Television 2012: Can't We All Just Get Along?

In the past two weeks, I've posted two pieces about the positive and long lasting impact of TV. My main points were:

1. People DO watch a LOT of TV -- more than ever, in fact;
2. Much of today's TV is, generally speaking, awfully good;
3. When used responsibly, TV can actually help bring people together.

There have been positive responses to these posts. Some remembered the collective experiences brought up in the last piece. Others noted how incredibly good TV has gotten recently. To those people, thank you.

However -- Boy oh Boy! -- judging by a number of comments, many of you clearly believe that TV is the Devil's PA System, and that I am the Assistant Principle at Beelzebub High. Some even suggested that by watching TV with my children, I was dooming them to become "Zombies of the great consumer culture." (Note: my kids are good, but thanks for your concern. We do much more than watch TV together, including eating, traveling, school work and reading humorously off the wall rants on the interwebs.)

This week, I've decided to directly address both the TV Lovers and the TV Haters out there.

First up, to those who read HuffPo TV and then write scathing comments about TV, this is for you:

If you hate TV so very much, what the holy heck are you doing on something called HuffPo TV? Shouldn't you be at a book store reading hardcover books or at a craft club sewing suede patches onto your tweed jackets or something? If you don't like television, if, you in fact hate TV, I totally and utterly respect that opinion. I would never ask you to watch something you disdain, nor would I suggest you bring a device that gives you such a karmic rash into your home.

However, visiting a site dedicated to TV and then bashing, wholesale, an entire art form -- anonymously, mind you -- is the very type of knee-jerk reaction I highlighted in my last post, that has made our society so incredibly polarized. Quite obviously, you are entitled to your opinion and free to post it wherever you want. But when you call those who like and watch TV "mindless," you are being both unkind and unfair to 95% of your fellow citizens. (What's more, doing so incognito avoids accountability for such insults.) This is one of many reasons I would argue that TV Time is a superior cultural influence than the "comments" sections of the internet where you seem to spend much of your free time.

Is all TV good? Of course not! A lot of TV is crap. But denigrating ALL TV as evil is like burning all books because Snooki is now a best-selling author. (That's right, bitches, Snooki has infiltrated BOOKS. How do you like them apples?) There are many books, magazines and newspapers that I personally believe are detrimental to society. But that doesn't ruin my opinion of the written word or compel me to post comments like "STOP READING AND START KNITTING."

Hey, I know I'm not going to convince someone who "burned their TV years ago" to sign up for cable. But, on behalf of those of us who actually love TV, I gotta ask you to dial back the screed a tad. We don't need you to tell us to read a book or talk to our kids. We do those things too.

HuffPo has literally thousands of pages of stuff about subjects OTHER than TV. I suggest you enjoy them.

For those of you who watch/like/LOVE TV like I do, I offer this list of reasons to reaffirm your passion for medium in year ahead (or, for those "Book People" out there who might be considering joining the dark side):

THE 11 BEST REASONS TO OWN A TV IN 2012:

11. While it doesn't keep you as warm as a fireplace, it uses a lot less wood. (I speak for the trees!)

10. TWO WORDS: LOUIS CK (ok, technically that's one word and two letters, but you get my point, right?). CK's Louie is the 21^st Century Archie Bunker.

9. Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. I have to admit, when he first got the gig, I was, like, "Dude?" Now, I'm like "Dude!!"

8. Dexter... C'mon, a serial killer as a hero? That's genius. And the last episode of the past season saved the show from the shark jump and gave everyone a reason to get on board for the last two seasons.

7. Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert. It's not fake news, it's News-ish. With the presidential election ahead, 2012 promises to be a career year for both. Plus, the sexual tension between those two is just terrific.

6. Arrested Development. One of the best comedies of all time -- now running on IFC. (Yes, it's a shameless plug. But you have to admit, you love that show, right? Right? Made ya smile!)

5. Jimmy Kimmel. I hate to have two things named Jimmy on this list, but the guy makes it ok for normal people to be on TV. Plus he employs more of his own family than the Kardashians. Nice.

