Decline of entertainment?

[ryhoyarbie]

This might be me, but in my opinion it seems entertainment, that being movies, television shows, and music, has declined heavily in the last 10-15 years.

I don't watch anymore television, not unless it's an old show that I used to watch back in the day. I can not stand reality type shows and think those have to be some of the worst shows to come out. They're cheap and easy to produce and people watch them, but I wish networks would wise up and do away with those shows.

Music in general is downright horrible. Yeah you can tell me to look hard for good music from new bands and singers, but I'm not going to do that. Majority of the music I listen to comes from bands and singers 20 years to 45 years ago, from their popular hits on the radio to songs they did that radio stations might not have played, but those songs sound great. Steely Dan, Pat Benatar, Talking Heads, Electric Light Orchestra, The Beatles, The Four Tops, etc.

Movies as a whole have gotten worse. Too much cgi has become the main star in big budget movies and it seems the actors and story have become watered down. The only exception to this would be independent films and films that come out during the oscar months of November and December.

Anyway, that's my rant.

 

[D'Snowth]

I've been saying this for a long time.

What is TV today? Flat, one-dimensional writing chocked full of watered-down sex jokes, big-name celebrities who are famous for really no reason and can't act to save their lives playing all the parts, obligatory ratings-boosters including lesbian kisses between the hot female stars, a forced pregnancy between love interests leading to a force marriage to tie the knot, selecting a random-butt bigger-name celebrity as a celebrity guest star, etc.

What are movies today? Aside from CGI fantasy camps, you got half-wit would-be comedics writing screenplays based on "Gee, what would I do if this happened to me, or if I was in this situation?" Or countless sequels that either get better or worse than the originals, or even movies based on a one-minute comedy sketch, or a random toy, or a YouTube video, etc.

Today's music is either rap or country.

Personally, I don't follow trends. I don't care if everything is going widescreen and 3D, and that you have to CGI your surrounding rather than actually building sets, or relying on jokes and actions based on sex; most people, even people as young as my generation miss what entertainment USED to be, and one of the aspects of my work is that everything will be done the old-fashioned ways.

 

[frogboy4]

I think there's good and bad to be found in every decade's entertainment. I have to admit to being unimpressed with much of the 90's, but here are few items to check out if you haven't already.

As for film, "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" is a beautiful stop motion animated picture that's actually geared more toward adults in a clever, non-smarmy way. Even the CG “How to Train Your Dragon” was a surprisingly better animated film that it needed to be. I’m looking forward to Christopher Nolan’s new picture “Inception” coming out this summer. And I really liked “Kick-A.ss” as violent as it is.

OkGo is a fun non-pretentious music group that gained much of their fame through their clever viral YouTube videos. Their music is well crafted and they don't take themselves too seriously - plus they're reportedly covering "The Muppet Show Theme Song" for the Muppets Revisited album later this year. I know she’s not everyone’s taste, but Lady Gaga epitomizes pop culture of the 80’s back when MTV still played videos. She’s more pop-art than music, but she’s fun and always makes me smile. And for people who prefer a higher grade of rock, the Foo Fighters are still going strong.

Television seems to cancel anything good. "Kings" was a modern retelling of David in the Old Testament that was far too well written to stay on the air, but Netflix it. There are still some quality gems floating around for varying tastes. From kitschy "Glee" and campy "30 Rock" to darker fare like "Dexter" and "Bones" there still is good stuff out there for people who retreat from the toxicity of reality programming.

There’s no competing with nostalgia and not everybody is going to be happy…especially if they want to be. Every generation makes the same sort of judgment on the next generation’s entertainment. There’s a lot of stuff I can’t stand, but I give it all a fair shake and have been surprised. However, nothing’s going to make me hop onto the “Lost” bandwagon, watch naked people eating bugs for cash on “Survivor” or listen to a Jonas Brothers CD. We all have our limits, I suppose.

 

[RedPiggy]

However, nothing’s going to make me hop onto the “Lost” bandwagon

It's Fraggle Rock without Fraggles. Does that make your heart ping at all?

 

[frogboy4]

It's Fraggle Rock without Fraggles. Does that make your heart ping at all?

I've watched "Lost" before and find nothing Fraggley about it aside from the different isolated entities and being out in nature.

I spotted early on that this show is going to be a lot like "Alias" in that it's more about the fun of having the writers yank the chain of the viewers than it is coming up with a satisfying resolution. I predict a lot of unhappy fans at the end of the series wishing that they'd hopped off when I did. Of course, many won't. Just not my type of television and not as intelligent or creative as David Lynch. I’ve already been there, done that.

