Why is modern screen entertainment so depressing?

KyAllroad wrote: Good offensive to everyone cartoons are the best. Did you ever watch "Tripping The Rift"? Pure awesome.

Nope, but I will now...

Jon H. Benjamin also voiced the coach in Home Movies? (Was that the name?)

ultraclyde wrote: Archer - oh yeah! You know the voice actor for Archer also does Bob in Bob's burgers, right? Another great show.

And Carl on Family Guy, and the can of soup in Wet Hot American Summer. Jon Benjamin is a national treasure. But Archer is his finest work by far. It's safe to call me obsessed with that show.

H. Jon Benjamin was on one of my other favorite shows: Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist

z31maniac wrote: Since you think all TV sucks, ummm, read a book?

I average a book a week most of the time.

I honestly think a lot of the newer shows are so depressing, because many people love to watch people who are more miserable than they are. Misery loves company. That's not my personality, if the protagonist never succeeds, I lose interest.

Many shows start out good and after a season or two head down hill quickly. Bones, White Collar, House, and Burn Notice come to mind. They started out spectacular, then, after a season or two, turned into soap operas. The Flash, after two seasons is decent, but still a pretty dark show. I'm a season into Green Arrow and it's not looking promising. When the lead character makes up and breaks up with the same girl for the 4th time, that's not a plot twist, that's poor writing. It could be as simple as the better writers moving on to new projects and they bring in a hack writer to continue the series.

NCIS is one of the few shows that has done a pretty good job of staying true to their formula. They have managed to keep the fluff to a minimum and just do what they do best. Crime drama with a minimum of stupid. I finished the last of them on Netflix a month ago and moved on to newer shows.

All else fails, I'll just turn the damn thing off and go out to the shop. I've got a new wood clock that needs building.

Tom_Spangler wrote: IMHO, we are living in a golden age of TV drama, and have been since The Sopranos.

+1. Good post. If TV drama isn't what you want then you are missing out on a lot of great shows. TV is better than movies these days by far. We have a hard time keeping up with all our shows.

Tom_Spangler wrote:

ultraclyde wrote: Archer - oh yeah! You know the voice actor for Archer also does Bob in Bob's burgers, right? Another great show.

And Carl on Family Guy, and the can of soup in Wet Hot American Summer. Jon Benjamin is a national treasure. But Archer is his finest work by far. It's safe to call me obsessed with that show.

And The Master on Venture Brothers. He's a great voice actor. Right up there with Patrick Warburton.

The kids from Bob's Burgers also do voices as different people in Season 4 of Archer, and the voices for some of Jake's kids on Adventure Time.

Dr who is the best show on tv imho. Berking amazing how they weave plotlines together over and over.

Tom_Spangler wrote:

ultraclyde wrote: Archer - oh yeah! You know the voice actor for Archer also does Bob in Bob's burgers, right? Another great show.

And Carl on Family Guy, and the can of soup in Wet Hot American Summer. Jon Benjamin is a national treasure. But Archer is his finest work by far. It's safe to call me obsessed with that show.

Uhhh, I won't admit how many times I've watched through what is on Netflix.

I just watched 3 episodes of season 3 whilst on the treadmill.

Can't believe nobody's mentioned BBC's Sherlock. Writing is top notch and Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman and the rest of the cast are as good as it gets. If you haven't seen it, you're missing out, esp. since Netflix has it on streaming......

Jim Gaffigan show is funny as hell. The other shows I watch regularly are mostly crime shows. NCIS, Quantico, and the Americans which is pretty dark but very addictive. Otherwise I watch docs and occasionally watch the drivel that entertains The Wife. Of that the most entertaining is the train wreck of Sister Wives to provide obnoxious commentary. Flying out to Vegas I was in the middle seat and both Wife and the woman on the other side of me were watching it and at one point I made a comment and the woman stuck next to me almost choked on her snack. I also can't pass up a Law and Order rerun if I come across one.

I'll send Rick (burp) and Morty.

They are on the crime side but I watch Quantico, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Blind Spot and Blue Boods.

In reply to 92dxman:

My wife loves Blue Bloods but I can't watch it. They are a bit too goody goody, especially the family dinners with Grampa pissing away his pension on Junior's Cheesecakes. And why for the love of God can't they get Magnum F'in PI a pair of glasses to fit his head? They look like they were stolen from a little kid. I only watch it from time to time to see if I made it into any of the exterior shots. I have to check on them and Quantico from time to time since they like to close off streets without notice.