Study: Daytime TV Makes You Dumb

[CK]

Not big on team sports besides hockey...I like HNIC!

[tenkani]

Sportsdude, I agree 100%!  A lot of the nature shows are still decent and I enjoy them as well.

  And Kitten, you're right about the Internet. It isn't that the Internet is on average better then TV, because as we all know it's chock full of utter garbage. I think the difference is that the Internet isn't completely controlled by corporations, so if you know how to research, you can find interesting content no matter what your particular interest. A Web site doesn't have to cater to the ignorant masses just to stay "on the air", which is I think the greatest thing about the Net.  

[Sportsdude]

Although I must admit I do love Mythbusters on Discovery Channel.

[Sportsdude]

Here's the show I was talking about its a must watch show for any nature loving person.

  [A href="http://www.wildamerica.com/"]http://www.wildamerica.com/[/A]

[tenkani]

Mythbusters is a great idea, and pretty entertaining, but is exactly what I mean about not seriously going into the science. They're pretty sloppy IMO. But I understand why; they're terribly afraid of being boring.

  This is the most depressing thing about American TV; it's feverish, single-minded focus on short-term ratings. They would rather go with a tried and true recipe for mediocrity than give a great show (like Firefly, Arrested Development, Wonderfalls etc.) a decent chance to succeed.

[Sportsdude]

Well my favourite reality based tv show isn't made by americans. On the BBC in the morning at 6am ct there is this show called location. Its two realitors helping out a couple find a home in Britian. But the show ends up becoming sort of a travel show because they do indepth on the city they are covering. For example, 2 weeks ago they helped a family try to get a house in Bath, England. Bath was built by the romans and is a world heritage site. The place is freakin awesome. Anyway what I'm getting to is that reality television can break its fakeness but it seems that is not the case usually.

[tenkani]

Yeah, you've got a point.

  There's nothing wrong with the concept of reality TV. It's just how it tends to be carried out, especially in the states. Again, the problem isn't that some poeple choose to pollute their brains with a steady diet of mental junk food. The problem is that there are so many of those folks that challenging shows get canned right off the bat far too often. It's really heartbreaking sometimes...

  I'm a big fan of british TV as well. Especially the comedy. Then again, I'm sure it's usually the winners that make it over here to the states (public TV usually) and I don't get to see all the misses that british viewers are subjected to.

[Sportsdude]

Yeah I must admit I watch footballer wive$ and Little Britian.

[tenkani]

Little Britain is FANTASTIC!!

I just hope they don't fall into the old trap of getting lazy and doing variations of the same sketch over and over...

  One reason I loved Mr. Show was that they made a commitment to never re-use a character. It was hell on the comedy writers, but kept them on their toes!

[CK]

a lot of time I turn on TV and I admit, I need junk food for the brain. I like reruns of SCTV and kids in the hall. Chapelle's show rocks too...well the 2 seasons do anyways.

[Marik]

Nothing is worse than Japanese television. The same celebrities are sampling food and almost always say "umai/oishii!" (tastes good).  They also have a version of who wants to be a millionaire, (and other American game shows) but when they come up with their own game show, the result is absolutely dreadful. Although Takeshi's Castle (MXC) was pretty entertaining.

[tenkani]

What??? Kids in the Hall and Chapelle's show are NOTT (!!!!) junk food for the brain!!

  Don't get me wrong, a show doesn't have to be serious to be worthwhile. Shows like that IMO are challenging and creative. Their refusal to follow the "rules" is what made them great!

  As far as Takeshi's Castle. I have yet to see the original show in Japanese, but I've seen plenty of screen shots...enough to be thoroughly disgusted. I wonder if they have it at Netflix!!!    



  Japanese game shows like Teh Castle are both worse and better than their American counterparts. I mean, they take humiliation and horror to the next level, but honestly I'd rather watch someone being sexually assaulted by a dog than ever watch another episode of Real World.