 

[StreetScenes]

i'm with you on the preference for old stuff, but i don't think there's been a decline. i think the perceived change is due to technology and the fragmentation of the entertainment market.

there have always been way more bad tv shows, movies, and songs than good ones. we just remember better the ones that have stood the test of time. but just buy one of those dvd collections they have at best buy of 100 old films for $20, or try to watch an entire hour's worth of a 1950s game show on youtube, or sift through the dollar bin at a used record store.

but technology has increased our access to the best of the old stuff. it's easier (and cheaper) to find dave brubeck on youtube than it is to find pink martini in a music store, even though people who like one would like the other.

and the reason most people might not know about a band like pink martini, or a show like the wire, or (fill in name of good recent movie...) is that the advertising market is now ridiculously fragmented. there used to be some common movies/shows/music that even if it wasn't really your thing, you would know about. but with the maturation of television as a form of media so well suited for targeted advertising, the whole entertainment industry started to fragment by targeting content and ads to certain audiences.

now we have a special cable channel for every interest under the sun, but nothing on the networks that most people see (except sesame street?). for music, 50 years ago the billboard charts used to reflect what people were buying--buddy holly and jimmy dorsey could be on the charts at the same time. now they have a different chart for every genre, different radio stations to play them, and different places they advertise. so you never hear about good stuff unless you're already looking in the right places.

not that it's not tempting and fun to denounce all modern entertainment as drivel i love a good curmudgeonly harumph at kids these days but really, the change isn't in the quality of the content, it's in the ways to discover it and access it.

 

[Super Scooter]

I do prefer older music/television/movies, but there is still some great stuff coming out... it's just rare.

As Jamie mentioned, How to Train Your Dragon was surprisingly good. I'd go so far as to say it's Dreamworks best movie (and I liked Kung Fu Panda alot). The Dark Knight blew all other Batman fare out of the water (in my opinion), and most of the Superhero movies have been excellent, and a lot of good fun. I feel the majority of modern comedies have become lazy or far too "mature" (or rather immature) for my tastes, but every once in a while there is a good one.

As for TV, I'm loving How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory, though I hate it that they're seperated by the absolutely terrible, filthy, and intellectually insulting Rules of Engagement and Two and a Half Men. The Office, 30 Rock and Community are all pretty great (most of the time).

I'd say music has gone downhill more than anything else. At least popular music has. But I'm still always discovering new and interesting stuff to like. It's just a shame most of it isn't covered on the radio. With the popularity of such ridiculous trash like Owl City's "Fireflies" and the "cookie-cutter" hip-hop and rap, which has become the absolute laziest of art forms, any good music that is released remains relatively unknown.

 

[Drtooth]

I'm gonna have to say it, aren't I?

Even though a bunch of lame, stupid, moronic, arbitrary, self serving, hypocritical, and greed infested rules dominate children's television... and I highly stress this point...

We'll never EVER see cartoons half as terrible as they were in the 1970's

I don't care what you think about Chowder and Spongebob... that's matter of taste stuff. You either see the magic in them or not. No... what about the universal UNAPPEALINGNESS of garbage like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids or that terrible I Dream of Jeannie based cartoon? The whole lame parade of horrible Scooby-Doo/Archies ripoffs. Even Yo Yogi is better than the dreadful Yogi's Space Race.

To be fair, I LOVE Fat Albert, Pink Panther, and Hong Kong Phooey. But Filmation and Hanna Barbera cranked out such... such... well, I can't say the real word I'm thinking of but it's real doo doo. Even a good number of 1980's cartoons were horrid. I mean, Pink panther and Sons? Anyone actually watch that crap? It's HORRIBLE. Even the actual Pink Panther cartoons they put in there had NONE of the charm of the older shorts.

So, we may never get a show as wonderful as Rocko's Modern Life, Animaniacs, or what have you for some time... we'll thankfully never see the likes of Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan ever again.

 

[ryhoyarbie]

Shows like 30 Rock and The Office are fine. I've watched episodes of 30 rock and they're funny, though Tracy Morgan acts like an idiot to get laughs. But whatever works.

I'm really getting tired of superhero movies. They were cute when they started to get big 10 years ago, but now they're everywhere. What's even worse is movie studios are redoing superhero movies that just came out recently, a la Spider-Man. I'm not that much of a superhero type of person. I thought Batman: The Dark Knight was good the second and third time I finally viewed it on cable, but still think it's overhyped. I prefer the one with Keaton and Nicholson.

Although I find Lady Gaga somewhat interesting yet annoying at the same time, I think she's just riding the waves to wherever it takes her thanks to the fascination people have of her, whether it's a love or a hate ordeal. Music in general however blows big time. 99.9% of the so called "artists" couldn't compete with the singers and bands from the 60's through 80's in their prime.

I do some research and discover new bands and singers from 20+ years ago that I didn't know about or discover new songs from bands and singers I didn't know about. Those songs or those bands might not have been that big, but they certainly blow Lil' Wayne, Black Eye Peas, Lady Gaga, and anything else out of the water.

The only select few bands I like that continue today are Weezer (they're great), Cold Play, and Maroon 5 because they actually make some pretty good songs.

 

[D'Snowth]

Personally, I think The Office is a very boring show... not to mention, I'm not exactly a big Steve Carrell fan.

I never really watched 30 Rock, but in all honesty, most of today's "comedies" are hard to get into... I cite the lack of any sides of laughter - live or simulated... I'm not saying these shows NEED an audience or a laugh track, but in all honesty, to hear the sounds of laughter does help make the show you're watching a bit more fun.