4. Saturday Night Live & The Simpsons. Combined, they've been on TV for nearly 60 years. If that's not an endorsement of TV, I don't know what is. Do you? DO YOU?!

3. Nothing else I could hang on my wall would work so nicely with the room.

2. Portlandia. Returns to IFC January 6! I know, this is the second shameless plug of the list. But hey, it's really a great show -- it would have easily made at least #7 on this list if I didn't work there. Plus, HuffPo doesn't pay me squat for this stuff, so...

1. Bryan Cranston. First, he was Tim Whatley. Then he was Malcolm's dad. Now, he's Walter White. The first two would pretty much make the career for most actors. But Cranston's acting trajectory in Breaking Bad is one of the all-time TV greats. In short, he just kicks ass. If you don't own a TV, this one guy alone is worth the price of entry. Give it a taste. You'll go back for more.

So, to those of you who hate TV -- I have to say, you really don't know what you're missing. To those of you who love TV -- it looks like a great year ahead. Hopefully, in the year ahead, we can all set a good example and learn to get along.

To everyone in both camps: Here's to a great 2012... HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

Follow Evan Shapiro on Twitter: www.twitter.com/eshap

Comments

[johnnybic]

03:42 PM on 01/03/2012

Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert: Plus, the sexual tension between those two is just terrific."

Thanks for my first New Year's guffaw!!

[pjlowry]

07:01 AM on 01/02/2012

Last night's season two premiere of SHERLOCK is all the reason I need to keep my Television, but there are countless others. Shameless, Californication, Castle, Mythbusters, Person Of Interest and Spartacus will keep me entertained until Game Of Thrones and Burn Notice return in the spring...

[telefvrad]

06:57 PM on 01/01/2012

You are far too generous, talking about "TV" in general. What you mean is CABLE TV. Nine of your ten choices are from the cable universe, and Jimmy Fallon, the only network exception, is a LATE NIGHT show.

If you talk about the free-broadcast networks, TV remains very much a watered down dungeon of dreck.

But Cable is home to a veritable golden age. We're talking night and day here.

[Fez]

06:27 PM on 01/01/2012

I got rid of my TV in 1983 but from time to time I watch some. It's like visiting another planet, one where people sell stuff to other people who can't afford it and don't need it. No doubt there are many great things on TV (especially the "off" button) and many upstanding citizens watch it all the time. And from what I've heard of "Portlandia" I would enjoy it. That said, in the past 29 years I was able to complete a graduate education, learn to play several musical instruments, read hundreds of books, and enjoy some peace and quiet, none of which I would have done had I kept watching TV. But I encourage all of you TV fans to soldier on. When they start hanging Wall Street bankers on live TV I will run right out and buy a double mocha caramel macchiato 70-inch plasma TV to enjoy the celebration.

[THINKB4USPEAK]

10:36 AM on 01/01/2012

My tv is constantly on when I am home and awake. I would estimate that I actually watch it less than five percent of that time (Mostly news) due to the fact that it is simply boring. "There is nothing new under the sun.", nor in that glowing box I feed electricity to all day.

[Vapula]

02:15 AM on 01/01/2012

Television demonstrates that people would watch paint dry if it were broadcast. You have, after all, seen the burning log fire or the coastal shots? I dislike TV and would ditch it in a heartbeat but the wife like to watch it so I would not deny her her pleasure. But I can still not get away from the idea that most people find stimulation in the most mundane things and think it interesting. If you want to vomit watch Jerry Springer or Maury. If you want to confirm you haven't a life watch a reality show. The shallowness of human life is laid bare with the programs people believe are significant.

[professor]

01:04 AM on 01/01/2012

All TV is bad. The fact that I have to say this in such an infantile way just proves it. Read 4 Arguments for the Abolishment of TV. All of it, all of it, is pndring for your money. Pndring, in case you didn't know, is bad.

