy mysteries and the camaraderie between Shawn and Gus). Clearly I’m just super hard to please.

Basically, my feeling is that the open-ended episodic we’ll-keep-it-on-the-air-as-long-as-ratings-dictate format sets TV up to be disappointing. It leaves the artistic decisions too much up to chance.

Comments

[silverusagi]

I can't believe Downton Abbey got so many Emmy nominations. WHY.

open-ended episodic we’ll-keep-it-on-the-air-as-long-as-ratings-dictate format sets TV up to be disappointing.

It's a rare showrunner who will end things because it's time to stop and not just keep going because why not.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

They're giving Downton Abbey Emmy nominations this year? WHAT.

Even if the network execs don't insist on continuing popular series, I suspect the prospect of all that beautiful money seduces showrunners away from the path of letting the story end when it ought to end. It's just an unfortunate business model.

[goldjadeocean.livejournal.com]

This was why when my beloved Flashpoint announced its fifth season would be its last, I mourned, but I could accept it as well. I hate that it's gone, but I appreciate the fact that it ended before I wanted it to, rather than after.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's really better for TV shows to go out a little too soon than a lot too late. A too-early cancellation rarely retroactively spoils earlier seasons, whereas a show that keeps going and going and going totally can.

[entwashian.livejournal.com]

That's why I'm finding it so difficult to figure out which shows to marathon with my sister! There's absolutely nothing with a satisfying conclusion. There's either a cliffhanger, or it lives long enough to see itself become the villain. We're watching The 4400 right now, and we're in the back half of the 4th & final season, and we've hated almost every single moment of the last 2 episodes. But we feel like we have to finish, since we only have 3 more!

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I know! Once I've sunk so much time into a show, it just feels silly to drop it a few episodes from the end, even if it no longer has any redeeming qualities.

What other shows are you thinking about marathoning with your sister?

[entwashian.livejournal.com]

I don't know! We're just trying stuff that I've been wanting to see? We did Roswell, which I already knew & liked, then we tried Longmire, but she didn't like it, so I watched that on my own, then we did Alphas, which we both liked, but of course that ended abruptly, and now I don't know what's going to happen after we finish The 4400. XD