[Oginikwe]

06:12 PM on 01/01/2012

It was "Four Arguments for the Elimination of Televison" by Gerry (Jerry?) Mander. Very interesting read.

[pjlowry]

07:03 AM on 01/02/2012

It was the late George Carlin who once said "show me someone who watches TV all day and I'll show you someone who is staying out of trouble..."

[Nazaria]

08:29 AM on 12/30/2011

Mr. Shapiro, I do agree that not all TV is bad, the majority is mediocere at best. I personally am a very strong supporter of PBS. Knitting is very theraputic and allows creativeity, but reading is a life skill we all need to do more of. As far as your top 12 list, I have no desire towatch any of these programs and have not watched SNL since John Belushi.

[Beachdnagirl]

07:12 AM on 12/30/2011

1. The Bachelor
2. Real Housewives of blah blah blah
3. Fox "News"
4. Regis and whoever
5. Wheel of Fortune
6. Wipe Out/Wife Swap (take your pick)
7. Celebrity Apprentice
8. The "History" channel's series on aliens in which they interview "experts" who believe in aliens
9. The People's Court
10. Extreme Makeover

[BooksAboutMovies]

11:34 AM on 12/29/2011

TV is better today than it has ever been, since the 600-channel, 24/7 nature of the medium (plus the wonders of the DVR) allows for a great majority of the best shows (and movies) ever created to be available right now when the viewer wants it.
I have been listening to people brag about not having a TV in their house because some of the content is awful for 50 years, and I still think it's the same as saying you won't read any books at all because Harold Robbins, Tom Clancy, Jacqueline Susanne or any other author you hate is allowed to write novels. It's fair to criticize the content of any medium (and Arrested Development is not that funny if you find people doing embarrassing things sad rather than comic, as a mature person should) but criticizing an entire medium because some of it is stupid, is in itself stupid.

[pjlowry]

07:05 AM on 01/02/2012

The invention of the DVR has made television viewing better for everything. If it's a nice day outside, I'm not going to stay in and watch TV. I'll have the DVR tape whatever is on and I'll go out and play with the kids. Then when it's raning/snowing and there's nothing to do... there's six new episodes on the TV ready to go for a commercial free marathon. Great fun!

[spaceytracy91]

11:18 AM on 12/29/2011

I love a good Bryan Cranston shout out.

[coreten]

10:49 AM on 12/29/2011

I don't know, is it the TV we don't like or is it the canging tastes of the current society. I used to love watching TV. Today, I find no redeeming value in most of the shows, be it drama or comedy. I know my likes or dislikes did not change, so, I believe the change lies in the targeting everything to appeal to today's society, whose tastes have become quite different than mine.

[c-tom]

10:08 AM on 12/29/2011

Theodore Sturgeon was asked why he wrote science fiction when 90% of the genre was crap. He replied 90% of everything is crap. This became known as "Sturgeon's Law" and it certainly applies to TV.

[Ashley Jane Konrad]

10:29 AM on 12/29/2011

Awesome article! I agree with every suggestion Mr. Shapiro made. Sir, you should be President.

[earto44]

09:27 AM on 12/29/2011

Arrested.. Arrested. That will be a very big day for the tee vee machine when that show returns.

Wow. Can't wait.

[MissFrijole]

07:37 AM on 12/29/2011

I cancelled my cable to save money, but I do still have my streaming capabilities. I hope that Hulu catches up and gets more shows in its library. I enjoyed the four/five channels I watched while I had TV, but I got really sick of the hundreds of reruns and mind-numbing commercials that dominated. It seemed there were more and more commercials and less time of the actual show. There were times where I forgot what I was watching because of the seemingly endless commercials! It wasn't worth the 60 bucks a month to watch so few channels and out of those shows I watched, hardly any would be NEW. I began to hate myself for enjoying reality shows and I even was embarrassed to have someone catch me watching them! So...in an attempt to save face and money, I cut that out of my life! It's been a great two weeks. LOL! I hope I can keep it up.